aoberlin

Awesome.  I am sure that Ester will do a great job with him.

I for one appreciate the fact that the govenor had enough forsight to make some tough decisions now that will allow our educational system to continue for many years to come.  

If the definition of forsight is looking at something and thinking WOW that is broke, lets see if I can break it even more.  Than yes "My Man" has forsight.  You are correct that I usually fall on the conservative side of things but I do not on education, environment, and some health care stuff.  I do think we need to cut out unnecessary spending.  But I guess it depends on what people feel is unnecessary.

1oldwrestler I usually agree with your posts so don't beat up on me to much.

Fort Wayne community get a middle school program?  That will not be happening unfortunately.  We will be lucky if the high school coaches even get paid pretty soon.  Things are not looking the greatest in our school systems and right now the state is picking on inner city schools.  But don't think your school is safe, just give it some time.  (unless it is a private school)

Back in the 90's and before FW schools used to pull more than just their weight.  It is not the coaching; it is the system, which isn't going to be changing for the better anytime soon.  It is in a vicious cycle that is setup for failure in my opinion.  Our representative wants to privatize schools and one of the ways to do that is show the current system is failing.   What is the best way to that?  Undercut any chance for public schools to move forward and show progress. Right now they are directing their attention to inner city schools because they are easy targets but other schools will be next guaranteed.  I truly believe that paid coaching will be one of the next things to go.  I know we don't do it for the money but I know some coaches that can't afford to spend that much time doing something without some kind of compensation.

Here are a couple examples of bias coming out of the state concerning public schools.

1.  The voucher program.  (State money will follow the student)  So in essence you can send your kid to a private school if you want.  Sound like a good idea?

Problem with this is that both private and public schools will be measured by the same standards, yet the private school can choose which students to accept.

2.  The state is constantly talking about keeping the best and the brightest in Indiana.  But yet they are cutting pay raises for teachers that get their Masters?  

3.  I have heard "My Man Mitch" who I voted for 2X (regrettably) say teachers make more than the average person in Indiana.  Hmmm....  Could that be because they have a 4 year degree?

4. Any vacated school a private school gets first shot at it and gets tax breaks if they move in to it.  This sounds like ?hey lets close these public schools so a private school can take over this building.?

5.  The state is now trying to judge the teachers on the student?s performance.  If that doesn?t sound like over simplifying a complex situation I don?t know what does.  In my opinion parents have a lot more to do with student?s performance than a teacher does.  But hey we live in a society of enabling and we possibly couldn?t point the finger at parents.

Sorry I will get off of my soup box but I see this as the root of FW community issues even with sports.  By the way I am not a teacher therefore I can say this stuff.

Why take away chances for smaller athletes? What other sport can small athletes be considered the best in the state? Sorry for not sympathizing for  a 215 pound athlete that is being left out. Show me a legit 6% body fat 215 pounder who isn't good at practically every sport he does. There are dozens of 6% body fat 135 pounders who because of size aren't going to have opportunities at any other sport.  Everyone will have some story about a small guy who is a stud but at the upper levels of sport size matters. Why as wrestlers where size doesn't matter should we cater to larger athletes that have dozens of opportunities in other sports to be the best?

I agree with this post %100. 

The statement of 106 is still small I do not.  Yes 106 is still small, but not if you weigh 98lbs.  8lb difference is huge for a little guy and by the end of the season it will be 11.  Let's do some math.  If someone weighs 98 pounds and wrestles someone weighing 109 then the percentage to body weight is 11%.  That is absolutely impossible for a kid that size to overcome trust me it used to be me.  Why don't you ask little Brooks about his freshman year.  If that kid would have weighed as much as his competition he would have walked to state that year also like he deserved to.

Yeah there is allot of times that 103 is dominated by Freshmen but it is not only because Freshman are smaller.  Allot of kids growing up try different sports but some of the smaller more athletic and competitive ones find it is hard for them to succeed at other sports because they are smaller than their peers.  But that is not the case in wrestling, (or wasn't) they then go out for wrestling and have success and focus on that sport and turn into a stud Freshmen.

Y2 I like you but we definetly do not agree on this one.  But maybe you never had to battle with Napolean syndrome like me.  (Which I don't have because of wrestling.)

Not sure I'm clear on your last point.  For one I don't see the change in weight classes as having much to do with coaches views on individual vs. team success.

My point is that I hear allot of chatter on this board about not every team being able to always fill the 103 weight class, therefore we need to raise it.  (TEAM)  But what about the percentage of kids that will no longer be able to achieve success because of the weight class being raised.  (INDIVIDUAL)  I do realize that wrestling is a team sport, I have been a coach for around 15 years now, and one the main goals is for the whole team to achieve success.  But like I said before, I am biased and I think we are taking an opportunity away from some little guys that really need it.  I remember when the weight class was 98 pounds then 103 now 106?  10 years for now is it going to 110?  Where do we stop.  I also realize part of it is because of the hormones that are now in our milk, but what about the kids that only get fed organic.  ;D 

I personally feel that one of the best parts about wrestling was that no matter what your size is you could compete.  I do not agree with 103 being raised and you can take the statistics and shove it.  I have always liked having a class dominated by freshman and sophmores it gives the little guys a place to start.  All this is going to do is take some 112 pounders that would have had no way of making it to 103 and now they will be cutting more weight to go to the lowest class. Kids are always going to try to get down to the lowest weight they can.  I always felt the big gap between 112 and 103 helped seperate the 2 weight classes so there was less jumping between the 2. 

I think this is going to take opportunities for success from some kids that may need it the most.  I admit I am biased I wrestled 103 my freshman and sophmore year, and there is now way I would have had any success my freshman year and possibly not as much my sophmore year without it being that low.  I was old for my grade (missed a year because of illness) and I still only weighed 98 pounds my freshman year after a big mac and a shake.  What I do know is growing up I tried every sport and could never do well because of my size but when I wrestled it did not matter and that is where my true love for the sport comes from.  Personally I am not near as concerned with the 140 pound freshman at least he has a chance against kids his same size.  But if a kid only weights 95 to 100 (again don't care if there aren't as many) he will not be able compete against kids cutting to make 106 that is just to much of a weight difference for a little guy.

I think some peoples motivations for these weight class changes are more to do with team goals than taking into account every individual.  But hey we don't have wrestle backs so why should we begin thinking more about the kids than ourselves.  Way to go wrestling community step on the little guy.  (Literally)

Yeah.  I have a 2 and 1/2 year old I would like them to talk to.  ;D ;D  Congrats Nathan impressive performance this year keep up the hard work.

Speaking of title IX.  If this is the case and girls can also wrestle in college then we should never lose another program to it.  All I know is that my boys are going to play softball when they get into high school.

Wrestle backs.

I'll start wearing slacks.  Get off of my back. :)

Nope.

I'm a fan of just the lights off, and rooting for the underdog

Agreed.

Not sure people on this board know what trolling is.

Dekalb  had 7.

Nope.  Totally random that way people don't lose matches on purpose for a better chance.  Let the wrestle back conversations begin.

From a hat with numbers and a blind fold hopefully.   It should be a totally blind draw that we will not know about until Sunday or Monday after regionals this year.

That is because your kid's matches don't last that long.  

I have competed with Bellmont for the last 20 years on the mat and as a coach.  And most of the time on the losing end of it.  They have always been a class act.  There wrestlers and coaches are always respectful.  I'll take that over a jerk for a wrestler that comes over and shakes your hand because he has to.  (This does mean he has good sportsmanship)  Just means he can be forced to do something. 

..

Be nice Karl. 

Yes you can wrestle JV and Varsity but it will count as a weigh in.  Be careful with this.  We had to sit a kid out at Conference because it was brought to our attention he had to many weigh ins to wrestle Conference and Sectionals because we wrestling him in a JV tournament at the beginning of the year.  We didn't not realize it till the day of Conference.

If it is already out there sorry for posting this.  Just direct me to it.  Can we setup a calendar that would be for the whole state and have the times of all dual meets, super-duals, and tournaments.  It would be nice to know who is wresting and when.  I know it would be a ton of work but it would be good to know.

Thanks.

Andrew Howe. 

Lead them to the water.  Just make sure that it tastes good.

Sorry forgot it was freestyle.  Let me adjust my statement and say it should be illegal.