Tom Erikson

I have been involved with the Duals trip in some fashion or another for over 10 years and have never had a Team wrestle less than 6 matches in a style. As a matter of fact it is one of the recruiting tools I use in putting the team together. From what I have been told 2 Teams backed at the last minute bringing the total number of Teams competing to 27, 28 would have been needed for 7 in each pool. if only one of the Teams had backed out we would of had at least one more match in the round robin format with a possibility of another in the bracket format giving us 5 and possibly 6 matches. The situation was being discussed after the Greco portion was over and I believe and hope they where looking for ways to rectify it. As for the composition of our Team, that lays entirely on me as I am the Team Leader. I am obligated to offer the spot on the Team to the State Champion in that style only, if that individual declines or fails to notify me before the deadline I am open to look for the next best possible candidate for the spot. In most cases that would be the number two person in the weight, if that person is already representing the Team in one of the styles already I then move on to the next best possible candidate. I do this for a couple of reason: In my experience kids simply wear out when they wrestle both styles and they increase the possibility of injury because they are so tired and sore. I had several individuals who did go both ways (out of necessity) tell me how tired and sore they where but to there credit wrestled hard and competed for the sake of the Team. I can assure you any decision that I made in regards to the Duals Team was made with the best interests of the kids involved and to provide our coaches with the best possible Team to compete in the National Duals. Tom Erikson Team Leader terik28901@aol.com

I want to take the time to say Thank You to all the young men who took the trip to Oklahoma as well as the Coaches and parents of those kids for sending them. Without the combined efforts of all the parties involved this trip as well as others would not have been able to happen. I also wanted to Thank Gary Myers and the Hamilton Heights Wrestling program for sponsoring one of the Team meals at Camp, it was very much appreciated. Tom Erikson Team Leader

Had a chance to talk to Coach Goodale and congratulate him on picking up Wes!

To answer your questions, yes other Teams do have trouble filling rosters as there will be plenty of forfeits that the Team will receive in OKC. The names you dropped where all contacted in one way or another by myself or one of the Coaches. This is not an easy trip to recruit to as it runs at the same time as Disney Duals, if your Team doesn't go to Disney it goes to a Team camp in preperation for Fargo. I shake my head all the time at the "what if we brought all our best how good would we be" question. I am sorry I do not mean to make excuses but just giving you some insight into what goes on with this trip in particular. Personnelly I think it is a great trip for the tweeners who are right on the cusp of being on the podium in Bankers Life, it gives you 7+ guraneted matches against all levels of competition. My goal for these kids is to win matches, have a good time and represent the State of Indiana to the best of their ability. Tom Erikson Team Leader

As of right now this is what we have for the trip to OKC. If you know of anyone who would fit one of the open weights please feel free to contact me about it. The trip cost is $475 Tom Erikson Team Leader terik28901@aol.com

It is more to the safety and protection of kids I would imagine. I have no problem with it and am sorry I missed it. Tom Erikson Team Leader

I am the Team Leader for this Team and am responsible for any all misunderstandings, the buck stops with me. That being said it was brought to my attention, I investigated it and unfortunately made the adjustment. Everything being said this is a great trip for the Juniors as it it gives you a chance to test yourself against all types of competition. I look forward to taking kids to Oklahoma every year as the tournament is well run and very organized. Still time to fill those spots! Tom Erikson Team Leader

To answer your question of what the ISWA provides for the duals ($475 one style, $495 both); Camp at Lawrence North including all meals Travel to and from OKC Air Condition hotel rooms with Breakfast Team Indiana Shirt and Shorts 6 + guarenteed matches (if you stay healthy) and possibly more It sounds pricey at first but as you break it down it is a pretty good deal considering the amount and quality of the matches you will get. Tom Erikson Team Leader

I think we can do some different things. For example, I had dinner donated on Saturday night for the Cadet/Junior Camp by Gary (Iron Bear) Myers from Hamilton Heights. This does not reduce the cost of the trip but does increase what we do for the kids to make the trip more comfortable. One of the ways to make sponsorship work may not be to sponsor the trip but to sponsor the gear for all the trips. This reduces costs of each trip and gives sponsors some add space (done tactfully) on Team Indiana Gear. I think it can be done, we just have to think outside the box so to speak and find a way to help defer the costs and make the trips more attractive. Tom Erikson Team Leader Junior Duals

Camp has been checked in and under way! We have a few kids who have not checked in due to commitments (schoolboy duals). We are still missing a few weights for Juniors as you can see from the roster above. If you are interested please contact myself or Coach Hull. Tom Erikson Team Leader

As we get closer and closer to camp there may be some changes to the rosters as some of the athletes drop out and some we may add. As I have said I would prefer not to go both styles as it is very demanding and will look to add a person so we do not double-up. Parents and athletes will be kept in the loop as to what I and the Coaching staff are doing and thinking in terms of adding people. Tom Erikson Team Leader Junior Duals

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It is my intention to have two complete Teams, as you can see we are going to have several people who double up. As a Team Leader I do not like to do this if I can avoid it. If you wrestle both styles you will get to wrestle approximately 16+ matches in a three day period which has worn out some of best that have competed on the Team. As I indicated above if you are interested or know someone who is interested please drop me an email and I will run it by my Coaches. As of today we have several possibilities that we have set a clock on to get back to us. If they do not we will be adding at least one individual to the Team 5/30. Tom Erikson Team Leader terik28901@aol.com

The following are the rosters for the two Duals Teams that will be competing in Oklahoma City at the end of June. We are still looking for individuals at certain weights, if you are interested please contact me about your interest. Freestyle 100 Cameron Diep 106 Karl Wilheim 113 120 Cornelius Elliott 66 126 Deondre Wilson 132 Alec Nowural 138 Trent Pruitt 145 Justin Atkinson 152 Shabaka Johns 160 Matt Kelly 170 Eddie Kaster 182 195 Noah Perdue 220 Georgio Blades Hwt Andre Porter Greco 100 Cameron Diep 106 113 Gavin McClure 120 Sage Coy 126 Deondre Wilson 132 Trenton Dempler 138 Trent Pruitt 145 Jordon Lile 152 Mathew Ruddick 160 Matt Kelly 170 Eddie Kaster 182 Malcom King 195 Myron Hamilton 220 Georgio Blades Hwt. Andre Porter I am waiting for a couple of replies but if you are interested please contact me Tom Erikson Team Leader terik28901@aol.com

Duals participants may also want to look at what else has been adopted for the duals, check it out in the locked Duals section.

Please keep an eye on the Two Duals trips (Cadets & Juniors)in the locked section of the forums, there is some valuable information that is being posted in there. The biggest one is that the new rules changes will be applied to both trips as well as Fargo! Teams Rosters along with openings will be posted for the Trips as well. Cadets are almost full while the Juniors is chugging along slowly. We are past all the required Deadlines for these trips so if you are interested please contact the respected Team Leader to ask about participating. Tom Erikson Team Leader Junior Duals

I wanted to bring to everyone's attention the following information I received from USA Wrestling, this will have a direct impact on these two trips! Other national events this year which will utilize the new FILA rules include: • Schoolboy/girl National Duals in Indianapolis, Ind., June 5-9 • Cadet National Duals in Daytona Beach, Fla., June 11-15 • ASICS U.S. Senior and Junior World Team Trials in Stillwater, Okla., June 21-23 • ASICS Kids Freestyle and Greco-Roman Nationals in Orem, Utah, June 24-26 • Junior National Duals in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 25-29 • ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D., July 12-20 Another Piece of interesting information I. Starting Weight at National Duals: The starting weight is to be randomly drawn for the first round of the tournament. With each successive round, the starting weight will move to the next highest weight class: i.e.: In round 1, all dual meets start at 132. In round 2, all dual meets start at 138 and so on. Some folks will like this! J. Cadet and Junior National Duals Weigh-Ins: For Cadet and Junior National Duals, wrestlers must weigh in for each style that is competed. If a wrestler is weighing in for his/her second style of competition, he/she will receive a 4 pound allowance. A wrestler may only go to a lower weight class provided he/she makes scratch weight. Tom Erikson Team Leader Junior Duals

I believe Andre Porter from Hamilton Heights placed 4th at HWT.

Attached please find the Schedule for the Cadet and Junior Duals Training Camp Held at Lawrence North High School. If you are interesting in participating for one of these Team please contact the respect Team Leader to do so. Tom Erikson Team Leader Junior Duals terik28901@aol.com Cadet & Junior Duals Training Camp June 7th – 9th 2013 Lawrence North High School Friday June 7th 2013 1 – 2:00 pm Check-in & Registration (All monies for respective trip are due) 2:30 – 4:30 pm Session I 5:00 – 6:00 pm Dinner 6:30 – 8:00 PM Session II 8:00 pm Clean Mats / Shower 8:30 – 11:00 pm Movie & Recreation 11:00 pm Lights Out Saturday, June 8th 2013 8:00 – 8:45 am Breakfast 9:00 – 11:00 am Session III 11:00 am Clean Mats 11:30 – 12:30 pm Lunch 1:30 – 3:30 pm Session IV 3:30 pm Clean Mats / Shower 5:00 – 6:00 pm Dinner 6:30 – 8:00 pm Session V 8:00 pm Clean Mats / Shower 8:30 – 11:00 pm Movie & Recreation 11:00 pm Lights Out Sunday, June 9th 2013 8:00 – 8:45 am Breakfast 9:00 – 11:00 am Session VI 11:00 am Clean Mats / Shower 11:30 – 12:30 pm Lunch 1:30 – 3:30 pm Session VII (National Team Practice) 4:00 – 4:30 pm Team Meetings ; Cadet Team & Junior Team (Juniors Dismissed) 7:00 pm Cadet Team Departs for Florida from Lawrence North

One of the best lessons I learned about punishing kids I learned while working a camp in New York. We had some kids break curfew and where out running around before we caught them, just before we where about to sweat them by making do some pushups to help them sleep better the Coach/Camp Director stopped us. He promptly called the kids parents and asked them to come pick up the kids from camp immediately as they broke the rules of the camp which the parent and kid signed at registration. The parents declined to pick up their kid at 2 am told Coach/Camp director to punish them instead. The Coach /Camp Director declined and told the parents if they did not pick up the children he would call the police, tell them they are being kicked out of camp and the parents refused to pick them up so they will be without a place to stay for the evening. The police indicated they would be placed in juvenile care until the parents arrived, the Coach/Camp Director said ok come get them. I thought this was crazy and that the parents would sue his butt off, he told me even the slightest punishment would give the parents the right to sue him (which had happened once) but with a signed document he had the right to call the police because the kids violated the rules. The parents where pissed at the Coach/Camp Director but he indicated they should be pissed at the kids because they violated the Camp rules. I was amazed it came to that but you know he was right, kids can't or are unwilling to follow the Camp rules they have no business being at the Camp. The out on that part would be prior permission granted from the Coach. True Story

I really do try and stay away from the normal chatter on the boards. As the Junior Duals team leader over the past several years I have found it very difficult to put a Team together and one of the big factors is the Disney Duals. To be fair I totally support the Disney Duals and what it represents. It is a chance for High School teams to be 1. rewarded for all the extra effort they are giving to their Coaches and Programs 2. is wrestled in the style in which they will compete during their high school season. 3. be guarenteed matches (something Fargo cannot do). In realizing those facts i find it hard to fault those kids for making that choice. To defend the Junior duals trip is easy as you are also guarenteed 6 to 7 matches, this year we had 8. You will at some point be challenged against elite level competition as well as somewhat less competition. I love this trip as an introduction to the "Big Leagues" or the next level type of wrestling, it helps you get a clear idea of what to expect when you do go to Fargo. As a former college Coach it is what I like to see of kids who aspire to wrestle at the next level as it showed me that this kid is getting out of his comfort zone. I like to see kids challenge themselves and if that young man takes advantage of the camp and entire duals trip he will come away a much better prepared wrestler for next season. The list is endless of kids I have had on this trip who have gone on to be state placers the year following this trip. As a person who supports wrestling in the State of Indiana I am excited to see kids competing over the summer months as it shows me they are engaged and want to improve the quality of their wrestling. When that happens everybody wins! As the Team leader I am always looking for the best kids to attend the elite level events and in saying that I challenge you to help us do just that. Contact the ISWA and your local Coaches with ideas on how to make trips cheaper how to insure we do get our best kids out to these tournaments, in other words get involved. Tom Erikson Team Leader Junior Duals

We still are looking for the bookends to both of the duals Teams, anyone have any thoughts please contact me so that we may bring two complete Teams to OKC. Tom Erikson

We have representatives from both Teams Checked into Camp at Lawrence North and as you can see (trip info thread) we are still missing quite a few persons interested in going to Oklahoma City for the Duals. We will be making more calls to athletes as well as Coaches to see about getting persons to represent Indiana in the Junior Duals. Trip Cost: One Style $460 Both Styles $495 Team Indiana Singlets $70 Team Indiana Jacket $45 (required for Fargo, not the Duals) All trip and remaining camp info is listed above, my number is 765-426-7072 call if you are serious!

We have representatives from both Teams Checked into Camp at Lawrence North and as you can see we are still missing quite a few persons interested in going to Oklahoma City for the Duals. We will be making more calls to athletes as well as Coaches to see about getting persons to represent Indiana in the Junior Duals. Trip Cost: One Style $460 Both Styles $495 Team Indiana Singlets $70 Team Indiana Jacket $45 (required for Fargo, not the Duals) All trip and remaining camp info is listed above, my number is 765-426-7072 call if you are serious!

Tentatve Junior Duals Lineup as only 3 persons have actually sent me money. I have some maybes here and there and others that could be listed but I feel good about the group that is listed here. If you name is not listed for some reason please contact me so I can get it taken care of. Wgt. 100 Ethan Briggeman Free (?) 100 106 Jake Sinkovics Free 106 Jacob Wynkoop Greco 113 Steve Micic Free 113 Deondre Wilson Greco 120 Terrence Kenndy Free 120 Tony Vaughn Greco 126 Nathan Carmichael Free 126 Peyton Reese Greco 132 Levi Moss Free 132 Jordan Lile Greco 138 Tommy Forte Free 138 John Cimmermon Greco 145 Josh Farrel Free 145 Jason Spence Greco 152 John Tatum Free 152 Matt Ruddick Greco 160 Brian Harvey Free 160 Jessie Goodnight Greco 170 Austin Niebarger Free 170 Chase Hack Greco 182 Riley Lefever Free 182 Riley Lefever Greco 195 Jeff Dixon Free 195 Jeff Dixon Greco 220 Ian Early Free 220 Gary Gaines Greco Hwt Georgio Blades Free Hwt Georgio Blades Greco