Let's say there are two weight class champions at a tourney. Wrestler "A" is ranked in his class, and has 2 pins and 2 WBD's. Wrestler "B" is also ranked, but pins all opponents. Only one of "B's" matches makes it into the second period.
The question for you all is, which wrestler do you select for the OW award? The kid that drove 75 miles to the meet, or the kid from the host's league?

I'm no coach...and probably most coaches aren't going to get into this, but what is the criteria for OW? Is there any?

I don't think you give an OW based on a 75 mile drive. Too many factors involved. Did wrestler B wrestle anybody that was any good? Was Wrestler A opponents a higher quality? Does anybody really care about OW without criteria. I mean most of these awards are voted on before the finals match. It doesnt matter.

What if wrestler "A" had a win on his resume over a wrestler that "B" had lost to earlier in the season?

What if there were 2 other state placers not including wrestler "A" in the bracket and the only state placer in "B's" bracket was "B"?

What if those 2 WBD were major decisions for wrestler "A" against the #2 and #4 seed? What if wrestler "B" had to wrestle an unseeded wrestler in the finals?

Does this change your thoughts on the voting process?

Three things I always thought were highly overrated and unnecessary, Coach of the Year awards, Outstanding Wrestler, and team captains. They don't do much except alienate a bunch of people and hurt a lot of feelings for no good reason. Saw an NCAA tourney once where a kid from Nebraska won five matches in a row in the back door, three of them in O.T. to take third in the nation. He never got an award for that day past his little third place medal, but there was no doubt who the gutsiest person in the building was that day. I don't have any memory of who won the outstanding wrestler or coach awards in that tourney, but I will never forget that kid. I don't know what that means, I just know that every kid that has the guts to go out there is a very outstanding wrestler, and it's all about them, not coaches or referee's, or the fans in the stands.

What if the bus breaks down on the way? Mechanical problems should be worth at least another 3pt nearfall.

some sort of trick question. you don't even mention whether wrestler "A" drove 75 miles or wrestle "B" did.

i think that at every regional, and every tournament some wrestler is going to be left out.

Agreed.

Warriordad,

To answer the question, the OW was voted on by all the coaches at the tournament, not just the host league schools and it probably had something to do with the level of competition at the particular weights. While taking nothing away from Wrestler B who in his own right is an outstanding wrestler, the 2 pins and 2 major decisions over the ranked wrestlers in Wrestler A's bracket probably helped the coaches make the decision.

I like alot of coaches have a hard time with these types of things, it's hard to vote for, and in the end someone is left out. In many cases, I wish we didn't have to vote for it, but it is tradition and you know how messing with that goes right.

Good luck to you and Wrestler B as well as all the wrestlers that compete this weekend.

I thought there were 14 weight class champions at a tourney!!

I can understand now.

I don't want to get blown up like most people do who post on here, but I also thought that the "Regional COY & OW of the Year" were not for just that particular tournament. I voted based on the body of work that a particular coach and athlete had done so far this year total.

That Regions Best Coaching Job and That Regions Best Wrestler to date. I don't know how you can call it an Coach of the Year Award if the whole year is not taken into account. OW does not say of the Year, but I just figured it goes without saying????

Agreed, the awards are a bit silly and not necessary... but again, they are tradition and people go crazy if you "Change" anything.