davit

Congratulations to the following Indiana wrestlers for placing in this tournament.  If I missed any, please add them to the list.

Cadet 112

    Josh Fuqua - Team Indiana - 8th Place

Cadet 130

    Tommy Forte - Mishawaka WC - 2nd Place

Cadet 135

    Tre Marler - Team Indiana - 8th Place

Cadet 145

    Simeon Teague - Penn WC - 8th

Cadet 189

    Mitch Sliga - CIA - 4th

    Ty Webster - Team Indiana - 8th

Junior 98

    John Mills - Team Indiana - 4th

Junior 119

    Alonzo Shepherd - Team Indiana - 8th

Junior 125

    Cameron Halstead - Region WA - 5th

Junior 135

    Collin Crume - Jimtown WC - 5th

Junior 160

    Sean Mappes - Team Indiana - 4th

We have had circumstances out of our control the past 2 years:  Medical issues, children and their shananigans, and glitches in track wrestling!  We talked about many ways to speed the tournament up.  We felt that matside pairings was the best way to do so this year. 

Anybody willing to lend a hand who has experience in matside pairings is will be welcomed with open arms!

Sunday, February 27th

We will be using Matside Pairings this year.

Cost: $10.00 Entry Fee

Spectator Fee: Adults $5.00  Students and Seniors $3.00

IMPORTANT

1. Registration/Weigh-ins: February 26th From 5:00-7:00 Only (Saturday)

2. Satellite Weigh-ins: Must be done by Registered Club or High School Coach by Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

3. Satellite Weigh Forms: Email Mark Kerrn at mkerrn@baugo.org

4. You can return satellite weigh in by email to mkerrn@baugo.org or by faxing them to Mark Kerrn at 294-5596

5. Look for a confirmation from Mark Kerrn Friday morning.  If you do not receive a confirmation, we have not received your form.

If you have any further questions please contact: Mark Kerrn

Daytime: 574-295-2343 ext. 269

Nightime: 574-850-5808

Email: mkerrn@baugo.org

Fax: 574-2945596

Sunday, February 27th

We will be using Matside Pairings this year.

Cost: $10.00 Entry Fee

Spectator Fee: Adults $5.00  Students and Seniors $3.00

IMPORTANT

1. Registration/Weigh-ins: February 26th From 5:00-7:00 Only (Saturday)

2. Satellite Weigh-ins: Must be done by Registered Club or High School Coach by Thursday at 8:00 p.m.

3. Satellite Weigh Forms: Email Mark Kerrn at mkerrn@baugo.org

4. You can return satellite weigh in by email to mkerrn@baugo.org or by faxing them to Mark Kerrn at 294-5596

5. Look for a confirmation from Mark Kerrn Friday morning.  If you do not receive a confirmation, we have not received your form.

If you have any further questions please contact: Mark Kerrn

Daytime: 574-295-2343 ext. 269

Nightime: 574-850-5808

Email: mkerrn@baugo.org

Fax: 574-2945596

Congratulations to the 3 Jimtown Jimmies who wrestled in the state tournament.  They had a great season and a remarkable tournament.

125 - Nick Crume - 3rd Place

130 - Collin Crume - 2nd Place

285 - Eric Forrest - 4th Place

Great job this season guys!  Your hard work and dedications has paid off.

1. College rules for takedowns

2. Classing the Team State Tournament, not Individual

On behalf of Mark Kerrn and the Jimtown Wrestling Coaching Staff our thoughts are with all that were close to Coach Friedt.  There are no finer coaches, fathers, husbands, and men.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Jimtown Folkstyle Wrestling Open

Jimtown High School will be hosting a folkstyle wrestling tournament on February 28th.  A few reminders about the tournament:

There will be 2 ways to register and weigh-in for this event:

1.We will host an on site registration and weigh-in on February 27th from 5-7 p.m.  Be sure you have your USA card with you.

2.A club may also fax (1-574-294-5596) or email (mkerrn@baugo.org) a list of their wrestlers.  If you are faxing or emailing you must use the attached form and it must be typed.  Once you send your list via email or fax we will send you a confirmation notice letting you know we received your list of entries. All emailed or faxed weigh-ins have to be sent by Friday, February 26th at 8:00 p.m.  Please bring the confirmation letter with you on Sunday morning as we will not be accepting any registration or weigh-ins on Sunday morning. We will accept cash or club checks only when you arrive on Sunday Morning.

We will bracket the tournament on Saturday night and we will not accept any wrestlers on Sunday morning.  Please arrive by 8:30 and check the brackets to be sure your wrestler is in the correct age and weight division.  We should be able to start the tournament at 9:00 sharp in two gyms on at least 12 surfaces.  We will definitely need clubs to help with tables, please notify me if you have people in your club who are willing to help.

Sattelite weigh in form can be found at www.iswa.com, or email dgaskill@baugo.org or mkerrn@baugo.org

If you have any questions please contact Mark Kerrn (1-574-295-2343 ex 269 daytime, 1-574-850-5808 evening) or Dave Gaskill (1-574-322-1086).

What are we debating here, because many of us post about class but have different ideas.  Is it...

1. No Class at all

2. Class the Team portion and leave the Individual the way it is

3. Class everything

I love the class wrestling discussion, but which discussion are we having.  If people supporting #1 are arguing with people from #3 this will go on forever.  If #2 is the option we are talking about at least there is a middle ground.

All of these posts about class wrestling and how many of us are even talking about the same team.  Option #2 at least seems like a good middle ground to start the discussion from.  I think even most CLASS Wrestling supporters like our individual tournament, how could you not!

The main goal of the smaller schools is to get better, build a stronger program, try and close that gap with the best schools in the state (big, medium, or small). 

One seemingly logical avenue (coming from a small school) would be to class the TEAM Portion only.  It may draw more kids to wrestling if there is that chance to compete on a team that makes it into the state tournament, which in turn may help wrestling numbers.  The more numbers, the better quality over the years as they develop which makes for more competitive rooms, more competetive teams, and better over all wrestling in Indiana.

All schools no matter the size have quality kids if the work in the off season.  The problem is how many quality kids can you get.

Do spring sports count- not as far as the wresting aspect is concerned.  I don't think playing summer baseball helps a kid on the mat.  Those spring sports are part of what makes the small schools vulnerable.  

Bigdanteague made the comment, "spring sports?  spring is for freestyle" (not verbatim)

The reality is that smaller schools or weak wrestling areas get hurt a bit more by this.  We want all the kids to participate in freestyle/greco, but at small school it is easier for good athletes to shine in multiple sports.  It is easier for a kid to make the baseball team at a 2a school than a 5a school because typically the talent pool (at least numbers to choose from) are much greater.  Survival of the fittests.

Everything the "big school" people are posting is accurate.

Everything the "small school" people are posting are a reality.

To answer the question of what we need to get better is.......

Get as many kids in your freestyle/greco/folkstyle/summer wrestling programs.  

I personally think the best compromise is:

- Keeping the individual portion the same.  Most small school teams will even admit our individual state tournament is fine.

-Classing the team portion.  Most small schools can find 14 quality guys, the problem is finding 14 quality guys in 14 different weight classes.  

Lets get more kids wrestling either way!

At Jimtown we started this Monday and Wednesday in the evening.  Our Junior High team is 6,7,and 8.  We will keep this schedule until about Ind. Regionals, then we switch to everyday after school.  It gives kids a chance to get into the room and learn some technique without running them through full practices every day. 

We combine our 4th and 5th grade club kids into this group.  We try and keep these kids pumped up and it allows them to have something to look forward to.  It makes for a nice transition from Club only into Jr. High.

Being a coach of Wrestling and helping out with the Jimtown football team, I can assure you that the coaching staffs (football/wrestling) respect the Penn programs much more than you may think.  I know in wrestling we envy the opportunities Penn has with having so many wrestlers to choose from that can wrestle year round.  We are always fighting baseball, track, etc. because at a small school a good athlete has more of an opportunity to shine in many sports.  

From the coaching side of the coin (I can not speak on behalf of the players and fans) just because Jimtown may have won  state championships in year X or Y doesn't mean they thought they could beat Penn's or Warren Central's of the state...believe me...too much respect for the elite programs along with every other program.

Jimtown is a school with alot of pride.  The district is only a 3x6 mile rectangle (any kid we get in any sport is a blessing).  The kids are very proud of their accomplishments.  It is a school with alot of "school spirit."  If there were not class football who knows if Jimtown would have won any state titles, but having the opportunity to be the best amongst schools your size has kept many kids coming out, kept the programs numbers and success up, and built a strong tradition (in our class).

If wrestling were to have class for at least the team portion we might see our wrestling numbers go up.  Kids just want the opportunity to compete and make a name for themselves.  To be part of something.  If the coaches from small schools had more kids to choose from, the smaller schools would become a more competetive group.  

Agreed! 

Now what does your club do once season is over if you lose many of your kids to little league baseball/high school baseball, track, golf, etc...

Do you just get those kids in the room when possible? 

If you are left with only a few kids do you keep your club running?  Do you merge with another club?

103: Dominic Garrett- Jimtown :09

189: Dustin Chafin- Jimtown :10

130: Collin Crume- Jimtown : 10

112: Nick Crume- Jimtown :13

Will McMurray and Quiroz wrestle against each other, or is Quiroz at 152 again?

How do some of you guys run your clubs?  How many people do you have helping out?

Do you seperate your little kids (K-3), intermediate kids (4-5), middle school ages (6-8)?  Does it just depend on how many total kids you have?

How do you handle your club if there are very few Coaches running each level? (Head Coach and Assistant)

Just curious what some of you guys do that have either a lot of kids, or a few coaches running everything, or everybody in between!

Combat Speeds are my favorites.  I have the black and red ones, I wish I could find a few more pairs. 

When was the last time another semi-state had the credentials of Merriville?  Have the others had years when they dominated by the numbers?

I believe that if an athlete were to transfer into a school and not move there, the athlete must sit out one year if he participated in athletics at his old school (similar to college).  If you are accepted and have an address in that new school corp. you are good to go!  It is their way of having some sort of control over kids just driving to a neighboring school with a better athletic program in their selective sport.

Jimtown will have open mat on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:00.  All are welcome!

If you need a Satellite weign in form you can visit:

- www.iswa.com 

or

- www.jimtownwrestling.org  then on the calendar page for March 1st there is a link.

All satellite weigh in forms are due in by Friday, February 27 by 7:00 (and must be conducted by an ISWA registered club). 

Must also have all tournament registration forms with you when they show up Sunday morning if they used satellite weigh ins.

All wrestlers must be checked in by 8:30 on Sunday morning.

Thanks

Dave Gaskill

Asst. Coach

One of the biggest things we battle is the number of 3 sport athletes.  A great point was made earlier about kids working hard  in the off season to get better (small or big school).  Small school kids can compete individually with Big school kids, nobody is doubting that.  When you have kids playing baseball, running track, soccer, or golf its hard to pick up those extra matches in the summer, which tends to affect the smaller schools a little bit more.  Not that Big schools don't have to battle 3 sport athletes, I would just assume it wouldn't be the same percentage.

I would love to hear from the side of a big school....do you guys have this problem alot?

i knew i missed some in there....i just wasn't sure of all the schools that make up the region....thanks Mustang10

based on Indianamat.com's rankings a dual would look like this...this is not all of the ranked people in the respective areas, just the highest ranked....feel free to change it up if you want, i may have missed a few schools in each area.

wt.    Region                  vs.      Michiana (-michigan)

103: #3 Ayersman      vs.      #5 Wisler

112: #1 Hawkins          vs.      #4 Beck

119: #9 Lamb                vs.      #2 Brooks

125: #2 Tsirtsis            vs.      #16 Stevens

130: #2 Porras              vs.      #1 Harper

135: #1 Roach                vs.      Nobody in top 16

                  or

          #2 Dillon

140: #3 Surma              vs.      #1 Sandefur

145: Nobody in top 16 vs.      #3 Corpe

152: #1 McMurray      vs.    Nobody in top 16

160: #2 Myers              vs.      #4 Powell

171: Nobody in top 16 vs.    #5 Lopez

189: #1 Shrewbury      vs.      #2 Graber

215: #2 Cleveland        vs.      #7 Lentz

285: #5 Travis                vs.      #6 Thomas

Could be fun to talk about bumping at certain weight classes to fill the line ups with ranked guys.

Example: Michiana at 140 has #1 Sandefur, #7 Stahl, and #8 Hall

                  Region at 125 has #2 Tsirtsis, #4 Napules, #5 Thornton, #13 Brady