Updated Fargo Information

The date is getting close. National Team Camp will begin in a few short days. Registration will begin this Wednesday, July 10 at 1:00pm at Bethany University. Wrestlers will be checked directly into the dorms and then training will begin later that afternoon/evening. All wrestlers will have multiple training sessions per day as well as three meals/day.

THIS YEAR THERE HAS BEEN A BIG MODIFICATION IN TRAVEL. TEAM KANSAS WILL BE TRANSPORTED DIRECTLY TO FARGO BY CHARTER BUS, NOT VANS. Cadet team will board the bus at 10:00pm on Friday, July 12 and be transported up to Fargo. The bus will then return and the Junior team and staff will board and leave camp at 10:00pm on Saturday, July 13.

What does this mean for all participants? All wrestlers are required to arrange their own way home after the tournament is over for them. We encourage all wrestlers to coordinate with parents, friends, other wrestlers to organize their own ways back to KS. Please have his plan ready before you get to camp. We used to use this method several years ago and it went rather well, so start planning now.

Wrestlers will need to bring plenty of workout clothes. As mentioned earlier, we will be conducting about three workouts each day. They will have access to washers and dryers but they need to bring own detergent. How much money? Only spending money, snack money is needed.

This year's staff is:
Tom Peterman, Travis Keal, Dennis Charbonneau, Brandon Jobe, Jacob Beck, Brett Fiene, Danny Grater, Clint Slyter, Adam Venegas, Patrick Kelly, Jacob Marrs, Zach Poague, Ryne Cokeley, Cody Garcia

Great staff! Thank you to all those leaders dedicated to Kansas wrestling's next generation.

Russ,
thanks for the ample notice on transportation.
Also, could you post a list of whos planning on going so parents can coordinate rides back.

Thank you coach for the information I have a son that is a cadet if we could find him a ride back from Fargo would be great we live in Kansas City.



Danny Holyfield
816-261-2334

Really....Really....I would like to 2nd Ed's reply. I really wanted to post something very rude, like how....But, I figure the powers that be will understand that this is awful late notice, and it will be very difficult for many parents to plan how to get their kid home and this obviously 'not well thought out' decision will be overturned!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And, how are the coaches getting home...just wondering....

I understand that this is late notice. That is something that I am completely responsible for and yes I understand completely. Before we started taking the vans, several years ago this is exactly how the process was set up. Will Cokeley had a connection that made renting vans a pretty easy process and very convenient. Last year it cost us close to $9000 to rent vans and pull trailers with wrestlers bags from camp up to Fargo. Last Friday, we were able to find a charter service that was cheaper than renting vans. The process of having staff members driving vans up and back from Fargo was also a situation that also contributed to this final decision. Coaches also supported the idea of getting a charter so they did not have to make that drive back to KS in the middle of the tournament when groups were beat out. Scheduling vans to be leaving on different days was pretty hard to organize, simply because some were still coaching athletes in the tournament and asking them to leave their coaching duties to help transport kids home was not ideal. I also have always struggled with the idea of my staff being responsible for driving the 12 hour track from camp up to Fargo. My goal was always to have two adults in each van so they could trade the driving duties. We would leave first thing in the morning so a majority of the driving was during the daylight time. When coming home, that was always much more difficult. Many times they would be driving athletes until early morning hours and most times only one adult was in those vans because the others remained up in Fargo until the conclusion of the tournament. We were very fortunate that the only problems that we have had on those trips up were several blown out tires and a couple of empty gas tanks.



Your question to how are the coaches getting home? When we did this several years ago, many of the coaches decided to often drive up themselves in their own vehicles. I am not sure if that is going to be the case this year, I do know for certain one of them will be. My duties will require me to be there a full day ahead of the team so I will also be driving myself up in a van. My plan is to offer coaches that stay until the conclusion of the tournament rides home if they need it.

I hope this clarifies things. I do understand the timing is not ideal and for that I apologize. I had Cadet Duals, three weeks ago, World Teams Trials two weeks ago, and over the last week my wife and I have been moving into a new home so my world has been completely a mess with remodeling, painting, stripping, updates, and the many extras that go along with that process. My goal is to provide a list of athletes that I have signed up for at the present moment so parents can help coordinate but to be honest I still have a stack of unopened mail sitting at my old home that I haven't got to yet. Hopefully tomorrow evening I will have some free time.

Russ you wrote a lot, but didn't really say anything about why such a late notice. But, if I read between the lines, it was this way because you decided...your "I have always struggled" says it all. I wonder how the other states do it....

For my son it probably doesn't matter. I doubt he will last until the 2nd day of freestlye. But, regardless, he is leaving after his last match that day, as that is when we are.

Overall, at this point in time, after hotel and travel arragements have been made, unacceptable.

Would have been great to know a week ago...

PS. Russ, I still like you and respect the job you do, but I am going to comment...and I think now you get to buy the beer...lol.

I will be going to the Junior Freestyle sessions starting on 7/18 and have a 12 passenger van. I would have room for 10 people to come home with me to the KC Metro area. If there is interest I will take the van instead of a smaller car. I will just need a little help with gas. Please let me know if you are interested: tujague@gmail.com

Jerry Tujague

Mr. Tujague,
My son would like a ride we will help with gas or what ever we need to do we live in Piper. He is wrestling Freestyle Cadet.

Danny Holyfield
816-261-2334

With Danny Holyfield's son that makes 6 so far. I have room for maybe 3 more with the everyone's luggage.

Trust me Mr. Johnson, I will happily buy after this trip is completed. Mr. Tujaque, thank you for all the assistance.

I will have room for one wrestler needing a ride back to the Topeka area. I must warn you though the experience of a road trip with Cody, Tagen and myself can be very entertaining at the least. Enter at your own risk ! LOL.

Todd Lambotte

Matt Pratt just took the last spot.
This is who I have riding home with Andrew and me:

Ellis, MV
Burnett, MV
Bendure, MV
Josiah Seaton
Jonathan Blackwell
Johnathan Carter
Coach Beck
Spencer Wilson
Pierce Holyfield
Matt Pratt

If everyone can chip in $25 each for gas that would be great. Thanks!

Do the wrestlers need to be there promptly at 1 PM on Wednesday or is registration for an hour? Thanks!

Looking for ride or sharing ride to camp in Bethany (Lindsbourg, KS) and home from Fargo. If I drive I have room for 2-3 people.

Coach Peterman

Live in KC area

Registration will be open for a little bit to get everyone checked in and settled in dorms. Usually takes about 30 minutes or so.

So...are we going to be able to see a list of participants? Two days from the camp and I am not exactly sure how my son will be getting home.

Here is a list of athletes that have either sent me paper work or contacted me.

Cody McDonald
Andrew Tujaque
Jake Goldenstein
Reese Cokeley
Nathan Mikolet
Keaton Barnes
Michael Olson
Emilio Fowler
Sage Eckman
Tyler Mies
Kane Washington
Calvin Ochs
Tagen Lambotte
Andrew Millsap
TJ Burger
Iverson Robb
Kendrick Rivera
Matt Pratt
Tanner O'Donnell
Spencer Wilson
Dustin Williams
Mason Wallace
Dylan Wiesner
Pierce Holyfield
Doug Newcomb
Conner Maynard
Nathan Butler
Blake Stovall
Isaac Dulgarian
Jacob Bonham
Josiah Seaton
Johnathan Blackwell
Johnathan Carter
Jared Johnson
Conner Penka
DJ Ballard
Parker Howell
Tate Carney

If your name is not on the list and you are going, you need to contact me ASAP

Sorry left several off.

Jake Ellis
Bryan Burnett
Peyton Bendure
Griffin Bossingham
Christen Bowen
Thomas Lisher
Kian Clemens

Any vehicles that have an open seat cause there is still a lot of wrestlers to yet find a ride back from Fargo?

I am just curious why team Kansas is no longer providing a ride back in vans like last year? I only heard last night that wrestler's needed to find a ride back. My son, Jake Ellis is scheduled to work on Sunday at 7:30am and we were under the assumption that he would be back that Saturday like last year. If there is anyone leaving on Saturday that would have room for him I would appreciate it and would give $ for gas. I just can not drive up there and back to pick him up.

Jodi Ellis

If anyone has an open seat for a junior on the ride home from Fargo please contact me either in here or at 7857316675 it would be greatly appreciated and I am will to pay $ for gas!

Add Johnny Perz to the list

TO ALL ATHLETES THAT ARE GOING TO FARGO. IF YOU HAVE NOT SUBMITTED YOUR MEDICAL WAIVER FORM TO ME, PLEASE PRINT IT OFF AND BRING IT WITH YOU TO CAMP REGISTRATION. THIS IS A MUST HAVE ITEM FOR EVERY SINGLE WRESTLER TO PARTICIPATE. EVEN IF YOU FILLED ONE OUT FOR DUALS, YOU MUST HAVE ANOTHER ONE FOR THE NATIONAL TOURNAMENT.

Added

Tyler Norton
Tristan Porsch

The thing I have always wondered about is how kansas kids wrestling can justify sending 45-50 kids to Fargo without transportation back home. I bet some parents don't even consider sending their kids because of this. I have always thought that this was a really really dumb policy. How much more can it cost to provide transportation home?

Tom Baughman

We have arrived at Bethany College for National Team Camp. Presently we are sitting at 48 wrestlers. Dinner is being served from 5-6 and our first team session will start at 7:00pm. Looking forward to a great opportunity with all of these young men. Updates will also be provided by following @KS_NationalTeam on Twitter.

Last year it cost us close to $9000 to rent vans and pull trailers with wrestlers bags from camp up to Fargo. Last Friday, we were able to find a charter service that was cheaper than renting vans.

I would hate to take a guess as to how much it costs to charter a bus to Fargo twice. However being cheaper than the 9K it was still only one way.

I have rented vans on many team trips and cannot see how the cost would even be near $9000.

I don't have a problem with twitter but updates, should be, no questions asked, posted on this talk forum, the center for ALL USA Kansas wrestling news. We should NOT be deviating from this practice and if you want to use twitter that would be something additional.

... and I will be posting data as per tradition, on this site!! I will post under the 2013 Fargo tab!!