Hello,

I ran the software at the Manhattan � Little Apple Classic. I think the software is great, did everything we needed it to do. I worked hard to know the software and even went down to Valley Center to watch them run the software ( thanks Steve, it really helped ). The software is very flexible, will let you setup your Tournament just about anyway you want.

We had lots of the same problems Goddard had... We accommodated the corrections and made sure everyone who attended got matches, no matter what it took.

We got started later than I had hoped for. We had 45 scratches. We had all the things you have to do when this happens. How long would it have taken if we would have done this by hand. Once I deleted the no-shows, re-seeded the brackets, it took me 5 minutes till I was printing brackets and bout sheets.

Here was my only problem with the software.....at 8:15 I delete the no-shows, I created the tournament, I printed off the Wall Brackets with Bout #'s, then the �Team Bout Schedule� so the teams would now where there kids where wrestling, then the first couple of bouts for some mats.....everything going great so far....then coaches kept coming up saying there kids where not on the �Team Bout Schedule�, especially the 14U's. PANIC!!! � something is wrong.

I called Track Wrestling, Justin answers the phone, we go over a few things, he shows me everything is correct. CONFIDENCE IS RESTORED!!!! I moved back into the go mode and we went on.

I don't like the �Team Bout Schedule�. I understand why now the report provides the info like it does, but I still don't like it. Example - It does not print a wrestler if certain condition exist, like if a wrestler has a first round bye in a 8-man bracket ( the reason several people came up and said they had wrestlers missing from the report). I wish it would say something like �Round 1 BYE�, or �In a X-Bracket � Bout still to be determined�, just something instead of just nothing.

I had to fix only 2 brackets that caused me a few duplicate bout #'s.

We did create brackets the night before, knowing only a few would change, then we had 45 scratches. To post or not to post early wall brackets seems like a no win situation. If you don't put them up, everyone is screaming, if you do put them up everyone is upset because they changed. We all seem to try to do the best we can.

I really think that the more we all use the software and share our experience with other Tournaments we will all gain from it. With Valley Center letting me come down and get in the way while watching how they ran the software was a huge help. I gained experience from what I saw and learned. It helped our tournament.

In an ideal world, we would have a 2 week deadline before the tournament and a Friday evening weigh-in only. That would give us HOURS and HOURS to fix all the problems, and print correct wall brackets. Now to the real world we all live in.

We choose to use the software because we will be using it at Sub-District. You can't compare the experience you gain from actually being behind the keyboard with 500 wrestler waiting to get started. I did mock tournament over and over to prepare for all they situations that might come up. Nothing is the same as real experience. Our Sub-District will ( ok, should ) go even better. Our workers have experience now, I have experience, and we will continue to learn from everyone else.

A few things about Sub-District.....You can't compare the two types / style tournaments. At Sub we will know all the wrestlers and there weight class well before hand. We can't combine brackets, or move wrestlers right before we start to wrestling. All wrestlers will be seeded. The software should really shine at these events( if the operators fully understand how to use it ).

To Summarize: I really like the software. It was easy to run. The support was great. I would recommend � no questions asked.

I think we sacrificed some time at the beginning of our tournament in favor of accuracy, and getting as many wrestlers more matches, but gained time at the end of the tournament by having the metals and 1st place brackets done quickly.

Jim Lund
Little Apple Classic - MOKWC