I really think that every team coach should request that each parent of their wrestlers experience tableworking for at least one tournament each year. This would give the parents several advantages as well as show their wrestler that they do support the sport. My child loves the fact that his mother and sisters work tables. Tableworking is an experience in itself. When you work anything at the table, even the stopwatch or table runner, you gain more knowledge of what is going on on the mat, what the rules are, how kids in your childs bracket are doing(if your lucky enough to get your childs table). COACHES: I plead with you---reuqest each of your parents to at least work a table at any tournament. I go to the head table at each of my childs tournaments and for every tournament except one this year they needed table workers. You would think that with 300 wrestlers and 1000 or more other people in the gym that a shortage of tableworkers would not be a problem. But it really is. Not to mention that with experience working a table can make for better more qualified tableworkers when it comes to the finals. I have loved this sport for more then 6 yrs and tableworking IS really fun even though it can be stressful.
For those parents who choose not to work a table that is YOUR loss. You would not believe how much more you can enjoy this sport when you get the total just of it.