After five years of Hays, I finally got to coach my first State at the Coliseum over the weekend. Although I thought security was a bit anal about letting us take our coffee up to our seats first thing in the morning, I really didn't see what all the years of complaining was about. (To be honest, we were pretty creative about getting snacks in and up to our seats, and we did manage to get Subway in, but we weren't going to pay for hospitality room food — that's just wrong)

True, it's out in the middle of nowhere and it's a pretty ugly and dreary building, but I really didn't have a real problem with the place. Down on the mats it was a great atmosphere, with a NCAA feel to it. And when you get right down to it, that's the only important part, isn't it?

Wherever State is next year (Wichita, Salina, Manhattan, Kansas City) we'll be there and we're already looking forward to it. But after years of Kansas Coliseum bashing, I guess we could do worse.

100 points for BigRedCoach.

BigRedcoach,
Currently the word is one more year back to the coliseum. Construction starts soon after next years state tournament so possibly 06 somewhere else. Then who knows.

It is my understanding in visiting with Rick Bowden that the 456A State Tournament will most likely be back in Wichita next year. However, the Kansas Coliseum is undergoing renovations the following year, which may cause the tournament to have to move to an alternate location, or be split into two seperate events.

Personally, I would like to see us continue to look into a format that allows for more mats down, at least a fourth, for each site to speed up the tournament and give us better hours. This would improve the event for kids, fans, coaches...all involved, in my opinion.

I wonder what the general consensus from Hays is on using the fourth mat....

One main problem with the coliseum must first be solved. That is the smell of vomit filling the entire floor on the second day.

Wyler, was this vomit smell because people were sick from eating too much, sick from the way they were wrestling, or sick because they were looking at all the attractive Elite Security people? Please enlighten those of us who weren't there.

Wyler, I couldn't agree more! That was nasty down there. We were trying to figure out if someone had died or something.

As for returning next year, fine by me. I agree with Kit that we do — eventually — need to look into going to a four-mat format, however for now I can handle one more year at the Coliseum.

My guess for the root of the vomit smell would have to go for a combination of all three equally possible causes.

Hays got their tourney done way earlier than did Wichita, but the allure of the coliseum for some reason just hangs in there, I always think of the old battered coliseum in rome when I'm in there, fully expecting the refs to have little salad green wreaths on their heads and give thumbs up or thumbs down after every match. At least its not in the horse barn like the Classic.
Speaking of the Classic, which routinely handles 32 man brackets in a day, why coundn't
5a and 6a have just a state tourney with a 32 bracket, everyone goes to the show, and we save all the money and nonsense of an extra tournament that really wouldnt't be needed. If extra time were needed, they could start on Thursday, and there would never be any discussion on who got left out because of their unfairly drawn up regional. Might sound a little crazy, but I'd sure enjoy watching it.

Wyler-
I agree 100% the smell was disgusting and it the smell hung around all day long.

This is the second year in a row that the conditions at the Coliseum were deplorable. The bathrooms were a mess, the trash cans are always overflowing, and the security...... I can't believe the rude people that they have hired to do "security" at the Coliseum! Then on a whole other level, saying that you can't bring food or drinks or water bottles up in the stands. We don't want our wrestlers eating c*** when they are competing. We bring them healthy things to eat and drink. The "rent a cop" said we had to leave our sports bag with food in it downstairs. Was he going to stand there and watch it while we were in the stands. I DON'T THINK SO! Yes, we too were creative about getting things up into the stands, but what message are we sending the young people by doing that? I am sorry if you are right and we will be back there next year. Let's go to Topeka or Timbuktu for all I care. Obviously the Coliseum doesn't need us or they would have treated us better. Let's move on to somewhere that actually wants us spending all of our money in their area, nothing against Wichita or the people who live there. Let's go someplace "wrestling friendly"!

Dear kck_kat:

It appears you have never participated in any event at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka, or the Bicentennial Center in Salina.

The security reacts the same at these two locations, and you also will not be able to enter either facility with food and drink.

My seventh grade daughter had a 0.79 bag of pretzels jerked out from under her arm at the 4A State Volleyball Tournament in Salina, and we deal with the same issues at the Kids Tournament in Topeka.

A possible solution to the filthy bathrooms is to have the high school boys hit the urinals.

I personally made several requests to have trash emptied, and shortly after the request, the Coliseum maintenance emptied the containers.

Are these maintenance people mind readers, or should responsible adults (coaches) report the issues.

I also removed several paper towels from the uninals in the mens room to prevent the inevitable overflow. These paper towels did not get into the urinal by accident, they were placed there on purpose.

Do we blame the facility and facility maintenance for intentional mischief?

It should be noted from what I've read in the paper that bathroom repairs/additions/ADA compliance will be one of the main issues addressed in the 30 million dollar renovation at the Coliseum next year. But, as Mr. Salyer stated you still won't be allowed to bring food or drink into the stands there or at the other arenas mentioned. If your wrestler really wants something nutricious to eat they simply leave it on the floor level like 90% of the other wrestlers do or leave it in the bus/automobile. As a side note, following the renovations you still won't be allowed to set in the aisles of the upper level either.

You know that really is a good point about the food. One thing security is very good about is not hasseling what we bring in through the pass gate, so long as it stays downstairs.