Yes, it does matter if a person is interested in knowing more about how it works and challenges that have to be overcome.
Yes, I have cut weight; have YOU?
The KSHSAA is composed of member SCHOOLS to oversee SCHOOL activities; therefore, shouldn't the committees of the KSHSAA be composed of representatives of the member schools?
Yes, I see myself as an advocate for Kansas High School Wrestling. That you do not agree with what I believe makes me no less an advocate.
Your figure of 99% of coaches not being in favor of current certification date may be true, but it is anecdotal. To my knowledge there has been no formal vote by the KWCA on the date of certification. If this is not true, let me know as I am sure you will. Further, I do NOT find it surprising that coaches do not like some of the rules they must follow; what I find surprising is that you find it surprising.
Yes we need more kids involved in ALL of our activities. The "slacker," X-box, skateboarder mentality is becoming more and more prevalent among our youth.
Even our founding fathers believed in rules--witness the constitution--they were not anarchists.
Someone has to be first. If no one tries anything new then nothing will ever change. It is tough to be first but when Dr. Naismith hung the peach basket up he probably had no idea how many people he would touch in a positive way. I guarantee he was ridiculed and the rules had to be massaged and changed over time. When you are first you are on the cutting edge and sometimes that means you have to bleed. I WISH we could be first and that is why I said, "Does it mater?"
Of course I have cut weight. In 1980-81 I cut from 135 to 112. After the Christmas break we got 5 pounds so it was only 117. I had the routine down, 135 Monday morning, 117 on Friday night. We went to Colorado for a dual and they only got 3 so I had to make 115. I cut weight from 7th grade on. Today I am 6ft and weigh 190. I havn't had any health issues and I don't think my growth was stunted. I wouldn't mind matside weigh in to get rid of the politics but I honestly loved the discipline and willpower associated with making weight. First you beat the scale and then you beat your opponent.
No it doesn't make sense for KSHSAA to police itself. Are you familiar with the Sarbanes Oxley law? When an organization polices or audits itself it becomes stagnant and corrupt. How about some committee's comprised of taxpayers that make it possible for the KSHSAA to exist.
I just wanted to know if you were an advocate. I haven't seen any forward thinking policy posted or even suggested by you. I am all about continuous improvement which means progressive adjustments to improve. The way you measure improvement is by checking with your customers to see if they are more satisfied. That mechanism is missing when it comes to the KSHSAA. You are also a small school advocate which means that you have little understanding of big school issues and opportunities. You feel that if the small schools can't have it then the big ones shouldn't either. Would you advocate two sets of rules, one for small schools and one for big schools? For the record, I never said you weren't an advocate of wrestling, just never have seen a post that proves it so I had to ask.
I don't find it surprising. What shocks me is that you tell us to go through the channels. The KWCA, the AD's or other members to get change to take place. The process is cumbersome and not democratic. How does your committee get away with creating policy with little or no support for the organization it is governing? It doesn't make sense. If 100% of the coaches, who should be the most knowledgable about the situation, support something then you think it is okay to say no? If the coaches support it then the parents support it. Are you telling us that you know better than the majority of the customers you are serving? It is crazy that we have gotten this point where we are told by a body that we pay for that we don't know what is good for us????
The constitution is a guideline for rules. Open for interpretation but founded on freedom of choice. KSHSAA is functionally a dictatorship. What Gary wants, Gary gets. What Gary doesn't want doesn't happen. When you create a list of hurdles to jump, followed by a maze to navigate just to get a proposal to the Executive board it is a long way from being a democracy.
This really isn't about supporting wrestling or not. It is about whether you are an advocate for improvement and customer satisfaction. You are a wrestling advocate but are you a change agent?
