I personaly like to watch all the wrestlers. I feel it would make for a short tourny with not much atmosphere being in a class all alone but maybe I'm wrong. However look at it like this, are the college scouts going to be at 5A and 6A state or at 4A state! Maybe both. Who knows. I for one would like to know who the real state champ is is each weight class instead of three.

The issue of mat space/arena space can be dealt with simply. Extend the tournament to three days. There are bordering states who have a multi-class, single venue with a timetable schedule that can be readily copied. This would allow us to combine all four classes into a single arena. We should look past class rivalry and examine what is best for the sport. I believe you would conclude that by comibing our efforts and showcasing a unified state tournament you can best achieve publicity, enhance recruiting opportunities, and begin to stop the numbers slippage we are experiencing statewide.

I like the way you think, PhiGam.

I can totally back up Prant on the craziness being exciting. As much as it sucked seeing half starved 14-18 yr olds w/ bodies that look like a starving ethiopian hobo, it was awesome! There was a great sense of aw w/ so many good and great wrestlers all meeting together to weigh in.

Recruiting is a bit easier on colleges with the combined classes in my opinion, because sometimes you might be after 1 or 2 guys and wind up discovering some body else that will fit nicely into your program.

As for this quote:
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High schools are not an option...I can't think of one high school that is remotely big enough to put four wrestling mats down, then have enough seating for 3,000-4,000 people...

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How big is "The Dungeon" at Topeka High in terms of seating? That thing looked like it went on forever to the rafters, and I remember them wrestling quite a few mats at a JV tournament I went to my freshman year.

I ussually don't comment on the high school forum. I usually just read for the humor.

I realize that it looks like state is going to be split up while the colesium is renovated. I do hope however that all goes back to the way it is now. I have twin 10 year old boys that wrestle for Chanute wrestling club. Maybe some of you can remember back to those all day Sat tournaments. But they have made friends all over the state. I don't know for a fact but I would guess that these kids are going to be in various A's. I for one would love to watch these kids wrestle at state in high school as I have watched them all the way throuh kids wrestling. Most of them will probably quit. But some are going to stick with it. For all the negatives that some of you list there are two positives for keeping it together. The atmosphere of a joint state tournament is electric. You split state up and its going to take away from that.

As for the coach who wants his wrestlers to get more sleep. I'd bet money these kids weren't sleepin.
As we always say in kids wrestling, "It's for the kids."

Just my two cents.

I spent a major part of my life at the 321A State and it is not less "electric" than the 456A State. In my opinion, it is more "electric" because you are the only show in town and everyone is there for your class.

And also, I'll take the bet that my kids would get more rest if we get out earlier on Friday and start later on Saturday. And yes, they would be sleepinG.

Your right, its for the kids and a split of the classes is better for the kids.

I can't say I will miss the current State tournament as it was. For those of you who have been both as a wrestler and a spectator, you know how long and boring it is to sit through 40 minutes of introductions to the finals. I liked the idea that was put out earlier by someone where 321A and 4A are combined and 5 & 6A are combined. That way the wrestling fans can get more benefits with out all the hassle. As it was already said a big part of why a lot of the 4 and 321A people don't care to watch the 5 and 6A matches are that they don't even see them during the regular season. Its kind of hard to follow the matches of people who you haven't see all year.

I for one, would be very sad to see a split of the A's, I have many friends that I have wrestled for the last six years and I would regret not being able to see them wrestle.

Well, my reason's are strickly selfish in that I find myself covering a lot of times, kids from all three classes. As it is now, I don't get to Hays. If it splits, then I just go to the tournament Augusta is in and forget the other three classes. I really don't want to do that.
But then, as a former coach many moons ago, I can see some of the coaches viewpoint also. I just hope that this year they can bring back the hospitality room.
I guess you could say from my standpoint, media coverage will go down, and wrestling doesn't need that.

I agree with Prant and rocknraider on this one. The atmosphere is amazing, not only because of all the people from your class, but also just because of the sheer number of people. For many of us this will be the largest venue we've ever competed in or will ever compete in and I think making it smaller would hurt the aura of the tournament.

Also, I'm from 6A and have only been wrestling since freshman year. However, in the two years I've already qualified for state I have watched every class, sometimes over my own. I had no idea who Eric Luedke, Earl Jones, or Jordan Bedore were outside of following them my computer and to be able to see them finally wrestle was a fantastic thing.

Sure, maybe a little more sleep would help, and maybe smoother weigh-ins would be nice, but I, and I feel most other wrestlers, have never had that big of a problem with it. It's just part of what state is all about and I love every bit of it just the way it is.

Preach on brother LancerM!

Well I know the Bicentenial Center would let the coaches have a nice hospitality rom as they do for the kids tournament. But this is about high school wrestling.

The Coliseum is getting tired and is in need of an upgrade. The County Commission is planning on a multi-million dollar expansion upgrade to improve those things that fans, coaches and wrestlers have complained about for years. You spoke and they listened. I am afraid that if you split up the state it may be more important to win the Newton tournament that the state tournament in some classes. With the size of the tournaments around the state 20-24 teams it can be more exciting to wrestle in those large tournaments than a single class tournament.

If we keep the 3 classes at the present location, improve those things that need improving, and take a chance of adding 123A by adding a third day what a great spectical we could have for Kansas Wrestling. Break it up and you destroy the excitement of the State for a large group of wrestlers, fans and coaches.

I am old enough to have worked state tournaments at high schools where you would have 750 -1000 people. Compare this to the finals at 7,500. There is no compairson to the level of excitement.

I will also add that the marching in of the wrestlers needs to be changed. The finals are way too long. Something could be done to speed that portion up but don't break up the classes because of $$$$$$$. Sure the state could reduce the cost of rent on the facility, I think that is entering into Rick's decision but looking past that what is best for the Wrestlers, Fans and Followers. Keep the State Tournament Format the same or improve don't step back into the 70'S

I've been going to the state tournament in Kansas since I was a kid, except the last few years. I'm now coaching on the Missouri side. They have there tournament at one site which is the basketball arena in Columbia. They have only three classes here which makes it tougher to qualify for the tournament.There are two qualifying tournaments, which I don't like. They wrestle all of class one then go to the next class. So after each round most of the fans leave the arena and another group comes in.This keeps the stands packed.Which would be comparable to Manhattan or Lawrence. Since Kansas has four classes it would be tough to follow this format. Its probably not feasible but I like how they do it in Missouri. Very exciting atmosphere here and you don't have to miss any matches from other classifications.. Finals are just like Kansas except they don't take as much time on the parade and medal ceremony..

Most 123A coaches will fight coming into our State event to their death because the event at Hays is awesome. The entire town embraces the event and the treatment of everyone involved is second to none. That is what I think 4A would have if they split off and went to Salina. We split up all other sports except Track and that seems to work pretty well. (Volleyball may have 1-2A together and 3-4A together??)

I will tell you Salina embraces 4A state volleyball and basketball very well and do the event right. I guess I want that for 4A wrestling.

RJW,
It's not about what's good for one particular class of wrestling. It's about what is good for the sport of wrestling as a whole, in the state of Kansas. It is the opinion of many on this board that keeping the most classes together as possible, is best for all.

sportsfan02,
That is your opinion about what is best for Wrestling. Why is that the best thing for Wrestling? RJW has given us reason after reason for splitting the tounament but the only reason you have come up with is you will miss great wrestlers in other classes well you know what, I bet life would still go on if you didn't watch 654A matches. The state champion would still be crowned and that is what best for the kid. That at the end of the state tounament he has the best memories, which would be memories that he made.

MAS,
Scroll up and see if you can find where I mentioned watching other classes. The reasons for keeping the tournament together are numerous and that is not just my opinion but one that is shared by many as I stated. Again scroll up and read the entire thread before you respond.

Sportsfan- Here is your answer then, Those media trucks from Topeka and Wichita almost never cover anything about teams out of their area anyway and rarely cover much about 4A, so I guess I can live without them and so can most of the other 4A teams they don't care about. Also, the best coverage we ever get is from the Salina Journal and they cover us whether in Beloit, Colby, Wichita or any place else (even though they are 180 miles from Colby) so that is why I would like to have the 4A State in the hometown of the best wrestling media for us.