MatChick76

I know it doesn't seem like it, but there is a big difference between 8th grade and freshman year. I say 8th graders should keep wrestling on their feeder teams and wait their turn for the high school spot. Let them get a little more experience and a little more maturity before you feed them to the wolves. We're not just talking about 103 lbrs. There are 8th graders who would be wrestling some of the middle/upper weights, so then you're talking about sending an 8th grade kid out to wrestle beasts like Harper, Quiroga, Roach, Simms, Sandefur...and they don't even get the benefit of going to school with the rest of the team and bonding during the day. I say "no" to 8th graders wrestling for the high school team.

An earlier post mentioned that wrestling isn't for everyone. I do think that statement has a lot of truth to it. As we all know (since we're on here because we love wrestling), those tourneys can be exhausting, even if you're just siting around in the bleachers all day. I know several kids who no longer wrestle and their parents always say things like, "it was just too much", "the meets were too long", etc. The other wrestling moms and me like to joke about the "hurry up and wait" format of the meets. It takes a "special" kind of kid to want to wrestle (wrestling is probably more physically and mentally demanding than any other sport) and it takes "special" parents to work to help their kid succeed in the sport (because it does take A LOT of patience/effort). I'm not sure "rule changes" are going to bring about any increased participation or fan support for the sport. I do not want to see folkstyle rules get any closer to freestyle rules. They are two very diferent types of wrestling and I for one would like to see them stay that way. That being said...when I see the Peterson done (and done well), I want to see some points awarded (that might make me a happier fan )

There is a difference between defensive wrestling and stalling. I do agree that the stalling calls need to be called quicker. But, looking at what warrendad said, I would want my kid to circle & block that last period and to wrestle more defensively to keep the lead rather than going full throttle and getting caught. Of course, I'd much rather watch a full out aggressive match, but stalling and "wrestling smart" are two different things.

Nice article..I look forward to seeing more of these throughout the season!

I'm following both boards...why the heck not...just more wrestling...HOWEVER, this board has gone above and beyond...kudos to everyone who was a part of putting this board together...GREAT JOB!

I know Mike Goebel was listed in the opening thread, but MD's longtime asst. coach, Randy Helfrich, has got to be one of the best wrestling coaches EVER to coach in Indiana. Technical skills out the wazoo, a great motivator, and highly respected by all those who wrestled for him.

I will concur that he wrote a lot for MD, but Reitz definitley got their fair share of coverage from him...He did some great write-ups on my little bro, so I'm a little biased.

The Courier & Press is usually hit & miss. This year, so far, they've been pretty good. I know from @ 94-03 they had some pretty decent coverage when Steve Ford was doing a lot of the sports writing.

I agree with you that the fat test is helpful to the sport. My brother cut weight (w/in the guidelines) one year. He barely made it under the body fat % rules. It was only one year where he really cut, but that year was horrible, he looked anorexic, and although he wasn't worried, I worried about his health. It all turned out fine (I guess he knew his body better than I did), but w/out it you could end up with wrestlers with serious health issues.

Lennie May (MD) pinning Michael Brown (Castle)

Thanks for the info Y2. I agree that I'd like to see us keep the 14 classes we have now, and if the only way to do that is to reorganize the weight classes then I think we should try to do it. The fat test definitely makes things more difficult in terms of wrestlers actually eligible to cut to some of those lower weights.

This is an intersting case. He moved to Mishawaka and was declared eligible to wrestle. Someone "stalked" his family (after the wrestling season was over), reported their "findings" to the IHSAA, and the IHSAA reopened the case. He has now been declared "ineligible." If what his father says is true, and they can prove that he was indeed being discriminated against by the teachers/administrators at Penn, he should have some legal options that actually allow him to attend a school outside of his normal district. Whether they were trying to cheat the system or not, I can only guess at, but the facts are: 1) He's already attended Mish for 1 year, where he wrestled for them and 2) He's legally living in a house within the Mish boundaries. Unfortunately, I think this also is a fact 3) Someone has sour grapes. My opinion is this, they should review his eligibility for last year and determine he was INELIGIBLE for last year and strip all points he accumulated last year from Mish. BUT, since he has a year "under his belt" so to speak, he should be eligible this year. I do not condone cheating in ANY WAY, however, I do have a big heart and I hate to see a kid lose his senior year for something that may or may not have occurred A YEAR AGO!

I like having the lower weight. There are several wrestlers who are "smaller" that, when entering high school, have a shot at wrestling varisty at 103 or 112. I do like the idea of adjusting the weight to say 105 or 106, because after the 2 lb. allowance you're looking at a 107-108 range, which is really a "healthy" weight for a smaller wrestler. I know when my uncle was wrestling the weight class was 98lbs., so obviously the weight classes are adjusted periodically to account for health trends. Y2, in an earlier post you made mention that this information was sent out to all the schools...Is this the ff breakdown that was sent out? Also, in that breakdown were they asking for the schools to provide feedback about the 103 weight class?

I like this idea. A great way to be on the lookout for up and coming talent.

Can't wait til Friday...thanks Triple B!

Evansville Reitz and Mater Dei...always a big one... In wrestling, I've often thought Mater Dei/Any other team in Indiana, was a rivalry...lol...

I concur, Jeffersonville does have some real talent. I was very pleasantly surprised from what I saw this week-end at the Castle 5-way. I love to see another So. IN team coming on strong, so kudos to Jeff. Great job with the rankings TripleB...will you be updating these weekly, or as coaches send in results/updates?

WOW! Looks like this was a great tourney, and MISH is still the team to beat. Thanks for the updates...wish I could've been there. On a side note...poor Harper...wrestling hurt and getting wins...yet still taking a beating on the boards. Come on people...give the kid a break.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/dec/14/freshman-pins-back-mds-win/ http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/dec/15/sudden-stardom-not-that-unusual/ Looks like Lennie May is a freshman to watch. He's a Head (I'm sure TAE already knew this), definitely one I'll be following.

This subject seems to stir people up every year. I am not in favor of class wrestling...Keep Indiana Wrestling Classless!!!...I do not think that class wrestling is going to get more kids interested in wrestling. The major themes dominating most of these threads are 1) building a better wrestling culture in your area, 2) getting more kids into the wrestling room, 3) building a better "Indiana Wrestling" program. That being said...I don't see how class wrestling accomplishes ANY of those 3 things. Dedicated coaches, TONS of volunteers to help wrestlers from the age of 4 up (coaching, taking to tournaments, working pairings, etc.), and a LOVE of wrestling are just some of the things it takes to build a strong wrestling culture. This post..... ?You take a young man in the prime of life, wearing next to nothing, and put him in front of hundreds of fans ? with no teammates around him. And it?s either you or me. To lose is humiliating. It?s a huge blow to your pride and you are half naked. You are so exposed.? ?Some kids can?t deal with public defeat,? Deckard said. ?It?s different than team sports. In team sports there is somebody else to help you share it.? Didn't say.... "Ah, but to win...to win is like NOTHING you've ever felt. You alone on the mat, with hundreds of fans, and you've just been through perhaps the most brutal 6 minutes of your life...the feeling just can't be explained. Your teammates are on the sidelines, win or lose, there for you no matter what. The unique thing about wrestling is that you're all a part of the whole. Yes, it's an individual sport, but each weight class is a unique piece of an intricate puzzle that comes together so beautifully, that it sometimes leaves you speechless. Fourteen men each doing their part to ensure success." Do you see the difference...one passage BUILDS a wrestling culture, and one sends kids running with fearful thoughts of public humiliation (the greatest fear of all high schoolers.)

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2008/dec/12/cats-try-to-keep-streak-going/ Here's the article the Courier & Press had in today's paper about the MD/CHS match-up this week-end. Should be interesting, but my money's on the Cats. Both great programs...good luck to all the boys!

Dec. 29 & 30 Dec. 29 - wrestling starts @ 10am Dec. 30 - wrestling starts @ 8:30am

Not that Tsirtsis isn't a beastly freshman, but I'm giving the nod to the 3x state champion, Harper. Experience is the key here. I was a little shocked at an earlier post that hinted that Harper should switch weights to avoid a freshman. No one should ever run from anyone...you become the best by beating the best. Good luck to both boys...I'm sure it will be a great match-up should they meet!

Well, it looks like I've finally found "home", the crazy board I've come to love (with all the crazy characters)...I was starting to worry when I didn't see any of the "regulars" on the other board. Thank you...this board is looking great!

Hello...MatChick76 has finally arrived. Boy, this two boards thing has been confusing. Which board is the "official" board? Is it going to be http://indianamat.com or is it going to transition over to the new IHSWCA website http://indianawrestler.com/ ? Help...I need my wrestling fix...and I need it to be consistent!