The dates for this years duals are April 13, 14, and 15

Hopefully the below link works to see the event flyer

I will be posting additional info as we get closer

The Elementary qualifier is Feb 25th in Salina - Middle School qualifier is March 11 in Abilene - we are taking 6 teams again this year

2018 Usa Heartland Duals

Do you have to be in public school to do this? Is this open to Homeschool kids as well?

Open to all USA card holders in the age groups from Kansas

Our tentative plan is to meet, like years past, in Topeka between 9-10am Friday April 13th and pass out gear, get bus and room assignments, etc. We will group up in buses and leave Topeka in plenty of time – approx 12 noon - to get checked in to our hotel before weigh in. Weigh in starts at 5pm and I want us all there early so we can be one of the first teams to weigh in.

I understand it is not convenient for everyone to meet at that location. I have no problem with you and your wrestler meeting us in Council Bluffs. If that is the case, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. For those of you not meeting in Topeka, I will get your gear to you at the hotel in Iowa.

I will also need to know if any wrestler IS NOT staying with the team in the team rooms. I will be making a rooming list to turn in to the hotel before April 7th. If your wrestler has a room mate preference, I’ll do my best to get them together. There will be 4 wrestlers per room.

I will need volunteers to coach the teams. You must have a USA and bronze card to be considered as a coach. I also need volunteers to ride the 2 buses from Topeka to Iowa as well as volunteers to help make the sandwiches, etc on Saturday and Sunday. We will again have a hamburger feed for all the wrestlers Saturday night and I will also need a little help with that.

The teams will be staying at the same hotel as last year – Best Western Plus, 2610 Abbott Plaza. There is a block of rooms for the parents at the Best Western Plus 402-505-4900 and Candlewood Suites 402-342-2500. Ask for the Kansas Wrestling 2018 Parents Block when making reservations.

Congratulations on wrestling your way onto one of the 6 Kansas Teams attending the 2018 Heartland USA Elementary National Duals.

IF THERE IS ANY QUALIFIED WRESTLER WHO IS NOT ATTENDING THIS EVENT, I NEED TO KNOW ASAP.

Sorry, but the singlet design has still not been finalized – hopefully it will be soon. We will post a link to them on the Kansas Wrestling Talk Forum site. If it takes too long we may only have time for the first couple teams to vote on which singlet they want to wear.

Our plan is to meet on April 13th between 9-10am at the Ramada Inn – 420 SE 6th - in downtown Topeka. There, we will hand out the Team Kansas singlets, shorts and t-shirts – get bus and rooming assignments and load up no later than 12 noon for the trip to Council Bluffs. We will check into our hotel before weigh-in. Weigh in starts at 5pm and I want us to be at the Mid America Center by 4:30 to get in line. After weigh-ins, there will be pizza at the hotel for all the Elementary wrestlers and coaches.

There is no weight allowance given at weigh-ins and you must weigh in with a singlet on.

If Topeka is out of your way, I have no problem with you and your wrestler meeting us in Council Bluffs. Just make sure you are at the event center ready to weigh in at 4:30. Please note that on your sign up form. I also need to know if any wrestler will be staying with their parents, and not the team. Don’t forget to put any roommate preferences on your sign up form – 4 wrestlers to a room. I’ll do my best to get your wrestler paired up with at least one of your requests.

On Saturday, each team will wrestle in pools. Each dual is wrestled like a high school dual. How your team finishes in the pool determines what bracket you go into on Sunday. Sunday brackets are 8 teams, wrestled like an 8 man bracket - except - if you lose in the semifinals you don’t cross bracket to the backside – you wrestle for 3rd/4th. We are normally finished wrestling Sunday by 4pm. We will have one bus available if any wrestler needs a ride back to Topeka. Most of the wrestlers ride back with their parents.

Saturday night we will have a hamburger feed for all wrestlers and their parents. We will need a few volunteers to help with that. For the wrestler’s lunch on Saturday and Sunday, we provide sandwiches, chips, fruit, snack bars, water etc. We also need volunteers to help make the sandwiches, etc. The hotel provides us with a good breakfast both Saturday and Sunday.

We can have 4 coaches per team on a volunteer basis. Each coach gets a Team Kansas t-shirt and coaches band that gets them into the event for free both days. Coaches are welcome to eat and drink just like the wrestlers. Unfortunately, coaches have to get their own rooms. I don’t care if you stay somewhere other than the Team hotel. We will select the coaches once the teams are set after the changes that always take place. I will be checking with each district to make sure our coaches have not been reprimanded before the final decisions are made. Thanks in advance to the coaches.

If your wrestler finished 7th, they are able to go on this trip as an alternate. Alternates get the same singlet, shorts and t-shirt to keep as all the other qualifiers. Keep an eye on the Kansas Wrestling talk forum as I guarantee there will be changes to the teams and the 7th place finisher may move up to Team 6.

The 8th place finisher will move up to an alternate if we have any change in the 6 teams.

The Best Western Plus Omaha Airport Inn and Suites, 2510 Abbott Plaza, is where all the Elementary wrestlers will be staying. Some of the Middle School wrestlers will be staying there as well - with the rest across the street at the Candlewood Suites, 2601 Abbott Plaza.

I will provide updates etc via email and on the Kansas Wrestling talk forum site. If you have any questions, please email me or call 316-641-4913

Here are the singlets - I have emailed these to all Elementary Team members asking for Team 1 to vote - please vote by email and not here on the talk forum

Middle School Team members will be contacted by James Cook with instructions for voting

Outlaws: http://bit.ly/2Iruuqa

Railroaders: http://bit.ly/2pfbgLv

Gamblers: http://bit.ly/2FLuwHq

Lawmen: http://bit.ly/2FT22io

Rustlers: http://bit.ly/2Fyr9HU

Cattlemen: http://bit.ly/2FJezll

I have to say this is my favorite time of the year. I love seeing the singlet designs. Some years are better than others, but I have to say these are pretty sweet.

My son had the honor of making the team one year and he got a scarecrow singlet. He absolutely hated it unti he realized one of his competitors was laughing so hard that he could hardly wrestle. I told him it was good for at least one takedown. It was great!!!!

Good job to all those that put effort in to this.

Eric Coates

I assume that each team gets a full week to vote before the next team gets their opportunity? Just asking as I haven't see any additional info or emails in regards to the next Teams chance to vote since designs were announced on 3-14 and wanted to make sure I didn't miss the opportunity for my sons vote?

Thank you,
Rob Duling