Just wondering if someone could share some insight into why Effingham TEAM is not competing at the Basehor Tourney as they were on the list of teams to compete and have been there past several years. I had heard overweight issues- but entire team ? I am hoping that what i had heard is wrong and it is something else entirely because IF* weight issues in fact is the case and that many team members were that much over to point of not being able to make weight there is likely a discipline problem and lack of respect for their coach and school they represent. I understand that missing school this week due to weather and NO practice rule makes it tough but this AFFECTED all schools and they handled it. At the very least, if I* was their Coach--my team captains would change immediately and new leaders would emerge even if they were under classmen.

We were out for 3 days.. from a rural school alot of kids live on country roads,, its hard to get out to find a treadmil when u cant make it out of your driveway.. We also had some injurys.. 2 of our varsity wrestlers wouldnt have even wrestled this week because of that.. We also wouldnt have brought our whole team to the tournament because our coach decided that some of our underclassmen would have went to a jv meet. We do respect our coach, and we respect his decison in not taking us to the tournament. We would of only had one day of practice that week, and you should know that only one day of practice does not prepare you for that tournament. Please do not talk down on our team because of something you hear when you do not know the complete story. Thank you

That's a good answer Snewy. Best wishes to you guys the rest of the way.

Is a treadmill the only way to cut maintain/ weight ? Is there any truth that several wrestlers were 8 to 10 lbs over or is this not the case ? Many teams only take a handful of their top tier wrestlers from their squad... underclassmen such as Wagner, Schuetz or Hollands can learn a great deal by competing in a tourney such as this that will make them better in future. Darn straight Basehor is one tough tourney but the ones that wanted to step up to that challenge say "this is basehor week and i want to be there to do battle with the best to guage where I am at". WHEN was decision made not to attend and as an entire team not go ?.. nor send ANY individuals at all ? Was it Thursday when school reconvened or upon weighing in Friday ? - Who are the injured wrestlers and wrestlers struggling with weight ? ..and note that most Northeast KS area schools only had one or two practices this week. ~ Look at all those teams that wrestled in various tourneys this weekend . -just saying..Hope to see all ready to go for your group real soon. --Dont fault Coach Flores or majority of team but i will say with all sincerity that a couple of leaders need to be an example..or step aside.

-Do all the right things now and leave it all on the mat so you dont look back with regrets at end of season and 5yrs from now aren't saying if...but...

Really "on the mat"? Did you have money on them being there or something. I dont know if you have ever wrestled before but it is some what difficult to cut a significant amount of weight without actually being on the mat. And if they were snowed in, where could they run enough to cut the weight? Should they go all week without eating? I think you need to back off of this person who I am assuming is a young man on the wrestling team. I know nothing about this situation but just reading all this and seeing how your are pounding this subject seems unfair and too much. Just leave it alone and move on.

Very good answer snewy. You were respectful even when you didnt have to be. I hope you and your team are able to get back on track and all that good stuff. God Bless!

On the Mat.. i believe I made my point in my first post, annd i believe Jesuslover made the point a little more clear. Yes That tournament would have been a great experience for the younger guys on our team, but it wouldnt have been a great experience if they would have had to cut to much weight to fast, they would have been weak, and wouldnt have been able to wrestle to their full potentiol, that wouldnt have been fair do you agree? As far as the decison of being made on when we decided we wouldnt send our whole team? The 3 years that I did go to this tournament we did not send our whole team a single time, As a matter of fact i think when i was a freshman, I was the only freshman on our team that went. As far as u questioning me about our team, I feel that non of these questions are really anything that I need to tell you? If you dont know the awnser to all these questions then you shouldnt have posted anything about our team in the first place. If you really have any other questions just contact our coach lol im sure he would love to awnser them.. Thank you

Excuses are not needed, it was a Coach's decision!!!! Only the School AD is in position to question it.

First of all sorry but not having a treadmill is a joke you dont have to run to cut weight its call working out sit ups crunches, and every team in the area delt with this same situation, simply not an excuse as a former wrestler you find ways to make your weight. But its a loss for the team not getting to wrestle losing valuable mat time and a very good experience at a well run and tough tournament.

Im really not understanding why you two are hounding this young man about adecision that was not his. He is simply defending his team against this verbal attack from outsiders. It seems to me that at this point, Snewy has much more knowledge of how to go about things in a smart way then you two individuals do. Lets say they do cut however much weight was needed to wrestler yet have no energy to go hard therefore causing someone to get hurt. Then what? A season or atleast more time away from the mat is in place now all because ppl wanted to prove a point of some kind. Bottom line, if you have a problem or lost some money for them not being there then CALL THE COACH AND OR THE A.D. I know we all want our teams out there going hard and what not but if it doesnt happen, guess what, it just doesnt happen. LET IT GO!!!!

calling out some highschool kids...come on, really? and your talking about leadership! nice one

the thing is..darn near ALL teams/ wrestlers were in same boat as you this week yet arent making excuses. Yes, I did wrestle and can tell you first hand what it takes to get on a level with the best of the best. It takes heart and passion and thinking "I am going to outwork my opponents in off season, practice room, conditioning etc because if you dont, there is always someone wanting it worse. I also know the way my youth Coaches conducted business and if you were in a leadership position, even more was expected of you. For those that is their Senior season..this is it. No more opportunities in HS wrestling after this year. It is up to them if they are going to do the right things.

I honestly am not trying to stir anything up but i am actually hoping to see a couple young men that seem to have alot of promise reach that potential but again, it is up to them. ~ Just think about that and feel me. Most teams were affected this last week, yet very few used it as an excuse. Just do what it takes and make wise choices if you want it badly enough. If not.. its not the end of the world, just the end of their High School careers that one cant get back when you step off the mat for that last time.
Enough said. --sorry to offend - I am coming from the heart on this one as Yes I have been a wrestler and a State finalist as well as Coaching youth to State tourney, ...Not just some idiot blowing smoke. - Bottom line is that it has to be what the individual himself wants for himself and then is he willing to do what it takes to get there. Doesn't just happen by wishing it.

Snewy 103

I'm with ya Snewy. You have a great coach in Flores. He coached me to three state titles, and a National Championship with the OW award. I'm sure he knows and understands what he is doing, and made the decision for what was best for his team at that time.

Lyle Geyer 303 717 5321

On The Mat:
Like a lot of the subjects on this board, I am having a serious issue with this.
You're seriously bashing ACCHS for not coming? Seriously? Do you, personally know ACCHS's situation? Did you see the road situation in Atchison County? You say everyone was in the same boat; are you sure? Conditions may have been different. Missing a tournament you either can't reach or aren't prepared for is NOT a tragedy in these young men's lives; despite what many on this forum think, wrestling a sport, IT IS NOT LIFE OR DEATH.
When I was at Immaculata years ago, the 2002 ice storm such down most of Eastern Kansas for a week. I spent the better part of two days calling schools to see who could make it to our invititational. We ended up with six of the 12 teams there, but I had coaches tell me they hadn't even seen their kids in a week. Would it have been a better tournament with the rest of the teams? Probably. But we still had a good tournament, I don't think it was "tragic" to any of the kids who couldn't make it, and this is a ridiculous conversation.

Holmes, apparently didnt hear a single point i made.
Yes, Many of our areas wrestlers were in exact same boat but managed, the ones with the heart and desire to make it a priority. Not everyone is the same. It is past and the opportunity to compete in that tourney ever again is over for those Senior wrestlers as well as younger kids that can dream to be on that stage as the elite kids they hopefully watch when attending a tournament of this caliber. Each individual knows his story, if they did what they could this week and arent bothered by it and can chalk it up to weather and events beyond their control that is great. But can EACH say this ?
I called to question the amount being over weight when it is Basehor week and would expect those with the passion in their heart and fire in their belly to be closer than 8-10 # over. For example- As a real competitor, I am thinking--"i know it is a tough tourney and I may not place, but if i want to get to a higher level then I am preparing for it and thinking about it all week/ every day..in school or not. Unless you yourself have ever had this mindset as an upper level wrestler and been there yourself as a Champion , i sincerly doubt you even understand where I am coming from. Not huge that they missed but COULD some have controlled their personal situation a little better ? Again,That question is not out of line and no one should take offense to that if it isnt the case at all with them.
Sometimes, making youth truly stop and think about things, self evaluate and challenge themself isnt so bad. .. Yes, there are occasionally circumstances in life that are beyond our control at times such as Mother Nature..but what individuals CAN control and chose to do with that is up to them. Honestly, It would have been difficult for any of the ACCHS grapplers to be a place winner in a tourney of this caliber. You can go through their entire roster and pick out a couple individuals with a shot. But the experience is invaluable. There are 30 plus mostly quality teams at this event and how many place winners, you do the math. But competing is what it is about and they were entered to do just that. You can rest your laurels on your IMMAC program that you coached for a couple years several years back who was more like a JV team. I am talking about ACCHS and Flores is a proven winner and much respected Coach and the expectation level I am sure he himself has for his kids is altogether different than the program you directed at IMMAC.
In closing, I would be immensely and genuinely happy for the ACCHS squad to place several wrestlers at the State Tourney which is why I even took the time and energy to post in the first place. .. No, certainly not tragic though that they missed and i expressed that. Its just up to each individual to determine what price they will pay for their desired success. - I have been there as both a wrestler and Coach and speak honestly.

On the Mat,
In response to some of your post, I am not sure who you are or where you wreslted or if you did wrestle, but if it was in Kansas, and you are questioning Coach Flo (John Flores), and the way he leads his team, it is obvious that you dont follow small programs that well, I wrestled under coach Flo all 4 yrs in highschool, and was part of a back-to-back state chapionship teams, and multiple udefeated dual seasons, and still to this day many years after being out of highschool, I am using not only wrestling skills, but life skills he taught me while wrestling under him. So what I am saying is that if you are questioning his choice of keeping his team from the tourn, I guarantee you he was doing what was best for his team. You also made a comment about kids needing to have heart and desire, if you would follow coach's teams you would know that if they dont have heart and desire, he will find a way to get it out of them. If you would like to discuss my thoughts on coach flo's ability to lead a team feel free to contact me.

Lance Geyer
785-650-1607

Geyer, back up and read my post. Never said anything about Coach Flores and I do trust he will get a handle on the situation. You will see in my original post that I was actually surprised at this occurence and defended him. I know he is a good Coach and would hope that as you said the youth will follow his great direction on and OFF the mat for them. Coaches that are impactful in life skills to the kids under their direction are an asset to the youth they serve. I understand he knows what he is doing, just that sometimes- especially in this day and age, kids have a mind of their own and we all have to work a little harder in guiding them unfortunately. please take the time to fully read my post above. Thanks

On the Mat,
Actually, I did read you your posts, and actually, I did hear every point you made. Which is why I responded to you the way I did, and why you gave me exactly the answer I would expect back (somethings are quite predicable).

As for your comment: "You can go through their entire roster and pick out a couple individuals with a shot. But the experience is invaluable. There are 30 plus mostly quality teams at this event and how many place winners, you do the math. But competing is what it is about and they were entered to do just that. You can rest your laurels on your IMMAC program that you coached for a couple years several years back who was more like a JV team."

First of all, it was four years at IMAC (people who actually know what is going on know you don't use the second "M"), second of all, you have no right whatsoever to make judgements on my athletes and third (and I like this part), one interesting note: We only saw ACCHS wrestlers at Regionals (not sure why, but we did), and one year they were in 4A. But over those last three years, my kids wrestled ACCHS wrestlers 18 times, head to head. We won 11 and lost 7.

I have a great deal of respect for ACCHS program and you calling them out for not going to Basehor is kind of gutless, especially without having the guts to use your own name.

On The Mat,
I do stand corrected I had posted my earlier post from my phone and it did not show all the paragraphs of your last post, when you shared your respect for coach. So I apologize to only responding to the first paragraph.

Lance Geyer
785-650-1607

Holmes (former Coach of those early 2000s powerhouse IMMAC teams) , You are ignorant in saying I was calling them out. I was merely appealing to a couple team members hearts and questioning why one would be so far overweight not even giving yourself a chance to compete in a tourney of this magnitude and thus affecting your team also is dissapointing. I wouldn't expect you to understand as I said you have to have been a somewhat successful wrestler to know where I am coming from. The difference between you and I is " my thinking as a wrestler was "Basehor Week (tough as heck Tourney) -- i WANT to be there for that challenge". There are those out for the sport and others that want hardware at the end of the year...I happen to be one who knows what it is like to walk out in front of a crowd of thousands for the State Finals at the Wichita Colliseum and hear my name introduced with an undefeated record and be in the Championship match to the very end with a 4 time State Champ losing 3-0. That should tell you enough about this gutless guy that worked his rear off to get there. Its about what an individual wants and doing what it takes to achieve it. Again, not all are the same. I guess i am "bad guy" in hoping for a couple youth that they have enough heart to also WANT that hardware. --I like to see it for them when they do and for those kids i care about, have been moved to tears with being overjoyed for them when they do well... but bottom line, they have to earn it.

thank you Mr. Geyer, I can guarantee you I care about those ACCHS wrestlers and want success for them. If it gets back to them what I posted as far as thinking about being sensable in maintaining their weight and giving themself a chance to compete against the best at a tourney like this.. i am ok with that. I would have hoped they want this for themself and will go after their individual goals with determination.