Punishing a KID for a bad decision for basically twelve months is ABSURD. And Greg, I have NEVER seen you in the corner at Kids state or any tournament I have attended.
We aren't punishing a kid for a year, he only has an 8 day suspension and cannot wrestle in the qualifiers. He still gets his whole year of experience but cannot qualify for the State tournament.
Hey Greg, obviously you have never been at the state tournament and had your wrestler screwed out of a state championship as I and many of us may have. Next time you get pulled over for a speeding ticket, maybe they'll take your license away for a year or possibly throw you in jail... How's that for punishment
This is not the same. If you were comparing a ticket you got when in a work or school zone vs. not maybe you'd have an argument. There is a reason the fines are stiffer in a work or school zone, just like they are in the qualifying series.
I know how intense and passionate this sport is, everyone does. It does not detract from the fact that we as people have to control our emotions and outbursts no matter the cirucumstance or place.
Some officials, like Mr. Ryan, are overzealous in their position of power and don't understand that most of the people in the sport are volunteers who donate great amounts of time and money to make this sport happen.
Mr. Cokeley, I don't feel you have seen officiate enough to have a clear judgment on my "being overzealous". I work every weekend from December though March officating and usually one or two nights a week. Usually the only weekend I have off is maybe one at the end of December & one in February.
I do know the commitment it takes to do this, yes we get paid to be there but doesn't change the fact we give up a lot of our own time to be there as well. It's not about the money anyway for us, we as officials love the job or we wouldn't be doing it. To say we as officials (or myself in this case) do not understand what it takes to give up our time for others is absurd.
This reasoning actually supports my position. If someone “has nothing to lose” and cheap shots someone with a Flagrant Misconduct, they may deserve to miss the State next year. But for a simple ejection, this is too much. Having the same penalty for 8 year old little Jimmy who loses it after being upset and for an official who loses control after getting into it with a coach does not make sense.
How many flagrant misconducts are called on wrestler 8 years and under? or 10, 12, etc.? I'd bet the majority are on the older age groups, parents, & coaches, rather than the younger wrestlers themselves.
Flagrant misconduct is pretty clear cut in the rules, and is usually called pretty straight forward. A punch, elbow, vulgar language, biting, etc. is pretty easy to see and call.
You can also be ejected from the tournament for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, so what's worse, one bad outburst that causes the ejection or being penalized several times for "little" occurances? Either way the wrestler was in the wrong, were they not?
