I heard that ashpole wanted to move up to 130, shelton disagreed and he quit. Anybody know what's going on or is this just a rumor and he's back on the mat.

Last I heard, he was not on the team. This is 3rd person information though. I'm not sure of all of the details or if Shelton is going to stick to his guns and keep him off the team. What a gutsy decision this late in the season.

I don't know why he would want to move up to 130lbs. unless he couldn't make weight anymore at 125lbs., which would be hard to believe this late in the season with a two pound allowance! He is a good wrestler and would probably end up in the finals again at 125lbs. but I don't think he would fare as well at 130lbs. I don't think that anyone will be able to beat Lein this year. He looks really tough!!

What is gutsy about it?

Believe it or not it happened. I was just asking whether or not he was back and Lien is not that good although he may look tough.

I was just trying to make the point that it takes guts to make a call like that, to stick to losing a state placer, possibly finalist. He could have just as easily disagreed with Ashpole moving up to 130, but let him do it anyway to keep the team points.

Coach Shelton from what I know of him is not the type of guy that will let a wrestler walk over him. In order for ashpole to come back i think he will have to give some serious apologies to shelton and the team. And yeah it does take a lot of guts and character to drop him as good as he is and with him being a senior.

He doesn't have much time to make those apologies and for his sake, I hope he's been working on them for a while now. I'm not sure if Shelton would accept a ten o'clock at night apology the night before regionals. It will be interesting to see if he wrestles tomorrow.

There has been several issues concerning Nick Ashpole leaving the Valley Center team. I am Nick’s father, I am probably partial to this but I will try and be impartial when I outline the actions that took place. I had been in contact with Coach Shelton during the time that all of the this took place.

Nick certified and wrestled 125 prior to Christmas, during the Christmas break, his weight ballooned. Throughout the season the coaches recommended that Nick go to 130, Nick chose to stay at 125. After Christmas, he wrestled at 125 at Newton, the Wellington dual and the Maize dual. All other competitions he wrestled at 130. Nick did not make weight for the Rose Hill tournament. Needless to say, Coach Shelton was very disappointed. At this tournament the assistant coach informed me that if Nick did not make weight at 125, he would not be allowed to wrestle at regionals.

The Monday following the Rose Hill tournament, Coach Shelton informed Nick that he had lost his varsity spot, and would have to challenge at 125 to wrestle at regionals. Nick decided that he wanted to wrestle at 130 for the remainder of the season. Nick informed Coach Shelton of his decision on Monday morning, they discussed the pros and cons of 130, (stronger opponents, possible regional seeding issues, etc.). Nick visited with Coach Shelton and the other teammate that had certified at 125 and had been wrestling 130, (and 125 when Nick wrestled 130). The teammate had no problem with the proposed change, and had the impression that Coach Shelton was okay with the decision. I heard this from multiple sources.

Tuesday prior to practice, Coach Shelton informed Nick that he had changed his mind and Nick would have to challenge at 125 to wrestle at regionals, Coach also told Nick that he had to be within 5 lbs of weight to challenge. Tuesday after practice, Nick weighed 130. Wednesday morning, Coach Shelton and Nick met prior to classes starting, Nick told Coach that he was done, Coach Shelton told Nick to turn in his gear, and said that “this was one less problem he would have to worry about”. This was the end of their discussion. This is last time that they had spoken.

I spoke to Nick after this, and he said that he would not have quit if he was at 130. He was just tired of worrying about his weight.

This issue I have with the whole ordeal is:
I have been around wrestling a long time. I tell parents, wrestlers and anyone else that asks, that wrestling is the fairest sport that there is. There is no judging, A coach cannot limit your playing time. If you challenge another wrestler and beat them, you are on the team. If they defeat you, they are on the team. If you weigh 153 lbs and want to wrestle 171, you challenge the 171 wrestler, if you win you should be in the line-up.

Since Nick lost his varsity spot, he should have been able to challenge any varsity wrestler at any weight. There were other challenges for teams spots during this week.

I too have told my son wrestling is the fairest sport there is. It has become apparent to me over the last three years that I may have been wrong. I've seen coaches run kids off the mat in simular situations. I believe a coach should be interested in keeping kids on the team and can do this without letting them run over you. It sounds like the challenge system isn't being used correctly and that damages what should be the fairest sport in the world.

Thank you Mr. Ashpole. The only thing that I had to go on was what was told to me by someone that heard something from somebody else (I think you get the point). It sounds like the information was correct but I didn't have all the details of why. I still like to think that wrestling is one of the fairest sports around. I am lucky enough to be a part of a team that truly believes in the challenge system. We do have the "coaches discresion" clause in the wrestling handbook, but that is used when someone doesn't make practices and that sort of thing.

Hello Ashpoles,

I'm very disappointed not to see Nick in the line up for Valley Center. I have been watching your boy's in wrestling since they were little. It is a coach's dream to see a kid they have watched and participated in their life over the years succeed and reach the level they have worked toward. The issue of weight is a touchy subject for me, I was one of those kids that dieted hisself to death. It had terrible consquences for me when it came to my health. I still have problems and probably will all my life. I understand his coach's dilema but I also understand Nick's reluctancy to diet down when his body is shouting " I need to grow". All I can say is that I feel bad for Nick, because being a senior only comes once and everyone should have that chance to fulfill there dream as a senior. There is one possible solution that he may try, there is always the juniors team for Freestyle / Greco that way he could get the exposure he needs, to go on and wrestle in college if he so chooses too. I know there is nothing that anyone could say that would take away the sorrow, but do realize that you have several coaches that would probably agree with you. I don't know if Jake is on the squad but tell him that Coach Ed and Jenni are pulling for him.

Good Luck,
Ed Edison"WHY Wrestling"

It is sad to see a good wrestler leave the sport at the end of his senior year. It is even sadder that it is because of challenge/weight rules that it had to come to this. Maybe we could all learn from this and work together to find a good solution. My hats off to ashpole, who decided his health was more important than trying to loose weight in an unhealthy way. You are far too young to expose yourself to life long problems due to poor dieting. Good luck to you in all you do.

The only thing I would be concerned about in a coach's position is whether it will hurt the team if he bumps up. If it does then to me challenging comes up to the coach's decision. But by what I heard the 130 pounder was okay with it and I don't believe it would have hurt the team but I don't have the details from shelton or the regional pairings. That to me is the only time challenging for a spot is up to a coach.

Gutsy?
Sticking to his guns??? You only have guns in street fights and war. They are supposed to be on the same side. The coach is supposed to be an adult. Wrestlers are still adolescents. Wrestling is for the kids not coaches. There is only one reason for a coach to take such a hard line, that would be to look out for a 130 pound kid who had paid his dues. Apparently that isn't the situation here, with them both certified at 125. Wouldn't it be nice if the coach was concerned for the kid rather than wanting to be a hard nose?
Coaches have to work WITH kids, FOR kids.

I am in no way prepared to criticize or defend either Nick Ashpole or Coach Shelton. I only know Nick as a talented wrestler; I only know Coach Shelton as a colleague.
However, I have complete confidence in Coach Shelton's integrity and feel that he knows what's best for his program, which is much more important than any individual. Nobody, not even Nick's dad, knows every facet of this situation with the exception of those involved.
I urge you all to remember that even the most honest & trustworthy high school boy can misunderstand and/or misrepresent circumstances, often unintentionally.

I support Coach Shelton in this unfortunate turn of events

J. D. Hand
Ass't. Coach
Augusta H.S.

To JD Hand-- You only think that you know the real story but when in fact you do not. Not only has the weight issue been going on it has not only been with one wrestler in particular. Mike Juby received an inquiry from me a month ago concerning weight issues. It was wrong what was done and until you actually know the FULL STORY do not be so one-sided. Things are not as they appear from the coaches side.

I guess you all are proving the point that wrestling is, in fact, not always a "fair" sport. Not only do you have coaches trying to make things go the way they want them to, but you also have unfair practices as far as some of the officiating goes. I have been reading several different stories on this wrestling talk, and many of them include unfair decisions made by the officials. It's always deemed "a judgement call" whenever it appears to everyone else to be a bs call. I guess no sport can be entirely fair to everyone, I just wish the rules could be followed more closely, and when there is a disagreement, it could be discussed without the hardnosed line that is put out there. Especially when you are at a qualify tournament.

In response to the reply by Coach Hand.

I stated that I had been in contact with Coach Shelton throughout the chain of events. I realize that I do not know every facet, feeling, or circumstance that took place. I was also not privy to the discussions and feelings of the coaching staff in general. All I do know is what I was told by Coach Shelton and Nick.

You made the comment about an honest and trustworthy high school boy. I would like to think that Nick is of this character. . What about the honesty and trustfulness of the adults involved? Nick respected, cared for and looked up to Brian as a mentor and friend. Needless to say, things that were said and done have adversely affected this relationship.

I want to make clear that this is not an issue of weight control, forced weight loss or anything of this sort in any way. This is an issue of the fairness of the events that took place.

I want to put this entire affair behind us. What has be done has been done, there is nothing that can be rectified by beating this into the ground any longer.

Good luck to everyone this weekend, make yourselves and the ones that you care about proud.

KA

REB 42184, I don't know what you read.

Mr. Ashpole, I respect your desires to move past this event. Thank you for your response, and I wish Nick well.

J. D.