Hello girls,
Well, it has come to a head for you girls. The state has called your hand. They don’t think that you girls appreciate the backing by the state for girls wrestling. Frankly, I can’t blame them. We have been at this for 10 yrs. And the numbers are still not as good as they should be. Ms Jenni and I fought to keep the funding for one more year, to give you girls a chance to prove that you want a girls division in Kansas. We have provided practices and opportunities to compete for Kansas and the numbers still have not materialized. We are there for you girls, but we need you to give a lot more effort, in order for us to commit to that much time and money for you girls. We are one of the only states that actually supports women’s wrestling, and even though many do not take advantage of the opportunities, there are some girls that have made it into college and obtained national recognition. This was done without most of you in the state taking advantage of the opportunities in front you. We are not showing up to practices that I and the coaches are taking time out of our busy schedules to hold. I know this seems harsh, but if you only knew how hard we work at this, you might understand our frustration. We have tournaments that we have pleaded and convinced the tournament directors to add girl’s brackets. And then you don’t show up. It is in your corner, do you really want a girl’s team or not? We have convinced the Corp Board to fund the Women’s program for one more year but if there is not a substantial increase in participation THIS year….this funding is in grave danger of being lost. We need to hear from you girls NOW and we need to know that you want this program. Posting on the forum for all of the wrestling community to see would not be a bad idea. How has the Kansas Krusaders helped you? Do you think the state needs and deserves a women’s team? This is your time to stand up and stand out…if you do not, you will very likely be on your own. There is no guarantee that there will be funding or even a Women’s Director after this year.

These are the tournaments that we have planned for the Kansas Krusaders so far this year.
Wellington 12/19
Emporia 01/24
Park City Classic 3/06
USAWKS Girls State Tourney 3/21
USGWA Girls State Tourney
USAW Girls Folkstyle Nationals in OKC 3/26
The ball is in your court ladies…what do YOU want???????????

Coach Ed

Coach Ed, Jenni, Brooke, and Coach Ogdon,
Karissa and I wish that the girls in Oklahoma had as much support for girls wrestling as the girls in Kansas have.
I know there are lots of people that have helped to try and grow girls wrestling in Kansas the Engels, Gonzales, Fredricksens, Mercers and I am sure there are many more.
All the people involved with the Kansas Krusaders accepted and welcomed Karissa with open arms even though she was from Oklahoma. We have driven to practices and tournaments many times and the attendance by the girls in Kansas has been disappointing.
I am not sure why you girls are not showing up for these opportunities, maybe we are just more wrestling crazy then most people. Karissa is in Amarillo TX. rite now at a girls tournament because we do what we have to do to get matches with other girls and support girls wrestling.
The girls of Kansas need to wake up and take advantage of the AWSOME support they get before it is gone, then they will be like us having to go to other states to get competition with no support from anybody but their parents.
Kansas Krusaders, Karissa and I will continue to attend and support all of your functions that we can from now intill the Krusaders are no more.
Girls of Kansas if you really want to wrestle and not be just a sideshow then STEP UP AND PROVE IT!
Are you going to let a girl from Oklahoma show up and support your State Team, The Kansas Krusaders more then you do?
Coach Ed and Ms. Jenni we will see you every chance we can.
Thank You for all that you do for girls wrestling.
Tony & Karissa Avallone

Coach Ed
Could I get more info on the Kansas Krusaders. Like when and where you practice. I was unaware that there were separate tournaments for girls except at Fargo. I have an 8 yr old that just started wrestling for the Thunderbird club in Topeka and there are also 3 other girls in our club. Just wondering if participation is low due to lack of knowledge of the club?

Thanks
Michelle Kmiec

parents & wrestlers,

First of all we are not a club, we are the state team for Kansas and we have been around for at least 8 yrs. There has been at least 8 girls go off to college that have wrestled for the team and we have several all americans from 6yrs old to 18. The problem is not that we don't get information out. We have a web sight, we've sent out mailers, we have face book, there is a womens divion on this sight with a talk forum. We have went to several tournaments to get the word out and to all the meetings about wrestling to promote girls wrestling. We are open to suggestions about additional ways to get the word out. We have setup practices at least 2 times a month last year. To get some team atmosphere and comradary which was to help the girls feel included. This post has been on here since 12/1/09 and there has only been three post. This describes what the men and the other wrestlers are saying, it appears that the girls really don't want a state organization to support them. This is excactly what I was afraid of. You never know how good you have it until it is gone. It is interseting how we are contacted weekly from people out side the state. We have girls from all over the country that write, to get information and solicit us to join the team. But we have almost 200 girls through out all age groups that wrestle in Kansas, and most don't even know we exist. We have been the no.#1 team in the US for elementary and middle school age girls for at least 4 years and 3rd in the country for high school 2007. If you ask anyone in the country who the Krusaders are,
they can tell you the coaches and most on the team. Almost every female college program knows the team personally, but the girls in Kansas don't know who we are. If you have asperations to be a female wrestler or get your college funded, the Krusadrers is a pretty good start to your childs career. We have plans to hold practices only if there is interest shown to us. Through calls, emails, texting or post on this sight other wise we will have to assume there is no interset. We don't think it is a good idea to waste the states money and our time if you really don't care.

Coach Ed
Kansas Womens Director

As a coach and wrestler I have learned the role and importance of a support system and "team" to help improve the recognition of each athlete in the organization. Kansas Krusaders is an organization developed to grow women's wrestling, but that can only happen if the athletes we are trying to serve want to grow the sport and their opportunities as well! I am not talking at just the state school age level but also the college and national levels!

The opportunities given by people willing to give up professional and personal time include free clinics and practices, reliable representation at tournaments(if you have ever had to travel to a tournament and pick up a coach from a different team or even state you know the importance), relatively carefree planning of tournament travel, and a broad pool of invaluable knowledge about every aspect of wrestling from practice to participation to administration.

Show your out there listening and supporting. Start by giving us a shout on here. Then continue your support by coming to the girls tournaments and practices. We know that when at a tournament parents and athletes see other girls wrestling and often chat with them. Spread the word. If the fliers and cards and practices and tournaments and web pages and forums and speeches are not getting the job done maybe some good ol' word of mouth can solve it.

I am proud to say that over the past two years there has been representation from, if not all, almost all the teams in the Topeka area at the Emporia Girls Tournament in which the Krusader team helps run the tournament and also holds wrestling clinics prior. This tournament is a great opportunity to meet other athletes and coaches from around your area as well as the state. These connections make great reminders of upcoming events, contacts, and possibly practice partners when you need help.

I really appreciate all the time and attention that Coach Ed, Coach Brooke, and Jenni put into the girls program in the state of Kansas. You guys go above and beyond to promote girls wrestling and you do an awesome job of working with girls of all ages. My daughter, Cassidy loves spending time with her Krusaders family. She has come such a long way over the last year. We live in SEK which is a two hour drive from Wichita and even further from our Burlingame practice and she has attended practices in both locations. Most of the time she is the only elementary girl there her size, but she still loves working out with the team and learning new moves. Over the last year, we have meet some really neat girls that Cass has made friends with. I love it when we go to tourneys or practice and you guys all get together. I also think it's cool that you all support each other. I know last year when Cass was sick and wrestled a touney, Emily and Lyric were right there to help cheer her up and encourage her. I know last year also, Jada tried to encourage one of our girls in our club to wrestle and come to practice and I appreciated that support. However, I am really disappointed in the turnout of the girls in the state at these opportunities. I've heard clubs say that they aren't going to take their girls to practice or these tourneys because the Krusaders girls will whip up on them. I wonder if they have stopped and thought about why those girls that practice with Krusaders are getting tougher. I think the practices and effort really pays off. Also, I hear people all the time complain that the girls have to wrestle boys. We have chances for them to wrestle girls, but not many are showing. Girls you have great resources in the practice sessions, clinics (which were awesome), tournaments that are setup and most importantly the coaches. Let's get together and support our program so it can continue for all those girls who want and need it.

My daughter Brooke just started wrestling last year and through another girl we found out about the Krusaders. Coach Ed is an awesome coach! My daughter really enjoys the girls practices that she is able to attend. She attended both of the state tournys for girls in Kansas and any all girls tourny's that were held here. Both Brooke and I know that order to grow girls wrestling we have to support girls wrestling any way we can. Our team last year had 3 girls wrestling and this year we have 10! I really believe the sport of girls wrestling is growing and should continue to grow even more with it now being an olympic sport. Keep up the good work!

I hope we can keep the Krusaders team also. Again, the logistics of living is SEK is tough, but we've decided to try to make a few of the girls tourneys this year. I hope we'll have someone close to 6U 43 lbs. Maurin is in her third year and I'm trying to keep her interested in wrestling past this year. Our club encourages girls and have had up to 7 or 8 in a year. We have only 4 this year.

Hello My daughter is Valeria. We wrestle out of Topeka (Seamen). We Have been Supporting the Krusaders for four years now and will continue to do so. I will have fliers for the wellington tournament to give out this Saturday at Fort Riley. This will be her last middle school tournament for the year. We will be in wellington on the 19th hope to see a lot of girls there. Especially 85 lbers. Thanks to everyone that helps with the Kansas Krusaders.

Our daughter, Lyric, wrestled for the first time last year and loves it. With the ecomomy the way it is today, we struggle to make it to every practice and tournament, but we are there ninety percent of the time. Lyric wrestled in the both girls state and national competitions last year and rocked. We had a blast and those opportunities would not have been available if it were not for the Krusaders. We have two new girls on the city team this year and are working to have them join the Krusaders to help build girls wrestling. Our city team has been wonderful and supports the girls regardless of the team they wrestle for. Unfortunately, all cities are not so inviting. The reality is that as adults and parents we are responsible for the actions of our children and times are tough right now. Adam and I are more than willing to car pool or pick up girls for practice and tournaments, which we gladly did for nationals last year. It is especially difficult when you have a boy and girl wrestler and trying to make it to all of the events.

As for the promoting piece, I think the Internet is a great tool, but sometimes a direct e-mail, text, or phone call to the parents may help trigger them to look at the website and increase awareness of the practice and tournament schedules. We are willing to do whatever it takes to keep the Kansas Krusaders going. Maybe a phone tree could be established to help bring everyone together and increase communication. We would be willing to pass out brochures, which we could help make, during the tournaments too.

The Kansas Krusaders is a wonderful program that not only benefits our children, but benefits our country in the long run with the Olympic team. Keep up the great work and thank you.

I love the idea of the phone tree. Maybe we could even start a phone book of all the girls wrestling and give it out at the end of the year.

Awesome idea! Lyric is going to Wellington this weekend 12/19. Have another potential in the works too. Hope to see the Krusader support!

Clearwater is offering a girls mat too....http://www.usawks.com/invites/100220Clearwater.pdf - we will be there.

my daughter Emily is also fairly new to wrestling. She too loves the sport and would be devistated if the Krusaders were taken away. In our town we are not as lucky as some of you in that we do not have much interest by girls, she being the only one on the team. I am willing to do anything I can to help keep the girls program going in this state seeing the chances it gives our girls. We also love the friendships we are building with the other girls and their families, something we don't seem to get much out of the boys.
As far as getting the word out the internet has to be the best way to get it done, besides good old word of mouth although it is impossible to be in every town every weekend to get it out that way. Ed and Jenny let us know what we can do to help!!

Great to hear about Clearwater opening up a mat for girls. We will be there.