Great Conversation Guys. I usually don't post much, but this is an issue that is dear to me.
Beeson - everything is relative. I think a 100-100 kids for St. James is probably a heck of a good wrestler. My program doesn't constantly seek the level of competition they do, but my program would only have 2 kids out if I did. It's all relative.
I will disagree that people don't reward average performance. MOST people in the workforce are average, and they aren't continually fired. Case in point, as a sophomore I made varsity for the first time and went exactly 15-15. 8 of my losses were to state placers, but I never got pinned. The instructions from my coach were to keep the matches close to give our team a chance to win duals. This "celebration of average performance" gave me enough confidence to have good junior and senior seasons.
I am NOT advocating an "everybody gets a ribbon" mentality. I do, however, want every kid to have a sense of pride in being in a tough practice room and surviving brutal workouts. I tell even my least successful kids that they beat everyone that didn't have the guts to come out for wrestling.
Coach Dolezilek
Average workers don't get fired, but they don't get promotions, raises, or special recognition either. I'm not saying 100 wins isn't an accomplishment, I'm just saying it is getting easier and easier to do with the number of matches available. Whenever something gets easier it's value diminishes. Not that there is no value, just not as much as in times past.
