Elementary State Champion Hoodies

Dear Mr. Cook,
My son has waited 12 years for his chance at getting a championship hoodie. He was disappointed that he didn't get one after the tournament. He entered this tournament specifically for the hoodie because the flyer said he would get one if he worked hard all year and wrestled better then all the other kids. When are the shirts going to be mailed out? Can you bring them to the Park City Classic or Western Kansas Classic? No hurry, as long as he gets it before school is out. Another week or 2 of waiting won't hurt. Thanks buddy!

B O O H O O....he wrestled just for the hoody? All year just for the hoody? Waited 12 years for a hoody? Wow, those must be really cool hoody's.

That is correct!

He collects championship shirts and he frames them and hangs them on his wall. That is the only reason he enterd this tournament besides proving he is the best. Some kids are just cool like that.

If did say on the flier, winner will receive hooded sweatshirt. But it said the same thing last year and they got a plaque instead. It seams that the middle school champion gets the sweatshirt. Also will the first team elementary get the fancy shorts like the first team middle school. Only seems appropriate if they pay the same and are going to the same event this year.

No...I'm looking at this year's flyer (ELEMENTARY NOT MIDDLE SCHOOL) and it says MARCH 1ST 2015........TOURNAMENT HOODIE FOR THE CHAMPION. Not a big deal to me but my kid wants his shirt. LOL

I agree it was on this years flyer and last years flyer.

12 years? Your son has waited 12 years to get a hoodie? When did your son start wrestling? Let's say he was an early starter and started wrestling at 3 years of age. That would mean he is 15, wrestling in an Elementary School Tournament. In my opinion, a 15 year old 5th grader should not be allowed to wrestle other 12 year old 5th graders. There is just too much of a maturity difference. One is driving and shaving, the other still thinks girls have cooties.

First of all, rule of the talk forum. If you are going got call someone out. Post your name.

Second, the flier did state that we would hand out hoodies to the champion. I did not get them ordered. They are on order and will be handed out to the champion when they leave to go to Iowa in April.

Haha yeah he cracks me up too. He's 12 1/2 I think he's implying that he was born to win or something. I know it seems petty to anyone who didn't get 1st place this weekend but to the 16 that did it isn't. Honestly Beason it doesn't make any difference to me. Im not going to be wearing the damn thing.
So, should I tell him to forget the hoodie and it was a "MISTAKE". Im sure they didn't put that on there to boost entries. That would be misleading and dishonest.lol
Seriously though......

NEVER CALLED YOU OUT COOK. SOMEONE ELS TRIED TO TURN THIS INTO A FEASCO. I'LL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU AND WE CAN MAKE arrangements. We might not be going to the tournament. We have a hospice situation with one of our relatives so maybe he just gets his sweatshirt for winning the tournament and call it quits. IS that a problem with you?

My wife was cleaning out my sons gear bag yesterday and his ms state Hoodie was in it. He's a junior in high school. So yeah I think it is important to the winner.

What I am saying is that a 12.5 year old has not been looking forward to it for 12 years. Daddy has!

And Just for the record, my nephew was one of those elite winners that could only understand how important those hoodies are. Problem is, he hasn't been looking forward to it for 12 years, and doesn't really care if he get's one or not. He went for the competition, not for the hoodie. Good Job Andrew Beeson!!

Sorry you feel that way man. Cheer up! My son looked up to you and you were well respected in our house even if we had to hide it from the rest of our friends. Everyone has crappy weekends. You can pm me if you would like.

I just have to defend James for a minute here. This guy does a lot for kids wrestling. 6U state, Elementary state, Middle school state, and the Kansas State Throw Down (Grand) Tournament. I know he has lots of help. But this guy puts in tons of work for these kids every week. I've seen it first hand... Thanks James for all you do... Next year maybe a parent who has a child in this tournament could volunteer to order these hoodies?

My son was one of the champions this year and for the record we do think that it is a big deal. But the big deal is not the hoodie, the plaque, the medal, or the bracket that he has received. The big deal is that someone cares enough to organize this tournament and give these kids a chance to travel to Iowa and wrestle. When I ask my kid what was the best part of winning he said "getting to wrestle for team Kansas in Iowa"... an opportunity that he would not have if not for the men and women that volunteer their time to make this happen. The hoodie... who cares, thanks for your time and this opportunity, see you in Iowa, go Team Kansas....

Well said Bradbee. And Just for the record notyourday, you might want to encourage your kid to wrestle for the love of the sport and not trophies, hoodies or other tangible things. It's been in my experience to see wrestlers who wrestle for trophies to quit when they no longer get trophies. I'm not saying this in a bad way, I just love this sport. And I've seen time and time again kids good at 12 and when it gets tough at 14 they quit because, well all they wanted was a medal. I hope he enjoys the hoodie and more importantly good luck in Iowa. (This is not sarcasm)

Clark Forward

There are so many things wrong with this comment....It's too bad you feel that way because some of those exact people are the ones that invest more time into USAW-KS than any other person in the state.

Oh how I wish I knew your name, but only to follow and see how this ends in the future.. best of luck to you and you son, seriously. Didn't mean to get you fired up or offend you.

Clark Forward

You win again Beeson. My son no longer wants the hoodie. Thanks a lot man. You have really set him stright. Bravo!

Hearing a different side of the story has made me realize that no matter what a kid wrestles for they deserve their prize, from hoodie to respect. And that issue has been handled. Notyourday, it takes a lot of courage to get on these forums and your kid should be happy to have a dad like you who's willing to do what ever it takes to see his son happy. Again, best of luck to you and your son.

Clark Forward

I didn't even know we were competing. A private message asking James about the hoodie would have kept me totally out of this. Whether you think you called James Cook out or not is not relevant. What is relevant is that almost everyone else saw it that way. You called him out publically and did not leave a name. Had you called him out privately and left a name and contact number, I'm sure this would have been handled so much more simple.

Good Day Sir.

And good day to you Beeson.

I didn't get my lunch voucher either James.....

I'm going to take a different point of view here, that hoodie is/ can be a pride thing. The can wear that hoodie, knowing they were the best they could be that day- and were rewarded for their hard work. They can't wear a trophy or plaque. I didn't take this as a calling-out, but just a question, that has now gotten out of hand. Just my two cents.

I don't disagree with the fact that kids look forward to them and really like them. My boy still wears his CottonBowl national sweatshirt and shorts (that are too small now) so I get it.

I think that James and Will were there until the end, and had the phone numbers and email on the flier. I am also sure that it was an honest mistake by James.

Bringing it on here to is what made it get out of hand. A simple call or email or pm what have answered the question.

yeah it is weird how all this happend. This was primarily for Cook and 16 wrestlers. I never accused anyone of anything. I just got a PM from one of the dads from last year's team and he filled me in on some stuff. If I would have known then what I know now I would have called him directly. I had no idea the same thing happened last year and he had already been raked over the coals. I think that is why a couple of guys got bent out of shape. I did not entend to start any trouble. Sorry. The bright side is that next time I will know better then to ask any questions with sarcasm or mention anything about trophies....and I really did not know about last year. Oops. Again my apologies. James I will send you an email later tonight with some questions That need answered. Thanks man. And thanks Clark it was nice meeting you. Just wish it had been on better circumstances.

One of the best experiences that my son had was going to the Middle School National Championship Tournament in Iowa. He didn't win, didn't finish 2nd, 3rd or even 4th at the Middle School State Tournament. He finished 5th and got invited on as an alternate. He came home with a gold medal winning his alternate bracket and got to wrestle two matches on the 4th team going 1-1, overall he went 7-1. No hoody, no trophy, but he did get a medal for finishing 5th. None of that mattered, the experience he got wrestling very good wrestlers from other states proved to him that he could match up with some pretty solid competition. I strongly believe that helped his confidence a ton going into high school.