Isn't this argued every stinkin' year?
Cokeley:
Just how many face-to-face meetings has one had with Bowden on such proposals, that he's refused to take to the KSHSAA Board, to give you the ability to slander him on here by calling him "lazy"? Lazy is a harsh word to call someone, when they are subject to needing to take such a proposals to a BOARD and they ultimately make that call!
Bowden & I butted heads on several things, but I'd be very careful with throwing a term on "lazy" around or labeling him as such. Are there things that need to be improved on, sure - but to call him "lazy"???
Can't wait to see you as the Asst. Exec. and see how you react to all the comments that'll be fired at you, as you so easily fire at him!!!
It's just tiring...
It is not SLANDER if it is true. For goodness sake, I couldn't even get him to type t r a c k w r e s t l i n g . c o m into his computer and check it out. I have emailed him, called him, talked to him face-to-face but since I am not an AD or Administrator he doesn't really care what I have to say.
I put in my resume and cover letter. One thing I have going for me, I have never directed a wrestling tournament that lost money!
Read below and YOU decide how great of a job he has done.
Mr Cokeley
Responses inserted into original email text to insure I did not miss any of your questions.
Rick Bowden
From: William Cokeley [mailto:WCokeley@Silgancontainers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 1:29 PM
To: Rick Bowden
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Rick,
What could you possibly say other than “You are right on nearly every point Mr. Cokeley.”? Show me the data! Have you looked at trackwrestling.com?? NO
Have you tried to develop an officials evaluation system? The current selection and assignment process used to make post-season assignments is the one as staff we are to use
Have you put together a proposal for a single site state tournament for all classes? No
Have you evaluated the aging officials pool and cited a potential risk of running out of experienced officials? Each of our staff is aware of the variety of issues relevant to the pool of officials in each sport including age, geographical distributions, etc.
Have you fought the 6th match in one day proposal? The proposal was presented to the KSHSAA Executive Board. At the time I explained the concerns shared to me and explained the NFHS rules. Also appearing before the board expressing support for a proposal to modify the NFHS rule was a KSHSAA member school administrator.
Will Cokeley
From: Rick Bowden [mailto:RBowden@kshsaa.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 1:22 PM
To: William Cokeley
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Mr. Cokeley
Your thoughts and opinion as to the manner in which I carry out my duties are noted. I will not respond to personal attacks nor reciprocate in kind.
Rick Bowden
From: William Cokeley [mailto:WCokeley@Silgancontainers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 1:11 PM
To: Rick Bowden
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Rick,
I am not asking you if you use the information to make assignments. I am asking you if you have it and I could either see it or you could put it into a graph that would show the distribution of your officials. I think we need to use the data to identify a problem and justify making some changes. I think you need to factor in succession when making post season assignments. There is very little change and no focus on developing officials for the future. If 10 officials decide to quit this year that might mean you would have to hire 10 officials who have NEVER been to a State Tournament. You are so stuck on NOT CHANGING that you won’t even consider that there are BETTER ways to do things. It is just like the fact that we are one of a very few states that split our tournaments over multiple sites. You know that one site over three days would make a huge financial impact but you just hide behind “Everyone likes it the way it is” instead of doing some research and presenting some proposals that would promote wrestling and give the kids a greater experience and opportunity to be seen by college coaches. You appear to NOT CARE. Instead of creating ideas you fight those who do. Just like trackwrestling.com. Have you ever looked at it? It puts the Preferred Education Software to shame! Why won’t you even consider it? I get frustrated because you, in my opinion, don’t take your job as seriously as I would. You do not promote or try to improve Kansas High School Sports. You are only interested in regulating them.
Will Cokeley
From: Rick Bowden [mailto:RBowden@kshsaa.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 1:00 PM
To: William Cokeley
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Mr. Cokeley
Yes we have information on officials as to their date of birth and years of experience BUT it has never been a directive that we factor age in as one of the items that is included in making post-season assignments.
While I earnestly do try to respond to your emails professionally and not in a manner which would demean the question or concern, if I believe I’ve responded to your question I reserve the right to not again respond to the same question/concern.
Rick Bowden
From: William Cokeley [mailto:WCokeley@Silgancontainers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 12:50 PM
To: Rick Bowden
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Rick,
I KNOW that you have the years of experience or years registered, years working a regional, years working a state tournament data available. If you do not bring in a normal amount on the left side you will run out of experienced officials. It is simple statistics. You cannot just continue to look at THIS YEAR. You need to plan for the future. Your process is not good and it is heavily laced with politics and good ole boy network instead of getting the BEST officials available. I know and you must admit, you are having trouble getting enough officials to do the regional tournaments. Yet, you are doing nothing to develop quality officials and make sure that you have an adequate number. Einstein’s definition of insanity “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Will Cokeley
From: Rick Bowden [mailto:RBowden@kshsaa.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 12:40 PM
To: William Cokeley
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Mr. Cokeley
To respond to your question in total – no I do not (nor does any of the KSHSAA staff in making assignments of officials to any KSHSAA post-season events) “evaluate” the age of officials being assigned to post-season events. There is no “normal distribution” relevant to age of officials that we are charged with including as one of the factors in making any of the post-season assignments.
Rick Bowden
From: William Cokeley [mailto:WCokeley@Silgancontainers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 12:13 PM
To: Rick Bowden
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Rick,
I never inferred that age was a factor in determining who was selected. I was asking if you had evaluated the age of your officials, as I know you have this information available, to see if you had a data trend that shows we are having a problem. If you do not have a normal distribution then your process is not working. If the population is skewed to the right then you are going to run out of officials with decent experience. Another way to look at would be to put a chart together with years of experience to see if you are bringing in new officials so you don’t paint yourself into a corner. This should be a basic, fundamental requirement of your job. It is called succession planning. I won’t charge you for my consulting. 
Will Cokeley
From: Rick Bowden [mailto:RBowden@kshsaa.org]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 9:37 AM
To: William Cokeley
Subject: RE: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Mr. Cokeley
The age of officials assigned to KSHSAA tournaments is not factored into the assignments.
Rick Bowden
From: William Cokeley [mailto:WCokeley@Silgancontainers.com]
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 9:28 AM
To: Rick Bowden
Subject: KSHSAA Wrestling Officials
Rick,
Do you have the distribution data for the age of officials used at last year’s state tournaments? I am just curious if we have a normal distribution spread from 20-60 or if we have a skewed curve heavily weighted to the right, towards 60.
We are having trouble getting enough officials to do our youth tournaments now. This is starting to impact the numbers for KSHSAA Regional tournaments. My theory is that we are losing a great number of officials because they give up after a few years of being turned down for a HS State tournament when they know their skills and abilities are at a distinct advantage over some of the elder statesmen who get selected year-in and year-out. A good example, Mike Ford from Prairie View was retired for a number of years. His son graduated and he put his stripes back on and was immediately assigned the 4A state tournament in his first year back. His skills had severely eroded and his attitude has become nearly hostile. While Denny Hensley, head official for the Kids State and a veteran of over 10 Tulsa Nationals, was passed over for I believe the fifth time. He is a far better official than 50% of those who were assigned KSHSAA State Tournaments. The process is broken.
Will Cokeley
