Renee’,

I am sorry, but I can not let your comments lie without comment. I am publishing the private email communication that I had with you the morning that I went public with our plans for 2008 6U tournament. It will be clear to any who read it that there was nothing “DISHEARTEDLY AND UNDERMINED” about what we are trying to do.

I have been in this long enough to remember Rick vocally arguing for bringing the 6U division onto the same stage as the other divisions in our state. Rick switched his position on this issue the last time it was debated at the state body meeting and I will take him at his word that he sincerely believed this division should not be caught up in the “cut throat” elimination rounds along with the 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 year old divisions. I actually agreed with him on this and with those who argued that adding the 6U division to the qualifying series was not feasible while keeping our traditional “grand” format at the state tournament.

However, I have listened to those wanting something more than what you have offered at your HS facility in Ottawa and as I stated in my earlier post, after listening to the complaints on various fronts of the 6U issue, I decided that you can either sit back and complain, or you can stick you neck out and try and make a positive step forward. I stand behind this statement. The offer that I made in my personal email to you and Rick still stands. This is not about “money” to me and shouldn’t be that way for anyone. There are many issues that are still unresolved which need to worked through, but we would sincerely like to work with you and Ottawa Mat Masters. Evidently our District Championships fall on Easter Weekend next year and it may not even be feasible to host this event on that weekend in Topeka or Ottawa. However, it is my sincere belief that moving this event to the ExpoCenter in the long run is too good of an opportunity to pass up!

Several years ago Rick did something special by offering these kid a chance to compete with the best kids in their division in our state. It allowed them closure to their season and allowed them to showcase what they had learned in their blossoming wrestling career. This same “outside the box” thinking is where our idea was born and we see this as the next logical step.

Mark Stanley
Jr. Viking Wrestling



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Mark,

This is Renee', this is my e-mail addy. I am sorry I did not realize you were the one sitting at the front table today helping with District preparations. I should have introduced myself to everyone, I'm still putting names and faces together. I wish we would have had the chance to discuss things between you, Rick and myself but it was pretty busy and I seemed to have been stuck in that back room most of the time.

We do appreciate your support and the efforts and proposal you are suggesting, it is a matter that needs to be discussed and we will get together soon and talk about it.

I'll let Rick know you e-mailed. Did you talk about this at all with him today?

Thanks, Renee'

Mark Stanley <mark@haydentower.com> wrote:
Rick,

I wanted to write you a short note this morning to explain a little more about our plans for 2008. It truly was my intention to hold off going public until the conclusion of the 2007 season, but comments by others on another post prompted me to expedite that timeline. I felt the need to squash any rumors before they got out of hand. After things quieted down this year, Bob Phillips and myself were planning to sit down with you and Renee to discuss having the Ottawa Mat Masters join us as Co-Hosts of the 6U Championships at the ExpoCenter in 2008. We both feel that you and your club have done a wonderful job over the years building up this event and provided an opportunity for this Division to compete at a championship level which did not exist. District 1 and the USAWKS Kids organization as a whole owe you and your club a great deal of gratitude.

It would be an injustice for us to think that we could come in and take from you what you have built. However, we both feel that the opportunity to let these kids wrestle at the same venue that the other USAWKS kids Divisions wrestle is too good to pass up. Therefore, we would love to have you help in making this event a successful endeavor for the many years to come. Things are very busy right now, but please let us know what you think and we can plan a meeting later this spring. Thank you for all that you do for Kansas kids wrestling.

Sincerely,
Mark Stanley
Jr. Viking Wrestling Club
785/224-5161