Mattyb

Yes Pitt… I’m sorry… to be honest.. I’m in Florida for awhile and may have had a few. With that said.. I was in st. Pete beach the other day and here comes Watson… he cut his spring break short to fly up to represent Indiana. Best kid ever! Proud to call the Watsons my friends. Can’t wait to watch him in college.

Yep… super nice people. I met them in VA beach last year. They told me that he was dead set on going to Penn because Luke is coaching there. That’s where he’s going.

Every collage coach during visits…. “If he wants to he can wrestle right away!” when they get there….. “we are gonna to redshirt at first and see how the chips fall” I think that they will start off redshirt… once Jesse starts to do Jesse things they will pull it.

It’s for seniors

Great stuff from coach Bradley. Thanks for hosting

Maybe not. But…. It’s gonna be a tough dual next year. I know both staffs will not underestimate each other.

The place to be in #TheCounty tonight. Let’s goooo!!!! Its a packed house!!! So many good coaches from the area walking around helping the kids. College guys giving kids good looks. Gotta make it from now on if you can.

I have worked the scales a few times at ISWA state. Nothing like arguing with a parent that states that their club coach would always allow them to wrestle a weight class as long as the wrestler wasn’t over the following weight classes. That was more so in the old fax or email your clubs weights days.

I think he will get an at large bid.

I guess. I’ll be honest… I’m clueless about that. I just try to do my best to be good to everyone and treat everyone the same and with respect. Golden rule for me. Old school and out of touch I guess.

So wokeness and privilege has made itself to this message board. C’mon man!!! We are better then this. I grew up in a broken home but have provided a much better lives for my kids. I did foundry work for 15 years before making the change to real estate and doing much better. Should my kids feel guilt? Are my kids privileged? These are serious questions. Most of us have had tough times. Why is @DrunkJoeNamath a “genius” for being curious of what is considered to be privileged. And furthermore.. do we really want to go down this hole? Clearly some families are disadvantaged. Can we all just agree on that and move off this privileged argument?

Jordan looks great today. Here yelling my guts out for him. Carsons snake bit season was over when he busted his ankle first round. Battled for three more matches before calling it a season. He will get right and come back better then ever next year. Until then… Let’s go Sliv!!!!

Coach I never said that classing individual team state will absolutely not help numbers or small schools. I said that classing individual state isn’t going to happen anytime soon and we need to look for other solutions to bolster smaller programs. I have nothing to do with not classing state. Most likely nobody on this message board does. I also said that I have no faith that if the IHSAA would class team state that it would be close to what we have now. I think that our state would then look like the other state finals that I watch every year on Flo and track. They are good events but not anywhere close to what we get to experience every year. So… we all need to ask ourselves.. are we willing to make the change from what we have now at Gainbridge with the possibility of what other states do? Do we think that the IHSAA will provide anywhere close to what we have now? Are they even willing to make the change? Clearly you, Joe, Galore and 165 think that overhauling our state finals will lead to saving small programs and you all could be right. I’m simply suggesting for now we come together, brainstorm, and look at current successful smaller programs to see what else can be done now. With that said.. I don’t want to see what we have now end now. I’m sorry I’m just being honest. And… since I have worked for one large program and now work for another large program and don’t want to see the change yet, and I’m being told that “I don’t have reference” “I just go to powerhouse programs” “I’m good with programs failing” “I think kids without means should just work harder” “I don’t care about kids with losing records” … Pretty much attacking me for suggesting we look at other solutions. It’s easy to do when a guy puts his actual name and thoughts on a message board. None of that is true. I assure you all that I love Indiana wrestling and have put a lot of time and money doing my part to help grow our sport. I would just like to explore other avenues before we change state. I guess that I am the only one with this view and / or the only one who’s currently at a larger program that’s willing to say it publicly. Well maybe me and Drunk Joe. Again.. healthy conversation. But.. let’s stop making the above assumptions.

Sooo … what your saying is wrestling is like CRT? People are either oppressed (have reference) or oppressors (have no reference)? If your from a small school or poorer area you are oppressed and if you happen to grow up near or live near a large suburban school your most likely born “on third base” and feel greater then? Those entitled people have no clue what it’s like to be oppressed, have no reference and should just have no opinions. Is that what your saying? btw.. I grew up in many apartments on the west side of Indianapolis in the 90s with my single mom. Do I still have no reference? For the fifth time in this thread. I currently am a part of a large program. But.. I want to see more small schools have success like Rochester and Cascade. There are many people that are a part of bigger programs that root for smaller schools to succeed. Not going to apologize for my current job. Just chimed in the express how proud of @QuinnHarris(a guy that I took to tournaments when he was a kid) I am, and express that it would be cool to see other small teams have the “wrestling opportunities” (name of this thread) that he is providing for his guys. Also to say how @aoberlin is doing something awesome! next thing you know…. I suggest that classed state isn’t going to happen soon and that I’m not confident that the IHSAA would do it well. Then!!!!… a classic class wrestling thread breaks out (complete with stats) and I get accused of being an elite-ist and pretty sure multiple other types of ist! All in good fun though!

So what your saying is…. when a coach signs a contract at a school it’s for life. Coaches don’t leave schools and sign contracts with new schools? Everyone from my old school is gone. The house was cleaned out. Most of us have new jobs though. When I hang it up at the school I’m at now.. I may buy some land and move. Wherever I end up.. I will help for sure. I promise you if I didn’t have my job that I have now, I would go to the nearest program that had an opening and would help. At this time.. It’s just best for me to have a 5 minute drive to the school. I guess that suggesting that all of us (including myself) can do more and need to brainstorm solutions is looking down on the rest of the state. Sorry to rub you the wrong way. I apologize. I have actually coached teams (off season stuff) with a guy from Central Noble before. With that said… I do get your struggles. Actually years ago… I offered a really good Central Noble wrestler to come down and stay with us for awhile over the summer to train. While we spoke about it, it never happened. Btw… congrats on the HOF.. I’m sure that we can all learn a lot from you. Again.. apologize if I rubbed you wrong. A man of your stature deserves respect.

No kidding smart guy. Go back and actually read my post. I admit that I am currently involved in a big program. But I’ve been around a long time and have had the opportunity to be around kids from all corners of the state and from all walks of life. And believe it or not .. not every kid on my team comes from a wealthy family. I share my resources with the kids that need it as much as possible. My point is that the same guys get on here and provide the same facts, stats and opinions but offer little to no solutions. I have also agreed that there are issues that need to be addressed. Again… classing individual state isn’t happing anytime soon. We need some ideas. And.. again.. I think Cascade and Rochester are examples of teams that are doing great. Seeing what they are doing. May help others. So people that live in heavily populated areas can’t speak on this issue and we don’t care about the small schools? Wrong buddy.. a lot of us do care. Told you before… go troll someone else.

Nope. Clearly care.... Just dont think classing will be an option anytime soon for the IHSAA and am suggesting that we look at other options and solutions other than telling kids at small schools to work harder, stating stats and not taking action, and posting that we should class individual state. As far as kids... I have some really bad kids on my team. Some haven't won a match all year. I assure you that I work with my sub 500 kids WAYYY more than my studs. My studs get help at home and at academies, I spent much more of my time with the 5-25 kids, as we have those kids too. I love all of my kids and tell that to them daily. But.. I just coach middle school so that may not count. I choose to contribute at that level because most don't want too. Its fun!!! BTW... I cant fill a whole team this year. I just couldn't get big guys. It sucks!!! Not high school, but I actually do feel the frustration.

Less than or not as cool as we have now. Just think that if the assigned seating went that bad (something that people asked for for years), that a totally changed tournament will be 10x worse. Again, just an opinion. Not a policy maker here. I just picture something like Ohios. Go watch video. My sons teammates at Ohio all won state there. They always talk to me about how cool our state is. Those are the factors that im basing my opinion on. I could be wrong. They do not understand no wrestle backs tho!!! Heatlhy conversation. I appreciate all of you guys. Please don't get mad or take my opinions in the wrong way.

You say something like this every time, but never suggest anything but maybe we class individual state. Again... more stats and no solutions. SMH How many small school kids win IHPO? Maybe we class it. It's a VERY important tournament. Nobody is saying that there isnt a problem. Nobody wants programs to fold. I clearly think that classing individual state will result in a bad product. It's just an opinion. But.. suggesting that people not supporting classing individual state is resulting is leading programs to fail and that those people dont care is not accurate. Classing is not up to me. I just realize that it is most likely not going to happen. AGAIN, less stats and more solutions. We HAVE to work with the current hand that we have been delt. @CFleshmanI dont think that its a work harder mentality for the kids (which is another argument that needs to die). But.. I do think it is a work harder mentality for us coaches. Meaning that we have to figure something out and create more opportunities and solutions. BTW.. the forfeit data this year was awesome (as we are dealing with Covid). Hopefully it continues to get better.

IHSAA totally messed up assigned seating. Now people are suggesting for them to blow up the whole state tournament and make a classed tournament. If it ever was to happen, I don’t think we would have anything even close to what we have now. Are we all willing to do this just on the maybe that it may help retain kids? Again, I think that we need to focus on setting multiple goals (including an individual state title). State is one tournament and not the end all be all (this was told to me by an IHSAA state champ). That same state champ never placed and signed a full ride D1 scholarship prior to winning that state title. That reflects the importance of doing and focusing on other things. We as coaches and leaders need to do more also (as a whole). Let’s start by setting record numbers at frosh/Soph state this weekend and then at ISWA state after. Let’s keep these kids grinding.

Again… IHSAA is not going to do this for individual state. We have classes team state and now we have 1A and 2A state. We also have frosh-soph state. So more opportunities are being created. @Galagore you are so focused on individual state. We now have classed team state. The playing field for that is fairly even for that awesome event. An individual state title is not the only way to motivate wrestlers to be great. Teams and coaches now have other additional things to focus on. I may be wrong, but im pretty sure that’s what Rochester has done and now they are getting the individual results. Constantly asking for something that isn’t going to happen isn’t going to change anything. Constantly providing stats that reflect how bad small schools have it isn’t helping either. We need solutions. Set multiple goals, build a team and build a culture. Get dudes in to push the kids on and off the mat. Surround the program with like minded coaches that will take any kid anywhere. Our program is fortunate to have a guy like @mikemorgan. That dude coached his butt off at IHSAA state. The next day, we had one jv2 kid sign up for Indy Nationals. Mike was there til 10pm with that kid. No matter school size or team size… that’s what programs need. Seeing teams like Rochester and Cascade is very inspiring. I know… coming from a guy that is involved with a larger program… my opinion doesn’t count. Please know that I have been involved with youth wrestling for a long time and have coached and led teams with kids from all corners of the state. I truly want the best for them all.

These guys are very young coaches that mostly went to Avon during the programs best years. They have decided to take that successful big school mentality to a small rural community. These guys are making wrestling the cool thing to do at Cascade. They are getting all the good athletes in that community to buy in. They are also are putting egos aside and encouraging them to get additional training anyway possible. They are also creating offseason opportunities for the kids to keep wrestling year round. If a kid wants to wrestle, they make it happen one way or another. No excuses, just make it happen. That my friends is how you build it. As far as lack of partners… these young dudes wrestle with the kids. If you don’t have a staff that can do this, it’s time to get the contact list for the last 5 or 6 seasons out, and let those dudes know that it is time to come to the room a few days a week to give back.

We get it. Similar stats and numbers get posted on this site time and time again. Clearly the IHSAA is not going to change. So… the question is what can we do?? Oh wait… @aoberlin is trying something! This is why we are all rooting for him and supporting his efforts. Support Andy and guys like him. Support RTCs or RWAs in smaller communities. No doubt that I choose to live in a heavily populated area, but I truly care about all of Indiana wrestling. Hopefully we can evolve and get more and more opportunities in smaller communities. Btw… my middle school team wrestled Cascade last night. They gave us all that we wanted. Those guys are not a flash in the pan. 1A…. You’ve been put on notice. My guys have started something special out there. It’s going to continue to grow. #LessStatsMoreDoing

Cue…. @Xpwc…. Now. sorry we all know it’s coming!

I think we did look him up one time and he was some random dude in Tennessee or something.