Now don't take this post wrong, it is not intended to be, but I have a question. I would think, and hope that Kansas wrestlers that have done well at state would be considered for NCAA or top level NAIA schools for scholarships. Why would a wrestler choose a JUCO over a NCAA school or a top-level 4-year NAIA school? Or another wrestler choose a NAIA school over a close to home JUCO or NCAA School? Add any scenario in there you choose, but I see this as a chance for the wrestlers to give us their answers as well as coaches a chance to promote their programs. I know that for myself I chose a NAIA school because it gave me the chance to get away from home without having to worry about transferring again after 2 years, plus I had the chance to play more than one sport which I would not have had at a larger NCAA school. I also liked the small school size. On the flip I know that my daughter choose Southwestern over Southwest Missouri State and Oklahoma State among others in soccer, when they all recruited her because of her area of study and class room size at Southwestern. Her High School graduating class was larger than the student body at Southwestern.

I know that there are some great programs on the smaller NAIA and JUCO level and thankfully, Kansas has a number of them. Are scholarships just not offered? Kids choose to stay close to home? Class size? More personable at a small school? Coaches not doing their work and helping get information out on the kids where schools are not recruiting the kid? (by the way I do believe that this is a major area of laziness among many high school coaches, students and parents need to make sure their coaches are doing this part of the job, along with the parents. I know from first hand experience as a coach and dad, this makes a huge difference.) What all is involved? I know that sometimes grades are an issue, but that is not always the case and that makes a dangerous assumption about JUCO's and NAIA schools, Tabor College for example, an NAIA School, has the top pre med program in Kansas and one of the top 2 in the Mid-West, other schools fall into categories like that. What do some of you think? By the way, congrats to all of the young men and women going to college, military or wherever to wrestle. But thought this would be a good topic for discussion related to college wrestling and signings.

I went to Labette (Juco) because nobody else wanted me. Things could not have worked out any better. I like the team atmosphere and small class sizes. I would reccomend it to somebody who is not sure of themselves. You can go wrestle for 2 years, see all of the competion from D-1 to people who are just entering tournaments. There are some of my reasons for juco.

There aren't that may scholarships available and when you do get one it is not a full ride. To get a full ride you have to be a 4 timer and a national contender too. Some people think that because the NCAA allows wrestling 9.9 scholarships that that is what the college has? There are only ten to twenty (I can't remember exactly how many?) Division I Colleges that have all 9 scholarships. There are only two Division II teams that have all 9. The average Division II School will have 2.5 available and Division I 4.5. So the Schools break them up into percentages and pass them out to the needy and to who they need?

Let's say for a full ride at Central Missouri State University is $18,000. That means to have 9 scholarships you need $162,000 to fill them up. Not many Schools have that much money. In football, Division II get 45 Scholarships and Division I it's 75. You need a lot of booster money to fill that up? There are many reasons for picking a certain School but a lot of it comes down to financial reasons?

To go from someone nobody else wanted to Juco National Champion and All American Div. II NCAA, should tell everyone what hard work and dedication will do for someone who "Wants It".

If you have never seen Aaron Meister wrestle you have to catch a Ft. Hays St. Open Tourney next year. This guy invented the word "Intensity!" It is awesome to watch him get to work on the mat.

As far as I know, it is still 9.9 scholarships for Division 1. They dropped from 14 to eleven and then in the late 90's the NCAA imposed a 10% reduction across all sports which dropped it to 9.9