Lucky Breaks in Wrestling

woody53 · February 12, 2017, 04:54:24 PM

We have discussions about the strength of regionals. And those that don't deserve to go on to the next level. But everyone one of us have received a break in wrestling at some point. I know i did. It can be game changing in your mind. Some will take it and say, "yah I was suppose to lose. And some will say. That was cool. I want more. That was me over 40 years ago. The breaks were not in WIAA competition but during summer wrestling. Changed me for life. I wanted more.
Do not disrespect those that have made it to the next level. Could be game changing for them. And our sport.

tess5 · February 12, 2017, 05:35:32 PM

Thank you. More of us need to remember that these are kids that will most likely never wrestle after there high school career!
I am not one of those guys that think everyone should get a medal for just showing up. In 2015 we qualified 2 kids for the state tournament the year prior one of those boys was 15-15 and qualified for his first sectionals. Lost his first match got a wrestle back and lost it too but that experience fueled him to work hard in the off season the following year he quaified for state.
We will never know what would have happened had he not had the chance to wrestle in sectionals as a 15-15 sophomore.
He is now going to school at UW Eau Clare for nursing he thanks his accomplishments in wrestling for giving him the tools to succeed.

ramjet · February 12, 2017, 05:50:48 PM

Sorry the structure is flawed so a really good kid who had the drive and commitment and worked his butt off but did not get that break and was in the lopsided tough Regional who could beat that 15-15 straight up does not deserve to go the Sectional? Baloney it's about the best of the best not a trophy for everyone. Also if he had not gotten the opportunity at 15-15 he would have quit? I just cannot fathom how combining a couple of these Regionals and sending the top 4 is a bad thing. Well unless the reason is selfish because you have child who is not quiet there that should be reason enough to work harder get better. But for the
life of me why would anyone want the accomplishment of getting to Sectionals to be watered down? Because in several Regionals it is really watered down and EVERYONE knows which regionals those are............

Why have Regionals or Sectionals or even State in fact why have matches lets just practice and give all participants a certificate of participation. This Hgh school for some ONE step away from adulthood ........ REAL LIFE! Yea extreme I agree but this is exactly the reason I have no faith in the WIAA.

woody53 · February 12, 2017, 06:02:48 PM

Yes. It is high school. One step to real life as you say. If you don't make it and some one else does. Suck it up Butter Cup. But do not take away from those that do go on.
That is the real world. And the Real world is not perfect and never will be.

ramjet · February 12, 2017, 06:16:56 PM

Quote from: woody53 on February 12, 2017, 06:02:48 PM
Yes. It is high school. One step to real life as you say. If you don't make it and some one else does. Suck it up Butter Cup. But do not take away from those that do go on.
That is the real world. And the Real world is not perfect and never will be.

Not asking for perfection but striving for it should be part of everyone's attitude. The WIAA has a simple step to move things in right direction but attitudes like yours is the reason they will not. You are correct I am NOT trying to take anything from what wrestlers did this weekend but in the future we can improve wrestling.

woody53 · February 12, 2017, 06:20:26 PM

Quote from: ramjet on February 12, 2017, 06:16:56 PM
Quote from: woody53 on February 12, 2017, 06:02:48 PM
Yes. It is high school. One step to real life as you say. If you don't make it and some one else does. Suck it up Butter Cup. But do not take away from those that do go on.
That is the real world. And the Real world is not perfect and never will be.

Not asking for perfection but striving for it should be part of everyone's attitude. The WIAA has a simple step to move things in right direction but attitudes like yours is the reason they will not. You are correct JT trying to take anything from what wrestlers did thus weekend but in the future we can improve wrestling.

And you still do not know me because you think I am not about change in the way the WIAA does wrestling? you do not know who I am at all. All I say is do not disrespect those that have the opportunity to move on to the next level of competition.

ramjet · February 12, 2017, 06:39:26 PM

I am not disrespecting by looking forward to improve things. What happened already happened and the cream will rise to the top but at what cost?

Stop implying that I am blaming the wrestlers I am not. WIAA has been aware of this issues for years but chooses to sit on their hands and do nothing and continue to demean the sport and Tournament series accomplishment. Just a huge beuacratic machine incapable of in the future to improve things. Notice I am not talking about cutting weight classes nor do I care about records because one could have 38-0 record and never really wrestled any tough opponents. I am talking about cleaning up the Regionals and take advantage of the opportunity to improve the sport.

foose4 · February 12, 2017, 07:26:36 PM

Quote from: ramjet on February 12, 2017, 06:39:26 PM
I am not disrespecting by looking forward to improve things. What happened already happened and the cream will rise to the top but at what cost?

Stop implying that I am blaming the wrestlers I am not. WIAA has been aware of this issues for years but chooses to sit on their hands and do nothing and continue to demean the sport and Tournament series accomplishment. Just a huge beuacratic machine incapable of in the future to improve things. Notice I am not talking about cutting weight classes nor do I care about records because one could have 38-0 record and never really wrestled any tough opponents. I am talking about cleaning up the Regionals and take advantage of the opportunity to improve the sport.

dh

Again,the WIAA does not base any other sport off anything but geography for regionals. Where do some as wreslting people get the arrogance that we should be different than all other sports. There is no other sport that bases regionals off anything more than geography. Really, suck it up and move on.

wrestletough · February 12, 2017, 07:45:22 PM

Ramjet... You say you don't care about records but you say a 15-15 wrestler shouldn't be there. Who should be there? We have a wrestler in Sectionals who is a senior who started wrestling last year with a below .500 record. I'm pretty sure he worked just as hard as wrestlers with a better record. Does he deserve to be there.....yes. Is he lucky to be there.....yes. Let's just congratulate all wrestlers and lets NOT look at records. How do we get the wrestlers in sectionals who you deserve to be in. There are wrestlers on good teams who can't make their line up and could win regional matches. Do we try to get them in?

Wrestlologist · February 12, 2017, 08:11:00 PM

While all you SMARTEST EX-WRESTLERS IN THE STATE complain about the rules and the people making the rules, maybe you should also consider a solution involving the very good wrestlers in the practice rooms of schools like Stratford that could make State if the school wasn't limited to one wrestler per weight class going into Regionals.

Quack · February 12, 2017, 08:20:32 PM

Quote from: Wrestlologist on February 12, 2017, 08:11:00 PM
While all you SMARTEST EX-WRESTLERS IN THE STATE complain about the rules and the people making the rules, maybe you should also consider a solution involving the very good wrestlers in the practice rooms of schools like Stratford that could make State if the school wasn't limited to one wrestler per weight class going into Regionals.

I will allow them to open enroll as long as the follow the rules to it.. How is that?

ramjet · February 12, 2017, 08:24:54 PM

Quote from: wrestletough on February 12, 2017, 07:45:22 PM
Ramjet... You say you don't care about records but you say a 15-15 wrestler shouldn't be there. Who should be there? We have a wrestler in Sectionals who is a senior who started wrestling last year with a below .500 record. I'm pretty sure he worked just as hard as wrestlers with a better record. Does he deserve to be there.....yes. Is he lucky to be there.....yes. Let's just congratulate all wrestlers and lets NOT look at records. How do we get the wrestlers in sectionals who you deserve to be in. There are wrestlers on good teams who can't make their line up and could win regional matches. Do we try to get them in?

First off I did NOT say that 15-15 wrestler should not be there my issue is the Regional is watered down that's why you have first round Byes in the Sectional. Every wrestler should have the opportunity to advance by winning but a walk through although not the wrestlers fault at all is not what those wrestlers want either. They should however have the opportunity to actually wrestle for the opportunity to advance. My suggestion is simple combine the D3 regionals and create some really competitive wrestling where advancing to the Sectional will mean so much more. The enthusiasm and sense of accomplishment will supersede anything that we have today.

Wrestlologist · February 12, 2017, 08:29:29 PM

Regarding the very good practice room wrestlers left behind before Regionals, how about having them wrestle in a JV Tournament on Regional Saturday and then from the winners create a STAND BY list of wrestlers willing to travel independently to a Regional to fill the unused seeds?

justwrestle · February 12, 2017, 08:32:58 PM

As I put in another thread... all third place wrestlers for a particular weight that is not full attend the sectional and weigh in. Provided they all make weight, any open spots are filled by random draw. This would fill out the bracket.

Remember, there are wrestlers statewide who did not even get to compete yesterday. Some may have had skin problems at the wrong time of the year, illness, or injury. My own wrestler with a solid record fell into the injury category. He was there watching one of his teammates who did not start wrestling until eighth grade or freshman year make it to sectionals this year. He is a senior and will most likely finish with a losing record. All one needed to see was the reaction of his teammates and parents when he qualified with a second place finish! Let's cheer on those who are still on the mat! All who make the state tournament will have earned it.

thequad · February 13, 2017, 02:23:17 PM

Ram is not degrading the wrestlers that made sectionals with loosing records. We just want to see the wrestlers with a better record get a chance to move on. The WIAA does not look at geography to set up all events. An example of that is WR coming so far east for so many years. Combining 2 regionals just makes so much more sense. Just watch the first round on Saturday and see how many of these wrestlers move on. 27-6 should have a chance. He has a much better chance to pull off an upset.