Jacob

I doubt we will be there. I don`t agree with giviving a five pound weight allowance. You have the lower weight that does not have weight to cut or can`t go any lower, they will be wrestling giving up 10 pounds. That is a lot at 70-75 pounds. I don`t understand why you don`t have kids get on the scale and they wrestle what they weigh. If they don`t make weight, they don`t wrestle. Declare a weight and give 2 pounds at the most. I don`t agree with that either but it is more realistic. We are talking about kids here. They should not be cutting weight to begin with. No more than a few pounds anyway.

Walked in the door and saw that for the first time since I could remember, both gyms are being utilized. Matside pairings. Awsome wrestlers. Great sportsmanship. Opened up with the pledge of allegiance and prayer. Totally awsome experience. We have been going to tournaments for the last six years and I have always called the experience like I saw it. I said in the past I would not return to New Pal. After receiving some news the other day, I changed my mind. I am glad I did. I am not sure of the numbers but you could have doubled them and this tournament would have ran smoothly. This tournament was right up there with the best of them. You guys did a fantistic job and the change you made was the best thing you ever did. Thanks for a fantastic experience. See at the next one.

At these local tournaments, it would be a nightmare to try to have true second. We would be there all night. I think at state however there should be a true second. Just my opinion.

I believe that the uproar was about a gentleman wanting to take his fifth grader and a team made up of other Indiana wrestlers to a tournament. Indiana takes two teams as a general rule. The two teams are determined by the finish at middle schooll state as you all know. I think the question should be is this. Does the tournament that the third team would be going to, even allow fifth graders to compete? I still feel that by taking additional teams to these tournaments, waters down our talent. I believe that in some instances, younger wrestlers would wipe the mat with some older wrestlers. The problem is, rules are rules. What kind of example are we setting if we try to change them when they don`t benefit us? FC does not allow sixth graders to wrestle for their middle school team. I tried to fight that last year because predominantly the contemporaries in the county do allow sixth graders. My efforts were fruitless and he had to wait for this year. Their time will come.

I absolutely agree with you coach. School work should be first and foremost in participation in any sport. If you don`t pass, you don`t play. Our son is not a rocket scientist but did manage to make the A-B honor roll this period. Second time in six and a half years. Close on almost all of them. Usually would have one C. Great point.

This poll is scheduled to run for ten days. I will start a new one after it is done. PM me and let me know the ideas you have about the seperation. I think that would be interesting to see the differances that poll would produce. If you don`t want to wait on me, go ahead. I think it is a great Idea. I would like to see the coaches identify themselves along with their opinions.

I have decided to put this poll on here to have a clear understanding of what you think as a whole. These are just some of the answers I have heard over the years. I personally feel that All kids want to win. I feel that it is important to them. I have been told by some that nothing matters until they get into high school. I think that it is most important to teach sound fundamentals of wrestling and good sportsmanship. I feel that by doing this we are teaching an invaluable life lesson. I have seen some parents and coaches that it is the most important thing to win at any cost. They push young kids to the extreme. These particular kids are being pushed harder than many high school teams. I have also seen the other end of the spectrum as well. They trained these young kids very successfully with out making them hate the sport. I am not saying the kids don`t train hard because they do. These coaches allow the kids to understand that it is OK to lose if you learn from the loss and come back later wrestling better. The kids work very hard on drill and technique and they understand the importance of cardio. My opinions are the same as some and differant than others. This does not make me right and them wrong or vice-versa. These are simply opinions, that is all. If the poll questions don`t reflect your views, please elaborate. Thanks

Steve, your son is a great kid, probably the most well mannered child I have seen in a long time. He is a very gifted wrestler as well. I hope you understand that I was not pointing fingers at him about burn out. I was talking in general. About kids in general. That is why I asked how many kids on average that are at the top now, are still there in high school. Like I said, don`t take any offense towards me because I was not talking about Brock. I was however talkking about Indiana having qualifiers for the two teams they always take. I feel like many others do, that when people start taking multiple teams to these events it waters down our talent. If Indiana puts the two best teams with the best talent on them, we will do a lot more for our programs. If it is a middle school tournament and they are not in middle school, they don`t wrestle. I guess I must be slow because I just don`t understand the thought process. I guess an old paramedic has a slower thought process than a teacher. I did wrestle when I was younger and also boxed in the golden gloves as well as in the Marine Corps. I just don`t want to say how many pounds ago that was. I also played football for many years. I know I don`t have as many years around wrestling as some but I don`t think you have to be to understand the concept of rules that govern meets. Thats all.

Sorry, a threat in a personal E-Mail set me off.

Thanks Tim Not attacking anyone on here. Just voicing an opinion. I guess the only problem with that is, when it differs from someone elses. They want to take their ball and go home. The only problem with that is, the ball belongs to the gym. Not the player. Unless things have changed since this board was started. Opinions are encouraged. I am not attacking anyone. Please do not take it that way.

Lot of beginners on both sides that showed a lot of heart. Great job to both teams.

Just for the record, I do not think a fith grader should be allowed to wrestle in middle school or at the middle school state. This is exactly what I was talking about. Parents reliving their childhood through their child. At the childs expense. There are some kids out there that it is win at no expense, and are great young wrestlers. These are the ones that I question wether they will be burnt out later if they are even still wrestling. If they are still wrestling, will they be wrestling because their parents expect them to? Will they be as great then as they are now? I know Steve and have great respect for him. I do however disagree with him on this issue. The issue of fifth graders wrestling in the middle school duals. And if they can`t, they put a team together to reinvent the wheel. I think Indiana kids need to wrestle on Indiana teams. Indiana kids should be on Indiana teams that are made up of kids who have earned their way onto the Indiana teams. I am not insinuating that his son would not be wrestling later. I am just following a train of thought. I mentionioned Kids from Indiana on Indiana teams. This was in reference to last year when someone took a team to Michigan that was being represented as an Indiana team. This particular dual was an all star dual so it would be a matter of interpretation. I believe they went under Team Champion. Everyone knows that Team Champion is from Indiana. That team did have some Indiana studs on it. There were several out of state kids on it as well. The Indiana Brawlers went to Tennessee with several Michigan wrestlers on it. Not average wrestlers either. Suttermeister, Hall and a few others.I wish they were from Indiana. If Indiana wrestling fans truly care about Indiana wrestling becoming a contender with other states that dominate. They need to start walking the same walk they are talking. Why not do this, at the end of each season, lets have a tournament of champions where kids from differant age groups that are state champions and runners up challenge each other for bragging rights. A club with a little insight on this could put a little coin in their pocket by hosting this event. You would have to limit the age differance like novice and school boy and school boy and cadet and son on. I am in no way trying to point fingers at anyone in particular. There are other clubs that do the same thing. I don`t think they are doing Indiana wrestling any favors either. If you agree with this great, if you don`t, oh well. It is an opinion. Don`t let your drawers get in a bunch over it. Sorry for using any names in it. I removed the original post and pasted in this which was copied with some adjustments in it. The dag on thing timed out while I was posting and I did not want to go back in and do it all over.

I don`t think we will be there this year because of the middle school season. I do have to agree thet Franklin runs one of the best tournamebts we have ever attended. If you have never attended a tournament here, you will not be disappointed. I usually call them like I see them and these people are a class act.

At the youth and middle school level does it really matter? What I meen is. Does it matter to the kids as much as it does to the parent. We as parents spend a large amount of money so our kids can do the best they can be. How many of those kids in the past have went on to be state champions at the high school level? How many kids stopped wrestling once they advanced to high school because they got burnt out on it as a kid? How many of those dominate kids petered out in high school because they peaked as a youth or middle school wrestler? My point is there are kids who have never wrestled at the youth level and will dominate when they start wrestling in high school. We have kids who have wrestled but have not come close to peaking but have the know how. My guess is that most of the dominate kids at the youth level will either be gone in high school or will beat the average kids but will not win state. I know that there are a few who will dominate but I contend that they will be few and far between. What do you think? I think we need to let them have fun and their skill and fortitude will determine who the champions will be when they get to high school.

How fair is it to the kids who wrestle the weight they weigh? There will always be a way for a few to cheat, why make it legal for them? ie they are wrestling 12 pounds over so lets just make it easy for them to do. In a year or two these kids will have to make weight right before their matches. Why not make them learn the right way? Theres a novel thought and opinion!!!

I think matside way ins are a great way to go as well. What I feel is foolish is to give a weight allowance. These kids for the most part are coming off their middle school season. They should be at or near their weight. With a singlet and their shoes on, they are weighing at the most 2 lbs over their weight. Weigh a kid with his singlet and shoes on and then off. Give the diffwerance as the allowance. What is happening here is unhealthy for kids this young. A kid weighing 75 to a 100 pounds should not be cutting more than 3-4 pounds. Giving these kids the allowance you are gives them a weight advantage of 10-12 pounds. The ISWA went way out of their way to ensure pedifiles are not allowed around our kids. That is great! Lets go a step further and watch out for their health.

What ever happened to wrestling at the weight you weigh in at. Why in the world would you aloow 5 extra pounds when you are weighing in at your lightest weight of the day anyway. You should go ahead with the satelite weigh ins a week ahead of time if you are going to do this. You will have people cutting 8-12 pounds for this tournament.

Good luck to both teams. We know that you wuill represent us well !!!

I know Boston is a 6th grader, Crary is a 4th grader I heard yesterday that Boston is not wrestling for the middle school. I have not heard it from Daddy B but I heard it was a practice conflict.

Ditto, have a great one!!!

I was just looking at the World of Wrestling home page. They are advertizing that they are looking for two new cities to host a tournament. This is the same organization that does the Tulsa tournament which I am sure you know. We went to the Cincinnatti tournament last year. It was a great experience. I think with the numbers we have at our local tournaments, we could put one of these on and make it a profitable venture. I know that some out there have the get up and go to get the ball rolling. (Brandy) What do you think?

I have not seen his name up here but I would watch for Hunter Jones this year. He is looking very tough. My guess is 65 lbs.

I am glad to see this new board put up. The old one was nice but I was tired of only being able to see opinions that were acceptible to the moderators.ie: ones that they happened to agree with. There are too many wrestling organizations out there to just limit ourselves to USA wrestling. I don`t feel that USA wrestling is a bad thing but we should be able to support other organizations with out the posts being deleted. It would be nice if the ISWA would get together with other organizations when putting schedules together. At times we lose a lot of good wrestlers to other tournaments because they schedule them at the same time. This site looks great...I think Keith and Brandy will do a great job moderating the youth board. Good luck to everyone this season and Merry Christmas to all!!!