If this is truly the point of view you have, I hope you are not currently working with any of Kansas's young wrestlers. College is about the grades- which I am sure Prant is doing fine with. Not everyone is blessed with the ability that would be needed to wrestle in college, certainly not Prant , but that is fine. He worked hard and probably maxed his potential just by qualifying for state. It takes all kinds gut, we here in Kansas are not just trying to train national champs- we are trying to develop good student athletes who by the way are pretty darned good wrestlers as well. I hope that those young people reading this keep their priorities straight. Grades first, then if you are fortunate enough, wrestling.

Seems to me...a bunch of Kansas kids went to Gunnison Colorado last summer and kicked some butt. Kansas Flatlanders.

Could have went by the name Kansas Hicks...I do not recall but they took the dual tournament.

Kansas wrestling is decent....not great though. Why argue with trying to get better? Sounds like none of you can take some constructive criticism.

gutwrench--

You still haven't answered the question--from what state do you come? The great Missouri? Oklahoma? Colorado? Nebraska?

Please fill us in, sir.

And no--I'm not good enough to wrestle at Hofstra. Apparently, no one from states surrounding Kansas is, either.

And neither were you.

Constructive criticism requires that the criticism also includes meaningful suggestions on which to improve. I have not found any of that on this post, unless you count:

this is quite entertaining...

gutwrench1 get off the boards, you do not need to trash talk the community. I ask the moderators to keep him off here. I do not believe that we need the bad influence to pass on to our outstanding wrestlers that are reaching for a higher goal in life.

I hear they have homes for sale in all the states that border kansas, maybe gutstench should call the realestate agent so he can watch a higher caliber of wrestling. Take a little bit of that negative energy and stupidity with him, it's kind getting old.

Kale, you're so cool. Let's hang out.

I just want you to know that we aren't in Texas where you are and we have stricter rules per the KSHSAA on travel. Most of these tournaments in question are way out of the boundaries of the maximum travel destination. Keep talking the smack with you and your teammate Chunk, but don't get mad at Kansas for your team not having upper weight studs.

Also for the record...Erisman would eat you for a dessert.

Wait a minute! After all this time, you are telling us that gutstench is from Tejas? It makes perfect sense. All I can say is bwahahahahahahah.

Ouch...I resemble that remark!

Texas wrestling is much better than it was even a few years ago. And remember, Amarillo Tascosa takes claim to an Olympic Champion now. I believe that KSHSAA does take an unrealistic approach occasionally by not allowing a Kansas school to travel more than 150 miles out side of the borders unless competition cannot be found any other way. At the GC tournament, Parker Ponderosa (Denver area) had already competed in the Iron Man and Reno tournaments. Some of their kids with 5 or 6 losses were studs. I really hate to agree with gutwrench on this, but I honestly believe that for Kansas' best kids to compete on a national level, they have to compete nationally. Thats a simple statement, but it's the truth. That, and one of our major colleges has to add a wrestling program to keep our best kids home. We could compete very well of we got the best that Kansas has to offer to stay home.

Not all Texans (consider myself a transplanted Kansan) share Gutwrench' views and value system. Would offer that credentials do not equal credibility and being a character does not equate to having character. And, most importantly, your education is your future. Prant Garker is an excellent example of what is best about Kansas wrestling and we should all be very proud of his accomplishments. Whether you agree or disagree, there is life after athletics.

Hard to believe that someone really thinks that wrestling is more important than education. I've got news for you. There really isn't any life after college wrestling unless you are ultra talented. No offense to Mr. Garker, but I don't think he would have fit into that category. The only thing left after college wrestling, is Olympics, Worlds, and Real Pro Wrestling. Less than 1 percent off all wrestlers across the US are good enough to compete at this level, not just Kansans.

Case in point, if a wrestler decides to pursue a education rather than continue a wrestling career, then there is nothing wrong with that.

As per usual Mr Wrench has turn off his logic switch. Two Ks tourneys invited two very good programs from outside the state and they won the tournaments. Wow big surprise. As one who lives on the Colorado Border I can tell you that in most cases Kansas wrestling is better than Colorado. St Francis competes with many CO schools 2 or 3 times their size ( and many of these schools are ranked in the top 5 in their class) and beats or competes with these schools. If Sainty had been 30 miles west they would have been Colorado state Champions at least 5 of the last 10 years maybe more. They would be 1a in Colorado which is much easier than 321a Kansas.

Shelstin has good points but I would like to see ourbest wrestlers wrestler for the program we have in kansas now and make them power houses. I know alot do and that is great but we have 4 year colleges trying to put it in and if they would become national championship material then maybe our bigger 4 year would consider it a good thing. With the likes of Newman adding it I would love to see the best of kansas all wrestling together to make a championship run

I hope that no one felt that I was inferring that wrestling should take precedence over education. To be honest, wrestling scholarships are minimal compared to other scholarship sports. They have to be split so many ways in order to get enough kids in the room to be competitive, and most colleges must depend upon other scholarships, grants, and loans to help their program.

Shelstein,

You mention 150 miles? Isn't the rule a 500 mile rule?