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.