The Kansas City Wrestling Assoc. in cooperation with the National Wrestling Coaches Association and Missouri USA Wrestling is still looking for teams to complete their national wrestling tournament. The tournament will be a yearly event held during the Christmas season beginning Dec. 15 & 16, 2006.
The tournament will be a 24 team individual tournament with approx 6-10 top Mo teams, 6-10 top Midwest out of state teams (Ne, Ia, Ok, Ks) and 6-10 top out of area teams. The tournament will be a combination of pool and bracket with every wrestler getting approx. 6-8 bouts over 2 days with 2 weigh-ins. The tournament will be held at the KCI Expo Center near Kansas City International Airport. This is the same venue that USA Wrestling recently held the Cadet National Duals. The location is perfect with countless hotel rooms within a few blocks. We are working with the Platte County Visitor’s Bur. to get discounted travel for participating teams in hopes of making this tournament as affordable as possible.
As things stand right now Platte Co. Mo, Oak Park Mo, Park Hill South Mo, Park Hill Mo, Oak Grove Mo and Fort Zumwalt West. Mo as well as Omaha Skutt, Omaha, Ne. and Millard So. Omaha, Ne., Lewis Central, Council Bluffs, Ia, Collins Hill, Ga., Mohave, Az. and Colonial Forge, Va. along with several other teams have verbally indicated their interest in or an intention to compete in the tournament. Eleven interested or competing teams were either team state champs or runners-up last year in their respective state and class. Spring 2005 polls have Oak Park, Omaha Skutt and Collins Hill ranked in the top 50 in the nation. We very much would like to see a few Kansas teams compete in the tournament.
If you think that your team may have an interest in competing in this tournament or you would just like to be kept informed of the details as decisions are made, please contact me and I will keep you informed of the progress. I can be reached at kansascitywrestlingassoc@yahoo.com or 816-582-5417. Thanks for your attention.

Tom Taulbee
Platte City, MO