To All,

I am going to agree with Mr. Patton on this one, Kevin Hewitt is one of the best refs in the state,even if his nephew is wrestling. In fact he may be harder on Beloit because he is from Beloit and does not want to be labeled "a hometown ref". I know that every time I see him on the mat we are in good hands, he has ALWAYS called the match fairly-in my opinion.

I'll agree with MaLay in that you cannot make everyone happy, and I am sure that Hewitt has his enemies, there are some refs that make everyone cringe when they walk out there. But lets not forget that wrestlers should "try" to not put the match in the refs hands. I once had a very good state champ who was dqed from a match, not because of flagrant or unsportsman like moves, but for other violations-false starts and what not-5 penalties in a match. That ref was on my poop list for a year, but after talking to him about it I came to understand that he made the right call in his mind. While I still did not agree I think it is petty to blame anything on a ref, sure my blood gets up and I yell at the ref. But I always thank them for the job they do, and I try to have a realtionship with them as opposed to a hatred or contempt.

These guys are human and make mistakes,some of them cost kids their sought after titles,give them a break. Do they do some things on purpose-yes they are vindictive, cruel, and otherall have too much control-but so are wrestling coaches. They are a dying breed.We do not have enough good officials and this is one reason. We, as a wrestling community, need to promote ex-wrestlers to become officials, not bag on a guy who was there in the State Tournament series by a Coaches vote!

I am not trying to take the high road here, I am just as bad as everyone else, you should have seen me at Regionals! But as a coach I want my athletes to learn respect for authority-parents, teachers, elders, and you-their parents. And please leave the refs alone at a kids fed event, we need them to cut their teeth. By the time that "bad" kids fed ref makes it to the high school ranks he will be better. We lose too many refs in the kids fed level it takes time to become a "good" ref, just like it does to become a "good" wrestler!

That is my two cents on this issue. Every team and every wrestler will get screwed by a ref at sometime. I try to move on, sometimes I am successful, sometimes I jump up and down on tv like in last years state finals at 152lbs. I forgive you Ron, I truely do!

Sincerely,
Coach Jason Brown

ps. I refed a kids tourney in Hutch when I was 19, worst overall experience in my life-besides the skim board accident at Nationals last year-I learned empathy for refs right there! And never did it again!