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Dream Team Classic Recap


Y2CJ41

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What a night of wrestling! Hollywood screenwriters could not have scripted a better event from start to finish. I could not have dreamed how packed or loud it would be when I first started planning the event.

The Indiana guys came out ready to scrap and defend their home turf. When looking at the match-ups I thought a few matches would be ugly and we might give up a couple pins. Instead our kids didn't back down and were in all but one match. That just shows the progression of our state as a whole that our best guys CAN compete with the best in the country.

The fans were the best! Cheering for our guys and that place got as loud as ever a few times. It was awesome to see everyone cheering for our guys and not being split up by cheering for kids from only your team or area. There is nothing better than a standing ovation in appreciation of the work these kids have put in over the years in this great sport.

Brownsburg was a great host for the event. Coach Darrick Snyder and Athletic Director Kelli Waggoner went above and beyond to make this event a success. They rolled out the red carpet and many of the USA guys were extremely impressed with not only the new wrestling room, but the gym and everything at the event.

A big thank you goes to our host families who took in kids for the weekend. I know the kids enjoyed themselves and it sounded like the families enjoyed it also. Thanks to the Lee's, Jean-Baptiste's, Cookerly's, Koonce's, Conley's, and Brewer's for stepping up and housing the kids. Also thank you to Nick Wiesjahn for hosting me.

Thank you to our superb referees Jim Russell and Eric McGill. Russell seems to be quite popular with the Flo guys right now, so tune in to FRL tomorrow to hear what they have to say about the event.

We had great support also from our sponsors the ISWA(yes that is not a typo), KC Battlegear, and Invicta Wrestling Academy. Make sure to support these companies as they are here to help Indiana wrestling.

Also thanks to Cody Bryant and Wrestling USA for organizing the USA guys, being an ear for complaints and suggestions, and many behind the scenes help. Cliff Keen athletic did a great job with the gear and I know I have extra that we may give out soon, so be on the lookout.

It was a great night of wrestling to showcase Indiana wrestling and our kids blew the roof off the Bone Zone. I am just hoping I don't get a bill for repairing that roof!

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Amazing event. We had students walking the halls of BHS today still talking about how awesome it was and commenting on how scary Mason is. With out a doubt an experience I won't soon forget! Thanks for putting it together Joe and helping grow the sport of wrestling in Indiana. 

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Just a little upset that the Friday Night Main Event was not televised.... I mean, did @Fabio Jr. lose his strap in a huge upset?  Did Mason skip out on the event due to fear?  I want some details....

 

Dream Team Classic was great for Indiana wrestlers, fans and the state as a whole.  I remember when Indiana wasnt on the national wrestling map, and now here we are hosting a huge National event with our seniors holding their own against some of the best from around the country!!

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5 minutes ago, BClark said:

Was an actual final attendance ever posted? 

We never had anything official, but it was close to 2000 fans. The lower bowl area held 1700 fans and that was very much packed with lots of fans in the upper section and around the top.

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For those who have not seen them we had multiple photographers there Saturday

Link to photos from Wyatt Schultz
https://thepredicament.smugmug.com/2017-2018-Season/High-School/Dream-Team-Classic-2018/

Link to photos from Richard Immel
https://www.rimmelpics.com/High-School-Wrestling/2018-Events/Dream-Team-Classic-Team-Indiana-vs-Team-USA/

There are some INSANE pictures of the event.

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I just want to thank Joe and all the other people that put the time and effort to bring this event to Indiana and give our state the publicity it deserves on a National level.  All of our wrestlers were very impressive and put up a great fight against the top kids in the country (win or lose).  I appreciate Team USA coming to Indiana with a "nothing to gain, but everything to lose" situation.  Ty was able to capitalize and take out his opponent and has gotten a flood of national publicity.  Without all the work that was put into this, he would have not had this opportunity.  We found out yesterday that he was named the National High School Wrestler of the Week by TheOpenMat.

https://news.theopenmat.com/blog/2018/04/16/adidas-high-school-wrestler-week-apr-16th-2018/

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Ty Mills is quite popular these days, he got the USA Wrestling Wrestler of the Week honors to go with The Open Mat's honor earlier this week.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Athlete-of-Week/2018/April/20/Ty-Mills-named-USA-Wrestling-Athlete-of-the-Week

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50 minutes ago, Y2CJ41 said:

Ty Mills is quite popular these days, he got the USA Wrestling Wrestler of the Week honors to go with The Open Mat's honor earlier this week.

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Athlete-of-Week/2018/April/20/Ty-Mills-named-USA-Wrestling-Athlete-of-the-Week

Wow... we're very humbled by the recognition Ty's received this week.  Without all the folks involved with the Dream Team Classic, all of this would have never been possible.  While the recognition is nice, I don't want it to overshadow all the other great matches of the night.  Every Indiana kid out there battled their hardest and it's awesome that a week later, this event is still being talked about.  I think Brayton won the popular vote for this award and so we don't want to undercut him, but it's awesome that the Brownsburg program had 2 wrestlers in contention for this award.  Thank you to all the coaches who's helped him become the wrestler he is today.  

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