The local paper here does an All Area Wrestling Team. What does that mean to you? They cover approximately eight local communities. Who should be on this team? This is not a trick question, if your local paper did an All Area Wrestling Team, who should be on it?

What are the communities???

John,

First off, thank you for replying. This is a hypothetical question, yet real. I just want to know if your local paper does an All Area Wrestling Team, what wrestlers should be recognized and what criteria should they be recognized for?

The Topeka Capital-Journal does an annual All-City team. There's a 1st Team, 2nd Team, and Honorable Mention Team. The Topeka city coaches meet after the season is over, so the teams include wrestlers from all 7 city schools (Hayden, Topeka West, Topeka High, Highland Park, Seaman, Shawnee Heights, and Washburn Rural). The top guy in each weight makes 1st team, and so on. It's primarily based on head-to-head criteria, but the coaches also consider state performances. It's always been a pretty civil discussion and based on some good logic.

Coach,

That is excellent input and I appreciate it. It sounds like the TC-Journal is on to something here. It would be a sad situation if one of the All-City best wrestlers was left off the first team because the criteria used to be there was dictated by the local paper, and not by their accomplishment during the year (which the coaches should know if they are paying any attention).

Unfortunately, the local paper here doesn't use the same logic. Does anyone else have thoughts on this. What about the Wichita Eagle (or any other newspaper)? Do they have an All-City, All-Metro or All-Area Wrestling Team? If so, how are those wrestlers chosen to be included on the list?

The KC Star has an all-metro team. According to the Star website this is how the selection goes:

The Kansas City Star’s all-metro selections were made by members of the high school sports staff, who consulted with coaches. An athlete must participate in at least 60 percent of the competition for which the athlete has qualified to be eligible for first-team selection and 50 percent to be eligible for second-team and honorable-mention selection. At least 10 percent of the Kansas City metropolitan area high schools must participate in a sport for an all-metro team to be selected. First-team, second-team and honorable mention selections are made in sports with more than 40-percent participation. First-team and second-team selections are made in sports with between 16- and 40-percent participation. First-team selections only are made in sports with between 10- and 15 percent participation.

Read more here: http://varsity.kansascity.com/custom/art...g#storylink=cpy

The Salina Journal has recently discovered that there is a wrestling state tournament, but otherwise Im not real sure they realize theres such a thing as high school wrestling. KU, K-State, women's jr college b-ball and swimming, thats the only games in this town.

Our local paper finally got some one on staff that can get the wrestler's names correct! Beyond that, wrestling takes a distant second seat to the other winter sport. The league our school is in doesn't have enough teams to even offer any kind of league recognitions to the guys. But you always know who the best in your own area is!

I am pretty sure the Garden City Telegram does a winter sports team, but not only an all wrestling team, there is usually a few wrestlers from southwest KS. that make this team.

Our local paper is an absolute JOKE for wrestling! Actually, they are a JOKE for most sports. . .Wait a minute, now that I think about it, they are a JOKE for news in general!!!!

There is an All Wyandotte County team and 2nd team, voted on by the coaches. Also a coach of the year.

Sounds way too familiar. As Rodney Dangerfield used to say, no respect.

This part I like. The people that know the sport, and have their pulse on the competition in their area, help to decide who is on the All-Metro Team.

I feel your pain. Earlier this year our paper posted my son's name as Derek, his name is Garrett. This is one year after he made the All Area Team, went 32-11 as a freshman, and went 2-2 at High School State. Also, we have enough league teams to recognize an All League Wrestler, but as far as I know, they don't.

Mr. Geyer,

If your local paper did an All Area Team, who would want on that team? What is the criteria. By the way, Garden City has a great youth program and a very solid High School program. I would think that your paper would give them a little more recognition.

In Colby? One of the best kept secrets of High School Wrestling in the state? If your paper is not giving more consideration to your wrestling program then some of us on the Eastern part of the state, it is a much larger issue than I would have imagined.

33-15 3rd Regionals, 5th State
9-13 DNP Regionals
19-22 4th Regionals, 0-2 DNP State
27-14 2nd Regionals, 2-2 DNP State
13-17 DNP Regionals
39-8 1st Regionals, 4th State
Season?, 0-2 DNP Regionals

Without knowing anything else, just on paper, which one of these wrestlers would make your All Area/City/Metro Team?

39-8 1st Regionals, 4th State

Good call RB. The same wrestler had a head to head tech fall over the 5th place finisher and a fall over the 19 win State qualifier during the year. With the system the local paper has in place, this young man did not make our All Area Team. I know, life is not always fair, but dumb is just plain dumb.

The Salina Journal used to have an "All Area" wrestling team, which covered their distribution area. It was neat - there were all area wrestlers in every weight class, a 2nd team and honorable mention. The all area athletes were part of a team picture in the Journal with a fairly extensive bio. The Journal did this for years.

I don't believe the Salina Journal has this feature anymore and for the life of me, I don't know why. I guess we wouldn't want print to pay too much attention to wrestling.