will, after reading this i felt there is a little something i need to share. being my three sons have only been involved in wrestling for a little more than a year now. they have shown drastic improvement due to the fact they have had the opportunity to wrestle quality wrestlers during practice. mainly ryne and others at your barn during the past summer and on many other days during the past fall. i was told by my father that to help yourself be successful surround yourself with successful people. i fell they have done that with you and your son along with the coaches at sja. i myself have grown to love a sport i knew nothing about until last year, and i still don't know near enough. even with that said, thank you and your family.[size:8pt][/size]

Well, since I’m the host coach I’ll chime in here. Garden City is waaaaaaaay tougher then the Bobcat Classic. I think we run a tough tournament and I think Newton does the same. I think it is really a back and forth thing between Newton and the Bobcat. Its no big deal. Stay in wrestling long enough and you’ll see how power shifts around the state. As for Garden City though, WOW!
I would say this year’s tournament was the toughest I’ve seen. I think Will has been going to this tournament for two years. I’ve been going to it for the past nine and I would say 7 out of the 9 years it has been tougher then the Bobcat. I’m sorry to burst anyone's bubble about how good this kid is or that kid is, but Ortega has been proving how good he is at least since he was in 8th grade. I mean come on the kid going for his 5th state title this year. And I would be willing to bet money and give odds on Rio Rancho’s 130 and 135 wrestlers also.

Vernon
You need to chill man. I’ve haven’t seen Will promote his son at all on here and if he did so what. If he does want to promote Ryne what freaking business is it of yours? Let me put it this way. I sent an email to Will about possibly moving Ryne up to 135 at the Bobcat Classic because I thought the possibility of him wrestling Napier would be a great crowd draw. Knowing full well how tough it would be they moved Ryne up. The kid doesn’t duck anyone and he is not afraid of losing.
So until you walk that kind of walk lay off Ryne.

Vernon,

What is your definition of promoting? If when Ryne and his brothers are grown and out of High School Wrestling, and Will still has a part in Kansas Wrestling I guess allot of people will have pie in their faces, and if not I guess some will say I told you so.

I like so many other parents are guilty of promoting are kids,every time you load up and attend your childs event your promoting, every time you let your child participate your promoting and as far as saving our money and investing it, I truely think not one parent would change, if we all had all to do over again. And I for one if someone was to give me back all the money, loss wages ect. and so many of us we would probably care less about the overall economy at this time. Ryne is a very good wrestler and I can tell you that he is making everyone around him better, and every one that goes up against him in a match he makes better, so I guess when one say's Will only is in it for his own kid, in a way one could say he helping to promote Kansas wrestling. And for the record I have never talked to Will, and only knew who he was when my son pointed him out to me. It is that you have attacked all parents who spend quality time with their childern, who has done what ever they possibly could to assit their child to get better, get exposure, attend the right events, that could help promote them to the next level.

Ronnie D. Johnson

I can also honestly say that Summer Wrestling does make Winter Champions.

10-4, I accept the vote.
But I am still not prepared to say indisputable.
Have a great day!

Like just about everyone giving voice to this forum, I've spent countless hours sitting uncomfortably in gyms all over the state of Kansas, watching my son practice and compete in wrestling events throughout the years. As parents, we willingly invest our time and our resources,in an effort to make our kids better athletes and hopefully better persons.

It's difficult for me to understand why anyone would be critical of a father (Will Cokely) who chooses to invest his time, talents and resources in the life of his son. The fact that his son has the apparent zeal, passion and abilities to excel in this sport only makes the parent's investment seem all the more worthy.

Don't we all want our children to have a drive or passion to exceed in some endeavor ... and be lucky enough to be in a position where we have the time, talent and resources to help our kids achieve their goals and dreams.

Kudos to all the "Will Cokelys" out there.

Wow, I just read the "waaaaaaaay tougher" comment again and it didn't set well with me.
Apparently, we are talking about two different types of "toughness".
I will concede that Garden City has the "top teams" with the "top kids" but the depth at Basehor it appears, according to me, could be "top". It could also be said that it was "tougher" to get a medal at Basehor at some weights because of that depth. I certainly respect Coach Neil's opinion because his team was at both. I also respect Cokeley's because he's been around and seen a lot I know. But again, Andale placed higher at Basehor and lower at GC. But, St. James placed higher at GC and lower at Basehor. GC placed the same at both. Moeder won GC and not Basehor. Dozier won Basehor and not GC. That's pretty comparable. Once again, I really don't care which is "tougher", and I am not forgetting Newton for one moment, and I will concede to GC. But to say "waaaaaaaay" tougher is an insult to every kid that busted his butt at Basehor to get a medal and really is ridiculous when you look at the overall depth.
But everyone should have a great day!

I think you’re being a little thin skinned here. There is nothing wrong with saying one tournament is way tougher then another, and I don’t see how it is an insult to any kid. Ask the kids that wrestle in the tournaments and they could tell you. Heck, you can ask one of my kids, Symon Seaton, and he’ll tell the same thing. The NCAA tournament is way tougher then the NAIA tournament, so is that an insult? There are way better coaches then Coach Neil. Not an insult just a fact of life. So if I were to say the Dapper Dan tournament was way tougher than Garden City would it be an insult to those who placed at Garden City? You can't look at stats only and rate a tournament. You have to be there and see the wrestling.

It has nothing to do with thin skin which is presumptuous on your part. It is about reality and ridiculous comments.
To take my comment about comparing Basehor and Garden City and making an analogy of a comparison between NCAA and NAIA is equally asinine.
I just provided lots of data that would indicate that Basehor
could be just as deep if not deeper than Garden City but
apparently you did not read that or process it. There is really no more to be said as the votes are in.
But have a great day!

You guys should all just meet at the gym and hit the bench press. Maybe then you will be able to find the answer...

Well look at the depth in the bracets of kids ranked in there states? and the depth of the teams that came? And any one can win at any tournoment which has been proven many times so what everyone is trying to say is the all around depth in garden was beyond any other. But i guess defend your opinion.