My vote goes to Ponca City, Oklahoma.

edmond, ok!!!

Ponca had smoked ribs.

oh, well... edmond did have fried chicken and lots of everything, but smoked ribs... when is ponca next year?!

it's around 2 weeks before high school practice starts.

Rumor has it that team xtreme will be having Prime rib cooked to spec. Can't wait. Can we get those twice baked potatos too?

the state tournament has the best hosp. room. come on where else can you get stale popcorn like that. oh wait then last year you could go buy your food. excellent. tulsa kickoff and nationals is a close second, the fried potato crumbs ( used to be chips) are great. if you put my kid in a building with ribs, he will be wrestling 6u hwt, instead of 6u49. if he only attacked wrestlers the way he attacks bbq ribs.

Just curious...what do the coaches want??? The hospitality room is for them and the refs. Remember clubs pay for this out of pocket or simply get their parents to volunteer to bring items. Ribs and prime rib would be grand but not within reason for all clubs. I am starting to plan our tournament so what do you guys want to eat??? I am open to suggestions and I do pride myself on a pretty good hospitality room at our tournament.

Renee' Burdick
Ottawa Mat Masters

Make sure it's good or some of these people won't show up or will never be back!!

JK...You make or get whatever you want. If someone is gonna judge your tournament by what FREE food you are gonna give them, then they have their priorities mixed up.

I was taught that if someone gives you something that you should say thank you, accept it and never complain.

Renee,

Your club has always done a fine job with their hospitality room. I can't recall off the top of my head who posted that the hospitality room was a great place to get a break, get refueled and re-energized (something to that affect, or is it effect?). Either way, I have always enjoyed being able to get away from the gym for a few minutes and talk to other coaches/officials where you can hear yourself think and them speak. Unless you plan on ordering up temperatures into the 70s or higher, chili is always one of my favorites.

Those breakfast burritos y ou served at the concession stand at 6u state are too good to give away. Make 'em pay for 'em

the taco salads at the ottawa concession stand are the best, at least that is what the kids tell me.

sucker punch you need to stay away from the concessions before yo start looking like me.

that's why i said the kids tell me. heck my wife's got me eatin' oatmeal, turkey, and chicken every day. i have to sneak into the hospitality room to eat something that comes off a hoof. she started me eatin' a whole bunch of vegetables, salad, and junk, i said "what the hell is this?", she said, "dinner!", i said "this ain't food, this is what FOOD eats!". but if you catch me in the hospitality room, don't tell, please.

I was always under the impression that the Salina Tournament Of Champions had one of the better hospitality rooms around the state.

Having been to countless tournaments and hospitality rooms, here is my suggestion to anyone who wishes to read it.

The easiest and best way to have a hospitality room that coaches and officials alike will truly be appreciative and thankful for is to do this.

Have each set of parents within the club hosting the tournament who also has a child entered in the tournament bring something to place in the room. Often times its as easy as a homemade dish they can make easily before hand. Many a times I have filled my belly to the tune of BBQ meatballs and cocktail weenies, layer dip, soup and chili, sandwiches, cookies, and all other sorts of incredible homemade goodness.

The cost to the parents is very small often no more than $5-$7. I know different clubs around the state have different policies on entries from within their own club to their tournament. Some clubs charge full price for the fee, others have a reduced price, and still others don't charge a fee at all for their own kids. It seems to me the the small price of a dish for the hospitality room would be an equitable trade or possibly a deduction from the cost of your own clubs entries.

Now how you go about deciding which parents bring what kind of dish is entirely up to you. Some parents can bring a main dish, others can bring a side dish, some could bring an appetizer dish, chips, etc. This will limit the out of pocket expenses for the club and will provide a wonderful meal for the hard working but unpaid coaches as well as the paid but equally grateful officials.

I've seen this system used at a number of kids and high school tournaments, and it is great.