LUDICRIS! Overzealous, JERKS if you want to blanket off 30, SERIOUSLY. Deaf ears falling on IDIOTS.

But according to Mark J. Stanley the only way this happens is if you sleep in. He even said that "the only seats allowed to be saved were the ones being auctioned"

Guess he's not as smart and powerful as he thought. Maybe he shouldn't be in charge of the state tourney if he won't keep his word.

Happens every year.

Some people feel "entitled" and a lot of the times they feel this way because they have a friend in a position of authority not because they earned it. I would think that a good tourney director would get with the facility and have security worry about things like this instead of worrying if someone sneaks a bottle of water in. Oh wait, sorry my mistake. Saving seats has nothing to do with money so I guess security and Mark are on the same page. Carry on

Saving 45 seats + is totally ridiculous. Plus multiple others were getting by with it! Secirity chose their battles this year. 30 people busted for entering side doors
without a tickets!! Confiscation also included a half pint of scotch!!!! What the heck? This is a KIDS tournament!

My favorite is making sure you don't go down the wrong set of stairs..

Ricki your right, it was definitely a bourbon kind of day

If you really need to take a bottle of liquor in to a kids tournament you are either the dumbest most classless person I have ever heard of and need to be banned for life or you might want to seek help because you have a problem. I wonder 2 things, first is was this a coach and second is would the people or person in charge of this tournament have the right and the spine to kick this fool out forever.

I know if I was tournament director of an event with over 1400 wrestlers my number 1 priority would be to make sure nobody was allowed to save a seat.

Or we can talk about the "real classy" people who after being told polite that we had saved seats because we had purchased them in a auction. They got anger and began to call names. The names we were called today something that starts with a B and another that starts with a C. We were not lying to you. You can check all you want you can find mr. Stanley it won't change anything. After sub district we started talking to our wrestlers and their families about the auction we got some money together we made a plan and we got some seats. I am so sorry you didn't know about it I am sorry your club wasnt in it, very sorry you are so anger. Next time keep the names to your self there was children around.

Publius, I know that if you were the tournament director of this event you would really care less about making sure the people that busted their butts all year getting kids to practice and tournaments and spending their hard earned money getting in the door were shown any respect especially when the event has been in the same venue for 30 years, what with all the research it would take to find out how to track down the people in charge of security. Such a hassle to make a five minute phone call when the only time you've had to prepare is like what, 365 days and all. I don't know maybe one of the people making sure those hooligan coaches that try to go up the down stairs could maybe say something. My phrase below is for people like you.

Jule-- I can certainly assure you 100% that what I'm talking about pertained to neither Scott City or Maize. Too bad you had to deal with low life's calling your team foul names! This is a Kids event! & to bring Scotch in come on! They whomever tried getting into the area at the closest gate to the Crown Center plaza.

Absurd!
And YES Patrick it was a Great day for a BBQ & BREW!

Big seat savers of day 2 .......Great Bend another 45 plus seats

I think that's a great idea to post who's doing it. The people that do these things though might think its a competition and see who can save the most seats.

This ain't highschool sit where you want tell people to nicely to kiss off. Stand up for yourselves for god sake. No seat is worth an ass whippin we been doing for years lol just stand ur ground

Try that with a coaches pass on the floor. Ha! A lot of excuse me today.

One guy did try that to a greater gold and they were about to start the fists flying!
Where Was Security? Especially when 3 of the 2nd level doors broke their frames with not enough security and people going in/out!

Still wondering WHO brought the 1/2 pint of Scotch in. So lame!!!! Then the weedsmoker in the parking lot certainly was stinky & didn't appear to have a medical card! Come on Folks!

I was personally told by the security a couple different times that they were told by the directors to not worry about people saving seats. It is either allowed or it is not allowed. Getting in fist fights in the stands just trying to find somewhere to sit down is crazy when you are there for kids. Rows and rows of empty seats being saved all over the expo center, and not allowing people to sit down is ridiculous. I saw to many grand parents and women with babies having to sit on the floor or stand up on the first day. Way too many. Other than that I thought the tournament ran great and was a great event.

I want to go on record about a couple points raised in this topic. First I would like to thank Maize Wrestling Club and Scott City Wrestling Club for participating in the auction for reserved seating. I am sorry that part of your experience was tainted by some that were rude to any of your club members in your section(s). My hope is that your experience will not deter you from participating in the auction in future years.

Next I would like to address the rule as it is stated in the tournament information sheet regarding SAVED SEATS AT STATE…” No saving of seats on Friday night for Saturday or Saturday night for Sunday will be allowed and all ADA handicapped seating are reserved for its intended purpose. Violation of this will result in a member of staff reminding you of the violation and you will be asked to move. Thank you for your cooperation.” As tournament director, I had the Expocentre security enforce this policy. I also made announcements on both Saturday and Sunday morning, to those clubs arriving to the venue with rope to stake out their spots that they were not following the rules and security made the rounds. However, as the building began to fill I felt we needed to pick our battles. Technically those saving seats after the doors opened on Fry/Sat were not violating any rules. I like many of you didn’t like it, but on the opposite side of the situation these clubs were more prepared and got up earlier than those who made other decisions. Had I sent the “yellow shirts” through the arena to roust these clubs, I would have had countless complaints about overbearing security personnel. What we all need to remember is that we are all part of the same family and to treat each other with respect!

I will address bag checks; a few years ago bag checks were much more stringent than they are today. The Expocentre has loosened the policy to allow the athletes to bring in some items that were not allowed in previous years. However, bag checks are absolutely necessary at any large venue for just the reasons stated in this topic. You may not like to hear this, but it is a safety issue! I believe that the Kansas Expocentre have done a good job the past several years adjusting to our needs. They have found a pretty good line between “being a good host” and “providing for our safe and fair treatment”.

I promise that the State Tournament Committee will weigh any necessary changes that may need to be made in regards to this topic very carefully. Even if things are not exactly as you would like, I want you to know that we are listening to your suggestions.

Mark Stanley
State Tournament Committee

I COMPLETELY disagree with this business that the bag checks were for "safety". That's just absurd! Those checks were NOT in any way done for safety! If one wanted to, one could have brought any number of "unsafe" things in because the bag checks were half-assed, but JUUUUST enough to be annoying and yes, enough to protect us all from menacing outside / unauthorized "consessions"!

Now having said that, I would agree that this year was slightly less "stringent".

Lets be honest here, we ALL know the bag checks are ONLY done in an effort to protect Expocentre concession profits! Don't insult our intelligence! You can say they are done for safety all you want, but it can't possibly be sure.....UNLESS its to "checkmark" the list of legal things to have in place should some tragedy occur in which some nut was able to carry in some "unsafe" item(s) and perhaps caused harm, etc.

As an aside, maybe next year they could take up a collection toward a fund that would serve to resurface the Expocentre Parking lot WHICH, btw, DID have some small areas free of potholes! SOME!