Further discussion on whether their should be a uniform option vs. Singlet

[DocWrestling]

Article below meant to be silly because the Oklahoma St heavyweight wore his singlet on backwards.  Read the comments to see what society thinks and says about the wrestling uniform.  It is about what I expected with juvenile comments but this is what keeps kids from wrestling and what keeps parents (mostly moms) from allowing their kids to wrestle.

Just think their needs to be an option in high school wrestling.


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/the-turnstile/oklahoma-state-wrestler-takes-mat-wearing-backwards-uniform-133406272.html?fb_action_ids=592093974134294&fb_action_types=news.reads&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%7B%22592093974134294%22%3A278367485631525%7D&action_type_map=%7B%22592093974134294%22%3A%22news.reads%22%7D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

[hammen]

Haha you really think the people commenting would join wrestling if there was a different uniform?

Now that is comical.

[ecnorth]

I agree Doc.  Easy for the hard-core wrestlers to say the singlet doesn't matter, because to them it doesn't.  But for too many kids today it does.

Hammen, you are right, the people commenting wouldn't wrestle.  But their comments are the reality of a ton of people reading the sports page, whether you agree with them or not.  Hard to sell a kid on wrestling when the sport either gets no publicity at all....or when it actually does, the singlet is the first thing people joke about.  Hear it all the time, even from adults who otherwise worry about being "politically correct" about everything else they say.  That is the reality outside of the wrestling world that most of us live in.

[wraslfan]

I know this is irritating to traditionalists, but I also think fight shorts and an Under Armor type shirt would bring more kids to the sport. Every sport has evolved in their unifoms and gear. Football players dont wear leather helmets any longer, baseball player can opt to wear longer pants, basketball no longer has short shorts. How about a singlet with fight shorts over it? It wouldn't hurt the sport in any way, and likely would take away one of the reasons some kids will not even consider the sport. 

[Mat Warrior]

Have you read Yahoo comments before? The majority of them are perverted or mean in most articles.

[Wisconsin Son]

Any one else pleasantly surprised at how few homophobic comments were on the YouTube video link posted on here about saving Olympic Wrestling? Internet commentators can be really mean at times, especially YouTube. (But not at wiwrestling.com, we all get along great, right???)


177,000+ views and very little negativity. That was great to see.

[Kyle]

I don't believe that there is a huge group of kids that want to wrestle but don't because they will wear a singlet.  Personally I think the cut of the singlet is fine however switching to the new shear fabrics was not a positive.  Modernizing the uniform is part of the issue.  I think we should keep the singlet and go back to the thicker stiffer fabric choices that did not show the junk as well. 
Kyle

[DocWrestling]

Just had a discussion with a parent literally worried about their two year old was very small compared to others his age and worried he will get picked on if he is going to always be the small kid.  This parent was just talking and was not really concerned but deep down worried.

Conversation went like this;

Parent-  "I am going to have to get him in something (to defend himself and for confidence)"
Me-  "Wrestling would be the perfect sport for him"
Parent- "Yea thats all he needs, getting picked on for being small and the getting picked on for wearing tights"

This is the perception wrestling faces from so many that have no clue about wrestling.  Wrestling needs a PR department to improve its image.  heck my wife and girls were grossed out the little bit they watched the NCAA tourney because I was watching it due to the "obvious junk" between the legs, to the bruised and battered faces, to the cauliflower ears.  As promoters of wrestling we have to open up our eyes and ears to hear what other are saying and there is no better time as the media continues to cover wrestling's fight for the Olympics which ultimately comes across as wrestling is such a great sport.  There are too many parent out there now that acknowledge the wrestlers are tougher and work harder than anyone else but they would not want their son or daughter competing in the sport.  Football is battling this now with concussions but what other sport has those limitations

[ramjet]

This is the perception wrestling faces from so many that have no clue about wrestling.  Wrestling needs a PR department to improve its image.  heck my wife and girls were grossed out the little bit they watched the NCAA tourney because I was watching it due to the "obvious junk" between the legs, to the bruised and battered faces, to the cauliflower ears.  As promoters of wrestling we have to open up our eyes and ears to hear what other are saying and there is no better time as the media continues to cover wrestling's fight for the Olympics which ultimately comes across as wrestling is such a great sport.  There are too many parent out there now that acknowledge the wrestlers are tougher and work harder than anyone else but they would not want their son or daughter competing in the sport.  Football is battling this now with concussions but what other sport has those limitations

You think board shorts will change all this?

Who will pay for the PR department?

You are and every parent and program has PR department it is the parents coaches and wrestlers. Extended family. Want good example Nowak boys from Edgar they can fill and entire Gym with family the extended family, there fans and family support them and wrestling. That breeds interest and success.

I try and invite every family member within driving distance to my sons events once they get there they love it and have fun watching. That might be good place to start if 14 kids did that the gym would be filled

The successful programs out there have this why does your program lack this? Not picking on you but I ask this question as well and have found answers to that question. Success fills the gym. Another example our High School vollyball rarely filled the sections of bleachers and then they were undefeated and doing really well the gym slowly but surely filled up and by sectionals the number of people attending those matches were quadrupled. I for one enjoyed it so much next year I fully intend to go to more matches and watch. Success breeds participation plain and simple.

Doc you're so stuck on this uniform thing you ignoring the rest of the issues.

Nobody cares if you offer a choice (most everyone agrees even me) it is no big deal, but you get the WIAA to go along with that then get back to us.

[Mat Warrior]

That is the difference between men and women, I watch women's beach volleyball because of the uniform.

[Todd]

I agree Doc.  Easy for the hard-core wrestlers to say the singlet doesn't matter, because to them it doesn't.  But for too many kids today it does.

Hammen, you are right, the people commenting wouldn't wrestle.  But their comments are the reality of a ton of people reading the sports page, whether you agree with them or not.  Hard to sell a kid on wrestling when the sport either gets no publicity at all....or when it actually does, the singlet is the first thing people joke about.  Hear it all the time, even from adults who otherwise worry about being "politically correct" about everything else they say.  That is the reality outside of the wrestling world that most of us live in.

My nephew who was a 280 pound man child as a freshman would have been an outstanding wrestler and he was a decent football player.  I tried to get him to wrestle and took him to tournaments.  I almost had him and then of course his peers started ragging on him about the singlet.  He never went out.  He's 20 now and tells me he wished he would have gone out but the friends were a stronger influence.  I think going to the Under Armor 2 piece makes sense and would get more youth out for the sport.

[Todd]

Have you read Yahoo comments before? The majority of them are perverted or mean in most articles.

Have you ever been in a middle school boys locker room or school for that matter?  Not much different.

[bman]

Perhaps the singlet does create an obstacle getting some kids out for wrestling.  However, I also think it provides a convenient excuse for
those that wouldn't go out no matter what type of uniform was used. 
What do the studies say about swimming and boys/mens gymnastics? Do those sports have the same issue?

[DocWrestling]

I am not stuck on the singlet but it is one easy change with an option.

I agree the singlet is often an excuse for some athletes but it also a legit excuse for some.  My bigger point is about the parents enrolling kids in wrestling.  So many parents use the same excuses and the kids never get a chance at least when it is youth wrestling.  I suppose in middle school the athlete could make the choice.

[ramjet]

Doc go to the WIAA email them see what they say? An option seems viable but I doubt highly if it will have any immediate impact on participation. But heck go for it.