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I wanted to let everyone know that a E.I. Sports and Apparel got some great news from Brute Wrestling a couple of weeks ago. Brute President John Purnell, a long time supporter of the IHSWCA, called to tell me that they have added some new production lines and it has enabled them to actually REDUCE the price on their singlets. In a world where the price of everything goes up every year, this is a pleasant surprise. This move instantly puts Brute as what I feel is the best buy on the market for a couple of reasons. #1 - The Brute quality has long been right up there with Cliff Keen as what most people feel are the top 2 quality lines in our sport. This change puts Brute, and their high end quality, in the price category of the "2nd tier" companies that live off of undercutting guys like Brute and Cliff Keen and delivering what many feel is a lesser quality product. Brute is now providing the best level of quality for the best price. #2 - Brute is Made In America in the wrestling heartland of Pennsylvania, and has one of the fasted lead times in the industry. Orders ship within 15 business days and the UPS lead time is 2 days from PA to IN. That puts new singlets at your door in 3 weeks instead of the 4-6 or more weeks that many others offer. Let me know if you are interested in seeing some of the new pricing on Brute singlets. I can tell you that the price slash is very significant. Jeff Schaefer EI Sports and Apparel

Adidas Wrestling and EI Sports and Apparel are looking for IHSAA and ISWA Wrestling programs who want to take the step of being a "branded" program. The wrestlers love competing in the big name brand gear and the parents and coaches love wearing the name brand apparel. If your program is willing to partner up with Adidas, the discounts levels and perks are substantial. This program is not in conjunction with the "all school deals" that are in place and high schools and can be used for high school, middle school, elementary, or ISWA club teams. Lots of bang for your buck! Please email Jeff at eisports@sigecom.net if you have serious interest in hearing what Adidas has to offer. Thanks Jeff Schaefer

The problem with the event is very simple and until it is fixed, the event will slowly crumble. I heard words mentioned this year that I have never heard before since it moved to Indiana. Words like "it needs to move back to the East Coast so those states will get involved again". The issue is just as Joe mentioned. The teams from the other states have stopped coming. Why are the Renegades and Gorillas allowed to compete? Why did they even get spots in the event in the first place? Its quite easy. You have an event that can handle 24-32 teams and it only has 18 teams. The tournament chair needs a certain amount of money to make the tournament go and that means he needs as many $550.00 entry fees as he can get. If he does not have enough teams to pay the bills, and if Joe calls and wants to put a team in, he is going to say yes. Its that simple. The only thing stopping him at 6 Indiana teams is that he knows in his heart that 6 Indiana teams is too many for a "national event". If the event could be marketed better and get back to the glory days where there were 10-14 states represented with multiple teams, then teams like the Renegades and the Gorillas would not even be allowed into the event due to no open spots. This would be a great thing. As far as what the make up of the teams should be. Once again, it goes back the the glory days where this event was much deeper and there were many more "state sponsored" teams. It even says in writing, in the entry packet info for the event, t something to the effect of "this is a national championship event and the states are encouraged to build their teams by using a qualifying system" It also mentions using the best underclassmen from the state finals. All of this goes back to what the event once was versus what it has become. The states that are here now (other than Colorado, Indiana, and Illinois) do not know what it once was, and the states that were once there (see EAST COAST and OHIO) are no longer there. It is a completely different event today. Nobody is wrong in their views. Its just different now than it once was. I for one wish we could get the event back to 24 teams from 12-14 states with teams full of the very best kids in the country filling dual meet teams and fighting for state bragging rights. That can happen if it is marketed correctly and if there is a corporate sponsor added to the mix. After that happens, then get with Joe or another sponsor (I may know one...hmmmm) to break out the killer gear and help offset the cost of our best kids being on the team and everything takes care of itself.

Spot Filled.....Thanks!

"scolded" is an understatement. Mr. Faulkens was not to happy with us that night. We really need everyone to fill out the survey this year.

I understand about the leg. That makes sense. I'm just saying that the Ford Center is no different than most other downtown arenas and stadiums in the nation when it comes to parking.

Blue Bolt .... if your really complaining about the parking you just fell a couple of notches with me. Luckily you were way up there so you didn't fall to far haha. I visit the Ford Center quite often and while we do not have a parking garage, the parking situation is just not that bad. I go to MLB, NFL, and NHL games in Nashville, Cincy, St. Louis and Chicago, and have been to the NCAA Wrestling finals in Detroit, Oklahoma City, Omaha, St. Louis and Philly, and can park IN the parking lots or garages and STILL walk farther to the doors at those venues than I ever have to walk at the Ford Center parking in one of many random but available lots or spaces. Just because there isn't a "Lot" or Garage, doesn't mean is a longer walk.

I think the venue was easily the best so far. Our kids faces lit up when they walked in also. This event needs to stay in this facility. The seating and viewing problems are easy fixes with a few simple steps. 1. move the team seating and the scorers tables to the INSIDE of the mats instead of the outside of mats....this puts all teams facing the crowd. 2. move "tournament control center" upstairs overlooking the entire venue (They do it this way at Disney) or move it to a corner and move the team food "lounge". 3. bring in the end zone bleachers that I have seen in other pictures of the expo center. Bathrooms and concessions - are always a problem unless we are at Bankers Life, Lucas Oil, etc etc. The prices will still be too high or whatever and the cleanliness of the restrooms will still depend on the person who used the stall just before you needed to. Pigs will be pigs and the venue has nothing to do with that. Thanks to the IHSWCA for everything they are doing to make this event the best event possible. I can PROMISE everyone that they really do care and they really do want this event to be the best event of the year. I can also promise everyone that they will make adjustments and if it is at the same venue next year that it will be a much better fan experience.