I guess no matter how many postings we have to try to promote good sportsmanship, in reality sadly some coaches/parents will never comprehend. Its sad to see that they're teaching their young kid bad sportsmanship as well. We have lost to the same kid everytime. During matches, there may be some said to pump up our kid, but in the end we've always been gracious to remain friends, pat both kids on the back, both kids root for each other and both parents laugh and joke with one another. But now, my son is coming very very close to finally beating him, they have taught their kid to root against my son and even rooting for our son's opponent who they've bad mouthed to. Now they can't even talk to us. I guess competition sometimes bring out the worse in people, even if you're a highly respected coach.

I wish everyone including us would have the heart of my son. A heart of a true champion. Someone who doesn't want to run from competition to secure a state title (like some). We've asked him 2 years in a row if he wants to wrestle down a weight class so he can definitley be a state champion. He didn't want to because he believes to be the best is to beat the best. Something we've taught him, but sadly we too get mixed in this too, to be "number one." But he always keeps us back in check. Even though he took 2nd this weekend, he's a true champion. Everyone who knows him, knows it too. He has one state champion under his belt, and there will be more to come, because heart will always conquer.

Awesome post. It sounds like your child is wise beyond his years. Your post brought tears to my eyes! Sure wish there were more like your family out there!

years ago my during my sons 2nd year of wrestling we wrestled bo beard almost every weekend, bo beat us every time. as the year progressed the matches got closer we lost in the state finals 0 to 0. yet at the wichita classic, when i was unable to attend, there was a mix up our coaches didn't make it and Ronnie beard coached my son. through the years we've wrestled occasionaly and gotten to the point where we have been lucky enough to win a few. even still at tournaments if ronnie and bo aren't at matside rooting for my son they are asking how he is doing and wishing us good luck.

this weekend my nephew wrestled russ freeman. they wrestled in this years highschool regional finals at sub finals and at the district finals. at state my nephew hurt his thumb during a match, mr freeman ran down some tape so we could tape his thumb. several times during the day they asked about his thumb. sunday my nehhew was wrestling in the consolation simifinals where if he won he would meet russ. during an injury time out for the other wrestler my nephew asked me for a drink. after telling him i had nothing i looked up and there was russ handing me a $3.00 gaterade.

i could go on with more stories but these have been the kind of expierinces i've had.

Make that a $3.50 Gatorade! Great to hear the good side of sportsmanship.

Twister

Having attended both HS and Kids State tournaments this year I would commend the sportsmanship of both wrestlers and parents at Kids this year. Lots of cheering, no arguing about calls, and NO booing! I had a great time.

As I have stated in other posts----the "friendships" that are built in wrestling will be ones that will never be forgotten. This is why we love the sport so much.

To Sports Fanatic:

If you are talking about Zac at 8 under 49-lets get some clarification here. We've never been anything but nice to you and your son. Dan invited you over to our practice so your son could practice with us on your club's night off and you did just that. Dan even offered to coach your son in National tournaments, such as Reno-where you said you would only take your son if we were going so Dan could coach him. We've always cheered for your son-Zac included. Zac wrestled 52 all year for competition. At the big events, he wrestled 49 which is more his true weight. All year he weighed 50 pounds at the end of a day after eating every meal. We asked Zac at the end of the year where he wanted to wrestle-he said 49. We didn't run from anyone at 52-we've beat every kid who placed at that weight. You and I talked about where we would go for State at Tulsa Natl's and I told you he would probably go 49-which is where we were at Tulsa-your son went 46 for Tulsa. According to your own quote "A heart of a true champion. Someone who doesn't want to run from competition to secure a state title (like some)." Were you running from competition at 49 lbs in Tulsa when you went 46??

You and your wife are the ones that from Sub's on would not even look at anyone in my family as if you were mad at us for going 49. At Sub's, I looked right at your wife and said hello and she didn't say anything-just looked away. This weekend, Dan looked right at you and said hello and you didn't reply. A little different from your story about being gracious after matches. You've been gracious this year because Zac wasn't wrestling in your weight. The bottom line here is you are mad that we decided to go 49 for State and that we beat your son. You say that now that your son is getting close to beating my son that we root against your son and can't even talk to you. We're not scared of your son-he's only scored 4 points on us in probably their last 12 matches. He has learned well how to defend Zac but still can't score any points on him. We did try to talk to your family all three weekends and got the cold stare from you all. Zac may have rooted for the other boy in the semi's only because your boy bad mouthed him in line for weigh in's. He was right in front of Zac in line and talked about how he should have beat Zac the previous weekend because all Zac did was stall and how he shot on Zac the whole match. Zac was very mad about this. Who's teaching their kids what? Your own quote once again "Its sad to see that they're teaching their young kid bad sportsmanship as well." You should listen to your own words. Zac never said one word in his defense. He has never said one mean thing to your kid after every time he has beaten him. Who's the one with the heart of a true champion here.

One last time to quote you "I guess competition sometimes bring out the worse in people." You need to look in the mirror when you say and write these words. You are the ones that won't talk to my family-as if we kept your son from a State Title. Zac competing against your son these past 3 weekends has brought out the worst in you. Even after Zac won his 3rd State Title he was incredibly humble. There was no celebration-in line waiting for pics-you wouldn't of even known he won his 3rd straight title-a huge accomplishment for someone his age. That is a true champion!!

To Sports Fanatic:

If the above post is not referring to what I posted-I'm sorry.

Cheri Gentzler-Zac's mom

This wasn't intended to get into a shouting match. This was out of hurt feelings. And it wasn't from my husband. You are right, Dan have been gracious to let us practice on our clubs night off. And we're always thankful for the advices he gives my son because we value what he has to say. Our first 2 yrs in the wrestling community, we always heard bad things about your family. We didn't listen because people usually say bad things about someone else out of jealousy. Your family, especially Dan has always been nice to us and have never done anything bad towards us, so there was no reason to listen to other comments. I just saw him
do what the Oklahoma coach did at the classic, and never thought he was like that. Raising both hands screaming Yeah! directly at my husband. But then maybe I read too much into it. I was just hurt.

My first paragraph, was towards you. The second paragraph was in general and towards my son. We have learned a lot the past year about wrestling. Mainly on the topic of cutting weight and stalling. Don't go off just yet. I'm referring to everyone. We're realizing thats just a part of wrestling. A lot of kids do it. We went down to 46 at Tulsa, because everyone in the wrestling community knows that you can't compete at that level without cutting weight, sad to say. Because if you don't,
you'll be wrestling kids that are usually 1 or 2 weight class higher. Learning this year what happened at the seeding meeting before subs, I
couldn't believe you can still switch weights. People were doing it to run from competition. We knew your son was going at 49, and didn't run. Us running from competition? We don't know enough people to know who's good or not. The only one's we really know are from our district. We could've wrestled at 46 at state knowing your son was going at 49, but my son didn't want to. He wanted to beat your son. Not saying it in a mean way, but knowing how good your son is, beating him would be a big
accomplishment. We were wondering why he wasn't wrestling at 52. As you stated, he beat every kid at that weight that placed, so why not
wrestle there. We just felt bad that one kid didn't qualify in our weight for State because your son went down. He placed in the top three
all year, and fell short from qualifying. It was disheartening. He probably would've placed. We hate to see something happen like that to great people like their family. But that doesn't matter now, state is over. My son wrestled great this weekend and the whole year, and congratulations to your son. He didn't take it as bad as I did. He has a baseball tournament this weekend and has already forgot about wrestling. Regarding stalling, thats just a wrestling tactic. We hate that your son does it against our son but thats just part of wrestling. He's not the only one that does, a lot of kids do it too.

Regarding you saying my son bad mouthed your son. I can't believe that and ask anyone that knows him. He is the most liked person at his
school and around our neighborhood. He is friends with everyone, even to the kids that aren't popular and who are hated by other kids. I'm sorry, but your son probably misunderstood him. And I will make sure he calls to apologize to your son. He was just so excited at districts against your son because it was a close and exciting match going into double overtime. He knows now he's getting close. And knows beating him will be a major accomplishment for him. I know what ever he said, he didn't mean it in a bad way, it was out of excitment. He was upset too to see your son root against him when he wrestled against the salina kid, and shake the andale kids hands after my son wreslted him.

Lets get this straight, we were never mad at you for going at 49, we knew it at the classic. We all talked about it. There's nothing to be
mad at. We were wrestling there regardless. My son came up to your son after weigh in at subs and said hey Zac, I'm wrestling you tomorrow and
said hi to your older son at state. At subs, I didn't look away, You said whats going on, I said hey, nothing, you replied, nada, nada as you walked away. I admit, I wasn't talkative that day. Had a hard day at work and was in a daze. If you knew my job, you would understand. This may be the starting point of this whole controversy. You thinking I was
mad, when I wasn't. And my husband doesn't recall Dan saying hi to him at state. This proves that mis-reading people is always the starting of controversies. You mis-reading me and visa verca, same with our sons. And I can't believe you said, we were only gracious this year because your son wasn't wrestling at our weight. They wrestled all year last
year against each other. Were we not gracious last year? I think so. We were friends until up to Subs this year.

Lastly, regardless of who said what, we think your son is a great wrestler, we don't take anything away for him. and thank you Dan for
all you've done for my son. Hope we can be friends again next season. If you're going to Reno, good luck. We opted out because I have to fly to California and my son has a baseball tournament this weekend. The original message was mainly a message to my son, even though he wouldn't read this. To tell him in my own way how much he's a true champion no matter what the end result is. And I wanted others to know. Even though, they wouldn't know him by name, but who he was. (if that makes any sense)

I rather not continue this on the forum, if need to, we can talk on the phone. As stated by "wrestlingparents" post, friendship that are built in wrestling will be ones that will never be forgotten. That goes true with any other sport. We thank you for your friendship, and hope it won't end because of misunderstandings.