Dwilly

Come down and watch. That’s all you can do. I would recommend coming to Contenders in Monday or Red Cobra on Tuesday. Those are live nights. It’s really just about the intensity, great instruction, and great partners. Club vs academy is really apples and oranges. I have coached at a pretty good club over the last 10 years. No matter how you try... it’s not possible to get the same level of intensity. Once I see a kid that can handle an academy.. I put my ego aside and tell his family to go check one out an academy. I guess there is just that difference between a family that wants to drop off a kid to train a few nights a week for 6 months for $100 and a family that is grinding 4 nights a week for $100 per month. I assure you that the kids have fun at both places. I can also ensure you that if a kid is not paying attention at club he may take a small amount of heat. I can also ensure that if that same kid does the same at academy... well ... let’s just say we ain’t paying $100 a month for that noise! 
Again, apples to oranges and coaches need to realize that. 
Also Bryan is doing Outlaw in Huntington I think. If I lived up there, I would support that 100 percent. 

Devon Bell is out for Middle School State, has had the flu and strep throat for almost two weeks, probably  was coming down with it while competing at the Tulsa Nationals.  Starting back training today but playing it safe so he will be a no go for this weekend.  Projected at 132 is off, would of been 140.  Good luck to all the wrestlers this coming weekend.

It's amazing how well you do.Some people really just don't realize how good you are at this.Id really love to know what your overall percentage is of ranked wrestlers that had the possibility of going to state if we had wrestlebacks.i guess maybe the percentage of ranked wrestlers that get eliminated by another ranked wrestler. My whole point is when  a ranked wrestler is eliminated by another ranked wrestler then that hurts your percentages even tho their is nothing you could have done different. For example right now you have a max number of ranked guys that can make it to state due to drawing another ranked opponent and only 1 of them can go . In two matches alone you are gonna lose 2 guys that would more than likely place top 6 with probably any other draw in the state except for a very few. For example it is going to hurt your overall percentage when Mills/Willis and Egli/Garcia wrestles no matter who wins.Im trying to figure a way to find out what your possible percentage is and what your actual is but I am just not smart enough. I know what I think is the right way to do it but I can't. Maybe if a ranked wrestler wrestles a ranked wrestler, or if a wrestler moves out of state during tournament, or gets injured. Just the things that are out of your control or anyones control then just don't count that for you or against you. If we had wrestle backs I really think you would have a crazy high percentage. Very good job 

Mason parris vs gable steveson @brownsburg high school

How are we all going to survive this uniform crisis? This is tragic!

Our MS team has already wrestled under 3 different sets of weight since the start of the season.  Plus I know we will have at least 1 more different set of weight later in the year that we haven’t encountered yet.    
It’s a headache for coaches especially when we hear about the weight classes just a couple days prior to the meet.   Not to mention a pain for the wrestler that should be worrying about improving and not constantly fluctuating weight classes.  
 
Start at different times of the year, that’s fine doesn’t hurt anyone you face. Have slightly different equipment rules, I can live with that since it’s your guys.   Have different period lengths, OK at least it’s even for both wrestlers.  Keep having to change weights through the year and not get told until days prior to the meet, that’s unfair to the team if not even teaching some the bad habits of fluctuate their weight constantly to fit into that weeks new weight class.     
 
 I pushed for a number of years to try to have a more universal set up weights at least in our area but some AD/coaches are stubborn in their ways and in other cases the coaches change the weights yearly to what best aids that years team. With no MS governing body it will take most teams adopt a universial weight set before enough influence will be put on those type of schools to finally conform as well.  

Best solution- take all elbow and knee sleeves into weigh-ins. Have the refs agree that they are fine or tell you how much they need to cut off.

David Palmer
Legendary Delta/ Muncie Southside wrestler, David Palmer, lost his battle to cancer in late December. He was 54 years old.
In the early 1980's David was a one-time state runner up and a state champion for Muncie Southside as well as a 2x state champion for Delta HS. David led Delta to their first team state championship title in 1981 that eventually turned into 5 consecutive titles. In 1979 David became the first Indiana wrestler to make the world team and the first to win a gold medal. David wrestled for Oklahoma Univ. on a full ride scholarship and graduated with a bachelors degree in accounting.
David was an inspiration to all those that knew him and was always helping others.  He will be greatly missed!
Please join friends and family for a Life Celebration of David Palmer this Sunday January 14th at Mansfield Park in Muncie. Celebration begins at 4:00pm.
For more info please contact :
Delta coach Gary Schliessman at cabincreations@comcast.net

If they have faced top talent there is no doubt it is a great accomplishment; if you haven't faced any wrestler ranked in the State or even the SS it is slightly devalued.

Just want to give some big props to this guy. He wrestled his heart out the other night against Zach Melloh on his senior night. Many believed he would give up bonus points to a very-polished Melloh, but Blaze stayed in the match the whole time, and after several crazy takedown defenses, even scored a takedown on Melloh and held him to an 11-8 decision. That is heart and what every coach looks for in a wrestler and what every young teammate looks for in a senior. Wishing you the best of luck on the rest of your senior year, bro! Blessed to call you a friend and awesome to see the growth you’ve shown!

This biggest issue is the seeding criteria (or lack of it). A few years back Asa and Alec Viduya met the first round. Alec wrestled 11 times that day to take true 2nd. That’s not good. The people who run it have been using track profile rankings to seed this. That is a severely flawed way of doing it. I have suggested the following seeding criteria for several years: 
 
1. Returning middle school state champ
2. Returning middle school state placer
3. ISWA folkstyle schoolboy state champ
4. ISWA folkstyle schoolboy top 4 placer
5. ISWA folkstyle novice state champ
6. ISWA folkstyle novice top 4 placer

That's funny you say that about the 3 point stance because that's exactly what I thought was his best chance to slow him down. I don't think it's possible to stop him no matter if you are in a 3 point stance or a 300 point stance?. When they are that quick all you can hope to do is slow him down. 
It reminds me of a funny story of when I wrestled. I wrestled Nick Hull in the Spartan Classic Semis or Finals I believe it was and I remember what i was thinking after the first period was over. I was thinking it was physically not possible that another human could be as quick as he was. After watching the video several times over the years including recently with my dad, we always laugh at me when that third period starts. When it starts we were neutral and as the ref was blowing the whistle to wrestle, Hull just kinda flinched his head the slightest at the same time the ref was blowing the whistle to start and my dad swears till this day that I sprawled before the whistle was blown.??. There is no defense for something that you do not have time to react too. So that is why you have to already be down there as low as possible in the 3 point stance or some guys I've seen do very well slowing quickness down by kinda staying down low on one knee. I was really impressed with Decatur. I don't think we have anyone in Indiana that could beat him untill we get up around 138-145. I only see a few guys IN MY OWN OPINION that could beat him at the 138 pound weight class. I couldn't believe he wasn't on the P4P Rankings. Seems like a nice and humble kid too. The crazy thing is even tho he beat Asa convincingly,  I think there was a lot of things that Asa did positive and some things that Asa could learn from this match to make him overall alot better wrestler in the future (ex. Knowing which wrestlers to use a 3 point stance against and which ones to have a squared stance against). Maybe they meet again some day in the NCAA Championships(when it truly matters) and he gets his payback. Good luck the rest of the year and more importantly stay healthy.

Not sure, he obviously made weight. Asa a big 26, just body types I guess . Decatur a explosive wrestler, quick on his feet. Like for Asa to stay in a 3 point stance in the match to counter act his attacks on his feet but like most matches your involved in he decides to wrestle him squared up. Decatur capitalizes on that that type of defense. They’ll tangle more through out the spring/Summer Grind . Might even train together again at Jordan Camps . Just gotta keep closing the gap. 
 

Asa wrestled his butt off and represented Avon/Indiana like a true champion. Very proud of why I saw from him and his team mates. 
 
Can't speak for TeamGarcia, but IMO weigh outs on day 1, rather than weigh ins on day 2, gave an advantage to weight cutters. Guys in the semi finals finished up around 7-8pm on day 1, weighed out, then didn't compete again until 1pm on day 2. If I had to guess, I'd say some boys put on 10-15lbs over night! 

There were some big kids there.
Saw some receding hairlines and some serious ink too! Grown men I’m telling ya. Not that we don’t have that here but more there. 

The once pictured above are of a different variety than we have at Madison.  It is the NFHS approved set with the shorts (not compression as pictured above) and compression shirts.  Our athletes wrestle in shorts and shirts everyday in practice I am not sure how it becomes a issue in a meet.  I am all for the two piece rule.

My kiddo Baxter Annakin has decided to "retire" from wrestling his senior year. He as had too many concussions and values his brain more than one more year on the mat.  He has loved wrestling ever since he joined Castle Wrestling Club as an 11-yr old.  It was 100% his decision, which I think is important to mention.  His Mom and I were crushed, but very proud at the same time.  Concussions are a scary thing and not to be taken lightly.  He will be at Castle's matches rooting on his teammates, especially his senior class.  I've become a big wrestling fan as a result of Baxter's involvement in this great sport, and an even bigger fan of Baxter after watching him grow into a fine young man.
Good luck to all our wrestlers out there this year.  May they stay injury free.
Doug Annakin

I had heard as recently as last year that there was a big push to try to use weight classes starting at 70 and going every 5lbs up to 100 and then using HS weights after that.  This seems to make a lot of sense to me but its getting everyone to agree and be on same page that is the issue.

The short answer is middle school athletics does not have a governing body like the IHSAA. Most schools utilize their "conference" weight classes and thus many are different.

I feel like we should change the title of this thread to Flo v. Track and why I hate ads....

Can I have an Amen? While I also agree Fabio Jr. that the ads in a paid service are annoying, on balance I am glad to have it. From a pure economics standpoint the savings of not having to travel and pay for tickets (plane and venue), hotels, cars, time, etc. while still getting to follow both those I am close to and those I am just curious about makes it well worth the price.

It was completely uncovered before, and now Flo covers most events.  Not sure what there is to complain about here?  They arent going to send a crew to a tourney with travel expenses, equipment costs, etc for free.  The same reason the preseason rankings magazine isn't handed out for free by Joe. I feel lucky we have Flo.

It was completely uncovered before, and now Flo covers most events.  Not sure what there is to complain about here?  They arent going to send a crew to a tourney with travel expenses, equipment costs, etc for free.  The same reason the preseason rankings magazine isn't handed out for free by Joe. I feel lucky we have Flo.

It was completely uncovered before, and now Flo covers most events.  Not sure what there is to complain about here?  They arent going to send a crew to a tourney with travel expenses, equipment costs, etc for free.  The same reason the preseason rankings magazine isn't handed out for free by Joe. I feel lucky we have Flo.

It was completely uncovered before, and now Flo covers most events.  Not sure what there is to complain about here?  They arent going to send a crew to a tourney with travel expenses, equipment costs, etc for free.  The same reason the preseason rankings magazine isn't handed out for free by Joe. I feel lucky we have Flo.