6A State Tournament - Olathe Northwest
5A State Tournament - Hutchison
4A State Tournament - Salina
321A State Tournament - Hays

I guess we can all just dream about watching our friends from schools in different classifications wrestle next year. This arrangement just about destroys any chance of college coaches coming to watch wrestlers who are on the bubble. Please don't attempt to sugarcoat this obvious failure to plan with lame excuses. It is time for new leadership and progressive thinking in the office of the KSHSAA. The existing monarchy needs to be dismantled and a true democracy put in place. Anyone who doesn't think that Gary Musselman isn't a virtual dictator is just naive.

Will that is Kansas for you. They had a chance to make state better then it has ever been and what do they do reach back into the 70's and put it in a high school gym. Boy that took a lot of thought and creativity. Hope Pitt. remains 4A. They need to put the high school state football Championship on Abels field in Leavenworth. Nothing like going backwards. This state from the college level to the high school level never improves, but progression takes a person with church bells. Scott Rieck

Having had the opportunity to work closely with Mr. Musselman and the other KSHSAA personnel on some projects and having "crossed swords" with them in some other areas, I disagree with your over-reaching generalization. He does/they do wield a lot of power, but no more than that which is given them by the by-laws of the KSHSAA; which, is an organization composed of member schools whose sole purpose is to oversee and administer certain specified interscholastic activities, and whose member schools do, in fact, select their own governing boards--including the one which hires and fires the KSHSAA personnel.

IMHO, if the worst thing that ever happens is that the Kansas state wrestling tournament(s) is/are not wrestled in the same facility I will die a satisfied man.


Greg Mann
Norton, KS

Greg, Do you support the decision to split all the classes up and to wrestle 2 of them in High School Gyms? Not the worst thing to ever happen. Just a worse thing.

Is this official? I also thought Hutch might be on the bubble to move up to 6a. Will they definately remain 5a?

Mr. Mann with all do respect lets make a deal! How about we move 321a to Norton and let 5A & 6A go to Hays? There were options on the table. These kids have worked all their careers to wrestle in a High school gymnasium for their final matches. I’m not concerned about recuitability, my concern is atmosphere! This is the show!

And with all due respect for you Red, do you honestly think these two tournaments would have been assigned to these venues if there were better options? And as far as atmosphere, these two facilities will have worse atmosphere than what was had at Wichita!?!?

well, are they going to be held in the high schools, because hutch has the Sports Arena they could use.

I think some may be missing a small point! Seeing how recruiting works, coaches would like to go to one place and pick out a few wrestlers they would like to watch. This style will really make that harder on coaches. And I know that if your "good" you will be recruited somewhere, but it's about those kids who maybe are not considered in the "good" area too. Getting a chance to wrestle in college was a dream ever since I was little, and I was lucky enough to get to make that a reality! In my eyes this is not a good move. Maybe KSHSAA sould travel and look at other state tournys, because Kansas is not cutting it.

These are my views, take it how you want it!

I personally don’t hold any ill will against the coliseum. After 10 straight years it’s kind of like home! I know the predicament that Mr. Bowden was in, but there were options presented to him with KSU. When you’re with out a home you need to be flexible. But let’s get back to the question… would you support Norton High, wrestling at lets say St. Francis or Oberlin for all the marbles? Be a sport and let the big schools go to Hays!

No high school gym would hold the 321A state crowd.

Mann

What options were presented for KSU? My understanding was that Ahearn could have been available but the parking there is not nearly sufficient--shuttle buses from the football stadium? I also think there was not enough room on the floor for eight mats and still have sufficient seating.

I also understood that Bramlage was not available that weekend--or was it that eight mats could not be fit on the floor--or both?

There is no gym in our part of the state that would even come close to holding the crowds that 321A bring.

Will:
Are you talking about an absolute monarchy (such as Saudia Arabia or Vatican City) or a constitutional monarchy (such as the United Kingodm)?

As to putting in a "true democracy" remember that the drafters of the U.S. Constitution decided against a "true democracy" because they feared mob rule (i.e. Shay's rebellion). They opted instead for a republic where the population are represented by elected leaders.

Barry,

Personally I believe Gary is more like Stalin or Fidel. I didn't realize I was going to have to get that technical. I really believe the KSHSAA should be operated more like Jack Welch operated GE. If you are in the same job too long without making any improvements you got the axe! There is too much complacency and no accountability.

PARKING ISSUES: Are you going to tell me there is enough parking at Olathe Northwest for 6A state?? I believe the fire marshall might be showing up

There was inadequate advanced planning and no foresight. Honestly, if we only had 321A State and 654A state we would have plenty of options and still one too many state champions.

I guess I don't understand why so many people are suddenly surprised or outraged by this decision. We have known for months where these tournaments would be moved and some of us tried to tell this board a couple of years ago that this would happen when they moved 4A to Salina.
My question is this, how many of you actually attend the state tournaments? I am constantly amazed at the number of ex-wrestlers, many of whom competed at a very high level, who are not fans of the sport. Also, how many of you are attending some youth tournament instead of high school state? Would you support a statewide moratorium on youth tournaments the weekend of state? Heaven knows, missing that one weekend would set some of your wrestlers back years, but it might be worth it if you desire larger venues for the high schoolers.
Frankly, from looking at last years revenues from regionals and state, 5A and 6A don't deserve anything better than a high school gym.

I’m checking with my sources at KSU, I will get back with on that question. On the fact that amount of mats needed, I don’t think so they only used 9 when 4A was at the coliseum. When 5A was moved to Hucth you only needed 3 mats for Bramlage. As far as the parking and Ahearn it could have worked locally with over flow being shuttled in. If you’re talking about mat space we used to hold a kids tournament with 12 mats. With all kinds of fan accommodation. Sure it’s a barn but the place used to rock during the hay days of KSU basket ball. I would assume that you remember that far back?

I do know that Topeka was an option for all groups to be reunited if they were willing to move up a week or back a week in KSHSAA scheduling needs. For some reason this was not an option to the board. Everyone has an off week so why not make it two? I know the kids could use a break to heal up and get their school work caught up.

I’m just struggling with the fact that this has been talked about for over two years and Olathe Northwest was the best solution! I don’t believe that all options were evaluated fairly and without forward thinking!

I know there is not a gym big enough to hold 321A out west… I just wanted your opinion whether you would consider this (High School Gym) a viable option if the Hays location was unavailable?

Mark

Is Olathe Northwest the host school? Does that mean that the tournament is to be held at ONW or they are just the host school and can move it someplace else? Did ONW bid on it? Can other schools bid on it in the future?

As far as Bramlage is concerned there is not scheduling conflict… They (KSU) have to wait until the Big 12 release their basket ball scheduling which happens in July and things can be manipulated on their part. This was presented to Mr. Bowden without a response. I understand the urgency but you can always have a contingency plan if things don’t work out!

Bottom line is somebody in charge needs to find a way to get make this a priority to get these back together. I would doubt is anyone is actively looking NOW to get these back together 3,4,5 years from now. The current situation stinks, but it will never get better unless a plan is formed to go to KSU, KU, WSU or other large venues and start working on options for the future. I would guess we will sit pat until current contract run out and then try to find other options. Not the way business works. I somewhat agree with Will...You have to put people in power with a vision and committment for improvement and if they don't produce they need to be replaced with someone who can get it done. That is the way my job is. I would guess most of yours as well. The reason the 321a guys and 4a guys are not upset is they are not wrestling in HS gym.

24/7

Just like the 5A and 6A people didn't say anything when 4A was moved to Salina. What goes around comes around!