Thanks Keith,

OK boys....I am going to make one post on this topic...First, a little about me since very few of you know me: Coached 20+ years as a Rules 10 at 2 H.S.s, coached at 2 Jr Highs, was a Kids Coach & Head Coach of the Manhattan Kids Club for 10 years, am Bronze certified and was at one time certified to put on Bronze Cretification Clinics (THANKS Randy H :))This all doesnt matter but with so few posts, I am sure someone will say, "who the hell is he"

You can ask around and I was HARD on officials but I don't hold a candle to the B.S. I see at Kids Tournaments today...Parents & Coaches SCREAMING at officials at a Sunday Novice Tournament, Coaches telling wrestlers, "the ref screwed you", Chewing a ref's A$$ in front of his wreslter, Griping about a call from the week before, the conduct I see is INSANE.

You can rate, rank and get whatever officials you think deserve to be at State and I realize that is what this post is about but all you all better know you ARE running good young officials out of the sport.

My son has been fortunate to have a very good HS Official, Mark Wallace, take him under his wing. He has also had the good fortune of some top notch coahces help correct errors he has made on the mat...This occurred when he was officiating HS.

I saw some suggestions in this thread about taking the officials test, and officiating some matches...Try it boys...It is NOT as easy as it looks...I would also encourage you to go to some HS matches...I don't think I have ever seen a coach or a parent standing mat side SCREAMING at an official for an entire match...Lastly, Buy yourself a rule book and LEARN it and carry it in your pocket. It is tough for an official to deny something if you open the book and show it to them.

Good luck to all of you and I hope you get what you want for STATE but you all better realize you have bigger problems than that...My boys have both graduated from HS and moved on but I care about the sport

You can PM if you want to talk.