What would you do to make wrestling better in WI

[littleguy301]

how about get rid of the 7 and 7

Get rid of the decent plan.

Seed the state tournament.

Seed regionals for teams or adjust them so like the east and west side don't have the best teams in a single regional.

There, do we think that could happen?

[Handles II]

Those seem to be things to make the schedule more flexible for each team, or perhaps better for the advanced fans who want to see the best kids compete against each other.
I'm not sure if any of those things will:
Increase numbers of participants in the sport IN HIGH SCHOOL. We are at about 50% of our historic levels. Unfortunately thousands of kids in K-4 youth wrestling hasn't equated to an improvement in participation at the 9-12 levels. In fact, it may have an overall detrimental effect if we really look at it (as we should be doing).
Increase the numbers of schools that host our sport and reduce co-ops where feasible
Increase/improve/or change the structure of the numbers of middle schools with the sport, the fragmented season in our state, or cut the chase and go to JHI.
.

[tigerking]

Allow 8th graders to compete at the High School Level. This would help fill out teams and I think it would encourage more student athletes to go out for wrestling because they can earn a Varsity Letter as an 8th grader. It is extremely hard to fill 106 and 113 right now.

[Ghetto]

The 7/7 rule is the easiest and most plausible thing to do immediately. Since it's not a NFHS rule (I'm pretty sure) this should be a no brainer.

[Dizzy]

It is on the agenda at the rules advisory meeting with the WIAA

[DocWrestling]

Just allow 14 events and let coaches decide what best fits their team and program. Not sure if you need a maximum for # of matches wrestled.  No team is required to use all 14 events.  Not all basketball teams play the maximum number of games they can.

I would make it easy on coaches, families, and athletes and create 2 dead periods during the season.

Dead period for Thanksgiving-  No contact from Thanksgiving day until following Monday.
Dead period for Christmas-  No contact from December 24th until January 2nd.

Dead periods would be just like summer.  A coach could open up the room for the team but could not be in the room coaching.

Then allow 2 open tournaments per wrestler.  These tournaments could fit nicely in the dead periods.  Some school could host an open tournament on Saturday after Thanksgiving?  Make the large holiday tournaments "open" tournaments.  These would be optional for athletes.

[DocWrestling]

I would also get rid of the growth allowance or 1lb allowance on consecutive days.

Set the weight classes and that is what they are the entire season every day and every weigh-in.

SIMPLIFY EVERYTHING!

[npope]

In the interest of getting "outside the box," it is worthwhile to note that almost all other countries in the world use a model that is different than ours; they don't rely on a school-affiliated model. We are the outlier in this respect - not the norm. The answers are different if the question is "How do we get our high school participant numbers back to historic levels" or whether we are truly simply interested in numbers of participants in the sport. I know that we are all very attached to sports as being school affiliated, but that isn't the only alternative. We need to recognize that if our true goal is overall participation.

Certainly, if we were to suddenly move to a club-based participation structure, the system would be turned upside down...for a number of years. But this stubborn (artificial) demand that we are solely talking about the "WIAA model" prevents a broader discussion as to alternative channels. The sport of wrestling does not have be channeled through the WIAA vision of the world. While I understand the affinity for restoring that path, the times may have passed it by. Yes, football and basketball may still survive and even thrive in the WIAA model, but it seems that wrestling (and other sports such as girls gymnastics, boys volleyball, etc.), cannot survive in that model. Wrestling may be a new member to that club (did you know that boxing used to be a sanctioned collegiate sport?). The point is that things change...and maybe we are seeing the future for wrestling.

I am not saying that wrestling as part of the formal educational-sports system is done but rather, as a solution, a non-school affiliated experience needs to be considered.

[littleguy301]

Those seem to be things to make the schedule more flexible for each team, or perhaps better for the advanced fans who want to see the best kids compete against each other.
I'm not sure if any of those things will:
Increase numbers of participants in the sport IN HIGH SCHOOL. We are at about 50% of our historic levels. Unfortunately thousands of kids in K-4 youth wrestling hasn't equated to an improvement in participation at the 9-12 levels. In fact, it may have an overall detrimental effect if we really look at it (as we should be doing).
Increase the numbers of schools that host our sport and reduce co-ops where feasible
Increase/improve/or change the structure of the numbers of middle schools with the sport, the fragmented season in our state, or cut the chase and go to JHI.
.

Well I believe all sports need some kind of adjustment. Numbers are decreasing across the board in all sports. Though activities at the high school levelsmhave increased alot to take kids away from sports. Not sure as to how to address that at all.

[littleguy301]

Just allow 14 events and let coaches decide what best fits their team and program. Not sure if you need a maximum for # of matches wrestled.  No team is required to use all 14 events.  Not all basketball teams play the maximum number of games they can.

I would make it easy on coaches, families, and athletes and create 2 dead periods during the season.

Dead period for Thanksgiving-  No contact from Thanksgiving day until following Monday.
Dead period for Christmas-  No contact from December 24th until January 2nd.

Dead periods would be just like summer.  A coach could open up the room for the team but could not be in the room coaching.

Then allow 2 open tournaments per wrestler.  These tournaments could fit nicely in the dead periods.  Some school could host an open tournament on Saturday after Thanksgiving?  Make the large holiday tournaments "open" tournaments.  These would be optional for athletes.

They already allow 2 non school events so..........

[littleguy301]

I like the dead period also though alot of tournaments would disagree with that.

Just think of it this way get 5 tournaments in and have 4 to 6 matches and then get 5 multi meets in with 3 matches and dang it a kid has 40 matches in before the state series happens. 10 weigh ins and still have 40 matches. Can easily be done!

I could see 16 and 50 also but man that would be alot of wrestling!

[Handles II]

Those seem to be things to make the schedule more flexible for each team, or perhaps better for the advanced fans who want to see the best kids compete against each other.
I'm not sure if any of those things will:
Increase numbers of participants in the sport IN HIGH SCHOOL. We are at about 50% of our historic levels. Unfortunately thousands of kids in K-4 youth wrestling hasn't equated to an improvement in participation at the 9-12 levels. In fact, it may have an overall detrimental effect if we really look at it (as we should be doing).
Increase the numbers of schools that host our sport and reduce co-ops where feasible
Increase/improve/or change the structure of the numbers of middle schools with the sport, the fragmented season in our state, or cut the chase and go to JHI.
.

Well I believe all sports need some kind of adjustment. Numbers are decreasing across the board in all sports. Though activities at the high school levelsmhave increased alot to take kids away from sports. Not sure as to how to address that at all.

Actually if you look at the nfhs numbers, quite a few. sports are increasing in numbers. It's here in WI and a few other states where the numbers in wrestling have really been hit. Mn for example is within about the same as their average years.

[littleguy301]

Those seem to be things to make the schedule more flexible for each team, or perhaps better for the advanced fans who want to see the best kids compete against each other.
I'm not sure if any of those things will:
Increase numbers of participants in the sport IN HIGH SCHOOL. We are at about 50% of our historic levels. Unfortunately thousands of kids in K-4 youth wrestling hasn't equated to an improvement in participation at the 9-12 levels. In fact, it may have an overall detrimental effect if we really look at it (as we should be doing).
Increase the numbers of schools that host our sport and reduce co-ops where feasible
Increase/improve/or change the structure of the numbers of middle schools with the sport, the fragmented season in our state, or cut the chase and go to JHI.
.

Well I believe all sports need some kind of adjustment. Numbers are decreasing across the board in all sports. Though activities at the high school levelsmhave increased alot to take kids away from sports. Not sure as to how to address that at all.

Actually if you look at the nfhs numbers, quite a few. sports are increasing in numbers. It's here in WI and a few other states where the numbers in wrestling have really been hit. Mn for example is within about the same as their average years.

New sports yes are increasing for sure. Even wade has addressed the declining numbers in football at least in Wisconsin. I guess if your seeing increasing numbers well I cannt argue. I will agree to disagree about numbers.

[MNbadger]

Well, nice to see that is not too complicated........wow! 

This is the "7 and 7" 'rule' as found in WIAA regulations

What is preferable to this rule? What is the issue(s) with this rule?

6. MAXIMUM ALLOWED MEETS
a. The maximum number of meets is 14. No more than seven of the 14 may be multiple-school meets (involving more than two teams). Except
that a school may schedule double duals or triple duals beyond the maximum of seven multiple-school meets, BUT a double dual must
replace two of the 14 allowed exposures and a triple dual must replace three of the 14 allowed exposures. Schedules of all teams should
be clearly published and separated by level for each team sponsored by a school.
Note 1: JV teams may schedule a maximum of 8 multiple school events and may allow inclusion of additional schools in (JV) dual meets in
effort to provide competition opportunity for all JV wrestlers.
Note 2: Conferences which experience low participation numbers at 2 or more conference member schools may apply to the WIAA to be
allowed to modify maximums to include 8 multiple school events and 6 duals. The additional multiple school event must be held
within the conference and involve only the same conference member schools.
b. Conference tournaments must be included in count of regular season maximums.
c. A female wrestler may participate in "female - only" meets, counting as one of her individual 14 exposures but not counting toward the
team total.
d. No meet may continue more than two days.
e. No meet may be scheduled (but a meet may be rescheduled if postponed) after any of the schools involved in the rescheduled event has
begun WIAA tournament series competition.
f. The WIAA tournament series is not part of the maximum allowed meets.
g. Competition involving students not eligible for the school's official interscholastic teams (e.g. Grade 7-8 students) must be conducted at a
time other than during the period (start to finish) of a meet.
h. Except for events held in bordering states (MN, IL, MI and IA), no approval shall be provided for more than one out-of-state competition,
event and/or scrimmage per team each school season.

[MNbadger]

I can't believe how complicated this rule is, accomplishing nothing. I feel for you guys.

This is the "7 and 7" 'rule' as found in WIAA regulations

What is preferable to this rule? What is the issue(s) with this rule?

6. MAXIMUM ALLOWED MEETS
a. The maximum number of meets is 14. No more than seven of the 14 may be multiple-school meets (involving more than two teams). Except
that a school may schedule double duals or triple duals beyond the maximum of seven multiple-school meets, BUT a double dual must
replace two of the 14 allowed exposures and a triple dual must replace three of the 14 allowed exposures. Schedules of all teams should
be clearly published and separated by level for each team sponsored by a school.
Note 1: JV teams may schedule a maximum of 8 multiple school events and may allow inclusion of additional schools in (JV) dual meets in
effort to provide competition opportunity for all JV wrestlers.
Note 2: Conferences which experience low participation numbers at 2 or more conference member schools may apply to the WIAA to be
allowed to modify maximums to include 8 multiple school events and 6 duals. The additional multiple school event must be held
within the conference and involve only the same conference member schools.
b. Conference tournaments must be included in count of regular season maximums.
c. A female wrestler may participate in "female - only" meets, counting as one of her individual 14 exposures but not counting toward the
team total.
d. No meet may continue more than two days.
e. No meet may be scheduled (but a meet may be rescheduled if postponed) after any of the schools involved in the rescheduled event has
begun WIAA tournament series competition.
f. The WIAA tournament series is not part of the maximum allowed meets.
g. Competition involving students not eligible for the school's official interscholastic teams (e.g. Grade 7-8 students) must be conducted at a
time other than during the period (start to finish) of a meet.
h. Except for events held in bordering states (MN, IL, MI and IA), no approval shall be provided for more than one out-of-state competition,
event and/or scrimmage per team each school season.