The apples to oranges of which I refer is the comparison of the physical rigors required of wrestling to the physical rigors of football and/or basketball. The comparison of Fargo to "regular" high school wrestling is more a comparison of apple types, such as "Delicious" to "Jonathan!"

Basketball is PERMITTED to play two games in a day, but at the varsity level it has been utilized almost exclusively as a "LAST RESORT" when necessary to finish a tournament due to postponements. It is not, as is being discussed with wrestling, a regularly scheduled and expected occurrence.

Very briefly, my concerns with eight/nine matches in a day are:

#1 eight/nine matches with 45 minutes rest means that a one-day tournament is going to be a very large tournament and a very, very long day for competitors, fans and coaches.

#2 eight/nine matches for most average high school athletes is more than can be handled at a quality level--even if the quality, as a relative matter, is not high.

#3 Our kids do practice every day and most should be in good condition; but (a) how many times do we see kids "gas" in the third period--even at State? (b) Kids get sick during the season and try to wrestle through it. (c) We wrestle more competitions during the week than just on weekends. (d) Kids have other things that require their time during the season: academics and some even try to take part in other school organizations and activities.

I am in favor of six matches and could be pursuaded to consider a seventh if necessary to wrestle off for a medal. This would allow for the utilaztion of 24 man brackets for a Saturday. Most of us realize that for most of us to fill a 16 man bracket requires 20+ teams and there will, therefore, be those weights more than 16 competitors--which if the first round match is lost but wrestles back through a FULL consolation bracket would require a seventh match for third.

But consider this: Many of us compete with out-of-state schools who are not as "forward thinking" as is Kansas and DO follow NFS rules; these schools will probably not wrestle the sixth or seventh match even if legal in Kansas and when we go out-of-state, the sixth and seventh matches would not be an option. So, the question becomes, just how far out of compliance can we be before we are seen as being a "renegade" state thereby, possibly, reducing our opportunity to compete with out-of-state opponents?

Finally, adding matches to the day cannot be "sold" as a way to save money/cut costs as there is no accompanying decrease in competition dates. Allowing more matches in a day WILL allow more matches in a season under the current point rules, BUT it does not reduce the number of competitions allowed and therefore, is not a money saver as there is no reduction in travel, utilities, referees, table and gate workers, etc.

The executive board is supportive of those rules changes which are evidenced to have wide support and of which they can be convinced by those they consider to be knowledgeable are good for kids and Kansas. Getting too far out of compliance with NF rules (especially when ALL other KSHSAA sports are in)is a MAJOR concern. Just what is it that makes us in Kansas think we are so much smarter than the other 40+ states who wrestle and follow the NF rules?

Greg Mann
Norton