Watched a local HS league tournament today. Three league members are 5A schools and five schools are 4A. For a 8 bracket tournament (with 112 first round slots) there were 71 wrestlers and 41 byes slots. That's a 64 per cent fill (or a 36 percent byes). A bad portent for Kansas HS wrestling. But, not a lot different from previous years

The three 5A schools had 14, 7 and 10 wrestlers (31 of 42 possible slots--a 74 per cent fill). Not too bad but would have hoped for a better fill. Probably can't come close to that percentage in 3 out of 4 5A regionals next weekend.

The five 4A schools ranged from 5 to 12 wrestlers for a 57 percent fill (41 wrestlers in 72 slots).

What is a the answer???

100 years ago, when I was in school, being a varsity, or even JV athlete, was a big deal. In a small town, people went to the events, even if they didn't have a family member participating. Wrestling had a good following, and had mat side cheerleaders. Pep rallys. All the slots were full, and there were guys in the wings waiting for their chance. I don't know that it is quite the same in north central Iowa today, but I know its still a lot bigger deal than in the KC metro area. Last time I was home, the local paper had two pages of local wrestling news with photos, scores, and stories from the several teams in the area. The kids are either farm kids or small town boys. If they are physical, they go out for sports. To get to the state tournament, you had an 8 man sectional. 2 kids advanced to an 8 man district. 2 of those went to state. So out of 16 wrestlers, 2 went to state.

I was floored when we moved to Kansas and learned that 1/2 of the kids (6A) went to state based upon a single event. What a deal. Then I was stunned and shocked to see that there weren't enough kids to fill a regional bracket and some kids could get to state by winning a single match, or better yet, no match. Kansas made it so easy, but yet the kids don't go out....

I'd be curious to know how the more rural areas do in filling their rosters. If I had to guess, I'd guess they are full, or nearly so. I don't do much rural officiating, but when I have, it seems more like Iowa wrestling. We always hear how the smaller schools have the best wrestling. (Of course there are some great wrestlers all across the state, large schools and small).

Here's my completely unscientific opinion of why wrestling in the more metropolitan areas is on the wane:

1. Sports in general are no longer the "in" thing and athletes in high school don't have the same status as they once did. Wrestling has never had the status of football, BB, or, now, even soccer. Some school districts do not have middle school wrestling. Clubs are great, but some kids need that introduction in middle school or they'll never experience the sport.

2. Wrestling is too close, too personal for many.

3. Losing is humiliating on a one-to-one level unlike team sports.

4. Seeding assures first round losses, again and again.

5. Little community support, small crowds. Long days. The don't even have cheerleaders anymore.

6. To succeed requires sustained, physical training. City kids aren't farm kids. They don't have chores.

7. There is no professional counterpart, and few collegiate teams in Kansas.

8. There are too many options, mostly much less stressful. Video "sports" can be mastered by anyone with good hand eye coordination.

9. It's not nearly as bad as it used to be, but some wrestlers still feel compelled to cut weight...a demoralizing sacrifice.

10. Its hard on families and participants. The single dual format has given way to all day tournaments...and entire day in a gym for a few short spurts of activity for the wrestler.

11. They don't even televise the state tournament live in eastern Kansas.

Is there an answer for the decline in interest? I'd like to think its possible. The kids programs seem in good shape, although I'm not involved, but there seems to be a lot of interest when the kids are young.

Last year 5A had an average of 98 wrestlers per regional. 88% fill rate and consider there are 3-4 schools that brought less than half full, means most teams fill up at regionals.

Maybe so last year. I think Two years ago, maybe one or three years ago, I did a count (posted on this forum) of all 654A regionals. Can't find that count/post (slept since then). Counted all entrants and all first round byes at each regional. As I recall 5A had the best counts--most wrestlers and least opens, followed by 6A and then 4A. Might have been but don't remember any high 80 percentage of fill in 5A. Do seem to recall that the Central/SW Kansas 6A regional had the highest fill--around 90 percent. Did not do a count of 321A REGIONALS. Could not get info on their regional brackets.

I am going to project 6A and 5A regionals will average around 66 percent filled, 4A high 50% to low 60%. Hope I am wrong and there are higher fills.

Got to do something to fill the brackets. Four and five man regional brackets qualifying four to state are ridiculous.

I totally agree, great statements.

Bill
I was at same tournament. One thing your numbers don't take into account is guys sitting out because of injuries and other things. For example I know ther were more than a couple of teams that had a good number of kids sitting out because they were hurt, had skin issues, etc. kids trying to get healed before regionals.
Shawn Budke

Sitting out now or not being there for the regionals. Don't think the participation number will be much higher at regionals than I stated in the opening post--maybe 5%. History repeats.

Here is a paragraph I cut from a March 2013 post I made reference the same issue---first round openings/bye at 654A 2013 regionals: These number were lifted from the Trackwrestling and/other online reports after the 2013 State Tournament.:
"OPENs all over in every 2013 regional in every class. Just did a numbers finger drill. Of 1792 possible opening slots in all brackets in all 654A regionals, there were 385 first round "OPENS"----or in other words 1351 filled opening round slots. That's a 75% fill (1351 divided by 1792==75%). Opening round filled slots by class was 89% fill (99 wrestlers) in 6A , 84% fill (94 wrestlers) in 5A, 68% fill (152 wrestlers) in 4A. The 321A regionals show more filled slots in 16 bracket tournaments--not many, a few--but they have 22-23 schools per regional tournament"(end of 2013 post).

Just went back to my first post and agree my original number projection may be a little low--maybe 10% low. Will still be a problem what ever the numbers. The only long term solution is to reduce the number of first round slots. That will require something like a 654A restructure to 40 school classes for 6A, 5A and 4A (4 x 10 school one day regionals in each class, with 8 bracket tournaments. If, and there will be a few weight classes with 9 or 10 team, no problem, pigtail the #9 and #10 teams (8 vs 9 and 9 vs 10)(to keep the bracket square, divisible by 2, pigtail loser will have to be one match eliminations).

Another option to fill a regional tournament; if there is no 3 X 40 class restructure, is to allow a school to enter more than one wrestler in a weight class. Someone mentioned last year that this is done in Montana--a low density population state. Have to be allowed under very restricted conditions. How? Suppose a team has very, very good wrestler in the varsity slot, plus a very good wrestler in the same weight class who is locked out by the varsity wrestler. If the tournament weight bracket is not full, plus the next higher weight class is full thus locking out the #2 wrestler from moving up a weight, why not let the team enter his #2 wrestler.

Put in every Regional number from last year, I'll start with ours from Hutchinson!
Only 8 byes total, 93% full. 104/112 possible.

Also to all of you who think 5A and 6A have it easier to qualify to state, think about this! I can't speak for other teams but I get around 50-65 kids out for wrestling! I will have several kids that lost their ranking matches and are done! Several of these kids have winning records (varsity wins) and placed at varsity tournaments this season! Tell them that since they are on a a 6A school they have it easy! Lastly don't sell us bigger schools short, we can wrestle as well!
Good luck to all the kids trying to qualify for their state tournaments!! I love this time of year!!