Rethinking the High School Wrestling Season

Ty Clark · October 25, 2016, 01:09:45 AM

So, yeah... I'm starting to get excited for the season to begin, and, right on cue, I'm already lying awake in bed every night thinking about how to make our sport suck a little less. I'm sure that by the time I actually fall asleep I'll have reworked this in my head five-times over, but here's a rough plan of my "If I were King" season schedule:

(The dates are just to give you a reference.)

Weeks 1-2 (11/13-11/26) Practice Only (State Football, Deer Hunting, Thanksgiving)
Obviously, we need to start the season with mandatory minimum practices before competing, so there's really no need to waste time explaining why the first two weeks need to be practice only (plus the one allowed scrimmage).

Weeks 3-6 (11/27-12/24) Tournament Season (Four weekend tournaments)
With the first two weeks of practice being hijacked by State football, deer hunting and Thanksgiving, we really need to have quality practice time at the beginning of the season without the disruptions of mid-week travel and weight cuts, thus I propose having only weekend tournaments during weeks 3-6. An added benefit of this is that kids who missed the first couple of weeks of practice and/or rookies would have time to get up to speed before competing, as coaches would be less likely to throw kids who aren't ready into individual tournaments than they would be to put them into dual lineups to make ends meet (though, dual tournaments would still be allowed/ team scoring kept).

Week 7 (12/25-12/31) Holiday Opens (Bi-States, Mid-States, OTW, etc.)
This is the biggest change, which is allowed for by the recent WIAA rule changes permitting kids to wrestle in up to two "non-school" competitions during the season without counting against the individual's or team's competition limits. Let's change (at least some) holiday tournaments into open tournaments and let individuals compete where they want. Sometimes good wrestlers on bad teams are left out of the holiday tournaments, since they'd be the only ones on their teams who wouldn't be wasting their time and an allowable date by going. Other states have also begun allowing non-school competition, so we could draw in out-of-state talent, as well (think HS version of Mid-Lands)... If kids want the week off to enjoy Christmas, that's fine, too. Wrestling isn't life.

Weeks 8-11 (1/1-1/28) Dual Season (Eight dual meets)
January (weeks 8-11) would be the dual season, where the attention turns toward the team aspect of wrestling. For a lot of kids, wrestling season is too long and/or they don't want to give up all of their Saturdays, so it could even be the coach's prerogative to let kids come out for the team in, say, week six, bypassing the tournament season but be ready to go for the dual season for the team. Each team would still get eight duals, which could be wrestled in any combination they feel like (duals, tris, quads). With all of the five-match-a-day tournaments throughout January like we have now, by the time State rolls around, kids are pretty battered, so having only a couple of matches per week (and weekends off) could really help in that regard, as well.

Week 12 (1/29-2/4) Level 1-3 Dual "Play-Offs" (Four Divisions each with 64-Team Brackets)
In week 12, break all the schools up into four divisions and start wrestling through a 64-team bracket for each division. Wrestle pig-tails (if needed) and round of 64 on Tuesday night, then wrestle round of 32 and round of 16 on Friday night... or have eight Team Sectionals (per division) with approx. eight teams with pig-tails (if needed), and wrestle R64, R32 and R16 all on Saturday. (I prefer the former).

Week 13 (2/5-2/11) Dual State Tournament (Eight Teams per Four Divisions)
Week 13 would be the Dual State tournament with eight teams per each of the four divisions qualifying for Team State. Quarterfinals on Friday, Semifinals on Saturday morning and Finals on Saturday night. Four Team State Titles... I don't think anyone should have an issue with that.

Weeks 14-16 (2/12 -3/4) Individual State Series
Round out the season with the Individual State Series in weeks 14-16. One division. 32 regionals (8-man brackets, true-4th wrestleback) with top 4 advancing to eight sectionals (16-man brackets, wrestleback to 5th) with top 5 from each sectional advancing to a 40-man State bracket (still 40 qualifiers like now). At State, 4th's and 5th's wrestle pigtails to get into the 32-man bracket or go home. Losers in round of 32 can only wrestleback to 5th (something's got to give). One State Champion.

(I do have a lot more reasoning behind each part of the plan and how they complement each other, but I'll see what you guys come up with in comments and criticisms, first... back to staring at the ceiling until my alarm goes off.)

FinalWord · October 25, 2016, 08:54:55 AM

Iorn?

Isn't it "eye earn man"?

Armdrag · October 25, 2016, 09:16:20 AM

getyourpoints.............I believe you are correct............that is how the rule was explained to me too directly from the WIAA.........I was thinking of getting a group together to hit the iron man so I checked with the WIAA on the rule..........quickly learned that it would be a no go!

Ty Clark · October 25, 2016, 09:29:14 AM

Quote from: getyourpoints on October 25, 2016, 07:44:32 AM
Very good ideas, I like them all.
The only change I see would be over the holidays. The WIAA did make a slight concession but it is very slight. The rule as it was explained to me was two events that are not attached to a school, for example the tournament everyone was getting excited about was the Iorn Man.
The Iorn Man is attached to an Ohio high school so kids can not attend as it was explained to me. It would have to be a Nike or Asics type of event, which I have yet to find one in season. Until that was explained to me I thought about the holidays in the same way you laid it out. Maybe Woody could clairify the rule for us.

I completely understand how the new WIAA rules work as far as what they mean by non-school... I was suggesting making some truly "open" holiday tournaments (kids pay their own way/ no team singlets/ no team affiliations).

DocWrestling · October 25, 2016, 09:35:31 AM

Many of your ideas I have not heard before and my first impression is that I really like them.

I think coaches do need to look at their schedules and not just follow and do what they have always done.

1) We need more tournaments on Friday nights to allow athletes, coaches, and familes to have off on Saturdays. Taking up 10 Saturdays is not a great thing with 6-7 events plus WIAA series. This is biggest complaint I hear from non-die hard families. It is not just all the Saturdays but the fact that it takes up the entire Saturday.
2) I think more coaches need to have the guts to schedule extra duals instead of weekend tournaments or just do fewer events again freeing up weekends. I just don't think a wrestler with 25-30 matches is less prepared for the state tournament series than a guy with 40+ matches. I might even take away an event and find 3-5 teams to come in and scrimmage on a Friday night and count that as an event. Get in a 2-3 hour practice with other teams and matching up kids will go further than attending a tourney in my mind and could be more fun if you designed correctly.

3) I think Holiday open tournaments are probably the way to go. Give the non-diehards the week off over holidays. Maybe you have a gold tournament somewhere like Bi-State where they have the arena, and then maybe you have a Silver tournament open and bronze tournament open at other locations. Gold open might be open to everyone, Silver open might be for those that have never qualified for state?, Bronze could be for those that have never qualified for sectionals? JV's would be welcome at all of them, Maybe you also have another open that is only for freshman and sophomores that have wrestled less than 5 varsity matches in their career

FinalWord · October 25, 2016, 10:43:15 AM

My initial impressions of above mentioned changes are; " we've never won a state title. Let's change the rules". Spreading duals and multi school event throughout the season simply makes more sense.

FinalWord · October 25, 2016, 10:50:01 AM

One change I believe would help many programs is: move conference, if applicable, to last week of January. The following week all schools participate in team regionals.

Handles II · October 25, 2016, 11:02:06 AM

In general, schools won't allow Friday tournaments. It's been talked about over and over in coaches meetings. Specifically it would mean cancelling classes due to needing gym space as well as the issue of wrestlers/managers/cheerleaders and tournament workers being in the school hallways, cafeteria space, locker rooms, and bathrooms. Schools are ok with the tennis team hosting or going to a tournament, or golf. The difference is that other student's education day would not be negatively affected if they are out on the courts or golf course. Throw in the difficulty getting table workers and concessions to ask for a day off from work, it becomes an issue. Remember, many of our parents are blue collar, they don't get vacation days etc. Time off means money lost.

I very much agree that it could be helpful, in general, for wrestling to have tournaments on Fridays, but until someone can figure out how to make it happen it is doubtful that it will. I urge coaches to push for the idea in their districts though. If we get one or two started, it could snowball from there.

As for the "open" holiday tournaments, is this a need for other "individual" sports? Do the cross-country or swimming elite need to attend special tournaments and meets in-season while leaving their teammates behind? If not, why not? If so, is that aiding their sport? Is it adding new members to their teams? Would this type of exclusivity during the season be detrimental to our sport? Are there not plenty of "open' tournaments out of the season for those who want to participate?

Conference tournaments really mean nothing. Great tournaments in some areas of the state, and a small amount of bragging rights, but unless they are used as an advancement to something higher, then they are really no different than any other tournament, and therefore should be optional or probably better yet, used as a weekend off for teams to relax prior to regionals/sectionals/state.

NWIS · October 25, 2016, 11:57:32 AM

Quote from: Handles II on October 25, 2016, 11:02:06 AM
In general, schools won't allow Friday tournaments. It's been talked about over and over in coaches meetings. Specifically it would mean cancelling classes due to needing gym space as well as the issue of wrestlers/managers/cheerleaders and tournament workers being in the school hallways, cafeteria space, locker rooms, and bathrooms. Schools are ok with the tennis team hosting or going to a tournament, or golf. The difference is that other student's education day would not be negatively affected if they are out on the courts or golf course. Throw in the difficulty getting table workers and concessions to ask for a day off from work, it becomes an issue. Remember, many of our parents are blue collar, they don't get vacation days etc. Time off means money lost.

I very much agree that it could be helpful, in general, for wrestling to have tournaments on Fridays, but until someone can figure out how to make it happen it is doubtful that it will. I urge coaches to push for the idea in their districts though. If we get one or two started, it could snowball from there.

As for the "open" holiday tournaments, is this a need for other "individual" sports? Do the cross-country or swimming elite need to attend special tournaments and meets in-season while leaving their teammates behind? If not, why not? If so, is that aiding their sport? Would this type of exclusivity during the season be detrimental to our sport? Are there not plenty of "open' tournaments out of the season for those who want to participate?

Conference tournaments really mean nothing. Great tournaments in some areas of the state, and a small amount of bragging rights, but unless they are used as an advancement to something higher, then they are really no different than any other tournament, and therefore should be optional or probably better yet, used as a weekend off for teams to relax prior to regionals/sectionals/state.

ko

Wrong, all wrong! You're the puppet!

Handles II · October 25, 2016, 12:54:34 PM

NWIS, would you care to expand on your reply to show others and myself where exactly I'm all wrong?

NWIS · October 25, 2016, 01:34:25 PM

Should have used

in my previous post. It not allllll wrong.

DocWrestling · October 25, 2016, 01:47:41 PM

By Friday tournaments, I did not mean all day Friday tournaments although maybe we should host regionals or sectionals on a Friday and let the kids out of school like they do in baseball, golf, tennis, etc.

I meant more tournaments like the Highlander that Homestead does. They run a 19 team scramble on a Friday night.

10 team tournaments would be easy to run at schools with big enough gyms.

Teams weigh in at 3 or 3:30pm on Friday. Wrestling starts at 4:30pm. Every outdoor sport uses these starting times so getting out of school early should not be a huge issue?

Make more Friday nights "Wrestling Nights"

MarkK · October 25, 2016, 02:35:09 PM

Quote from: DocWrestling on October 25, 2016, 01:47:41 PM
By Friday tournaments, I did not mean all day Friday tournaments although maybe we should host regionals or sectionals on a Friday and let the kids out of school like they do in baseball, golf, tennis, etc.

I meant more tournaments like the Highlander that Homestead does. They run a 19 team scramble on a Friday night.

10 team tournaments would be easy to run at schools with big enough gyms.

Teams weigh in at 3 or 3:30pm on Friday. Wrestling starts at 4:30pm. Every outdoor sport uses these starting times so getting out of school early should not be a huge issue?

Make more Friday nights "Wrestling Nights"

Yep, I would go to that.

Handles II · October 25, 2016, 02:59:05 PM

I get what you are saying Doc, I concur, something like that is potentially feasible. Mostly it depends on the gym space available and number of mats. Arcadia runs a pretty large Middle School tournament on a Friday night. Granted, match times are longer in HS, but with a weigh-in time of 4:00, wrestling at 5:00 I would think HS could be done by 10:30 and free up the weekend.

Regarding the double duals/triangulars, They occur weekly in MN, they work well and bring in very good crowds. Many people like them because if there is a one-sided dual, or a kid gets a forfeit, there will be other opportunities coming up to watch him/them wrestle that same night. It also helps limit the number of school nights that kids are away from home. With a Tri, Varsity on one mat and JV on the other works great. Unfortunately this counts as a multi-team event rather than a dual in WI and therefore it doesn't fit the bill for many team's schedules in WI. It's a technicality that wasn't always in place and could/should be changed.

Ty Clark · October 25, 2016, 06:54:58 PM

Quote from: FinalWord on October 25, 2016, 10:43:15 AM
My initial impressions of above mentioned changes are; " we've never won a state title. Let's change the rules". Spreading duals and multi school event throughout the season simply makes more sense.

My initial impression of your comment is that you're a di... I kid. I kid.

Honestly, I couldn't care less about what's best for me or my team when thinking about what's best for our sport. I just think we can package our sport better and sell it to more kids (and fans). The rules constantly change, yet they always seem to change for the benefit of the "haves" at the expense of the "have nots" (more weight classes, more competitions, more leotards, etc.)... Also, you do realize that my proposed season very much follows what Big10 teams do, right? Front-load tournaments, then wrestle duals til nationals.

A lot of you forget that 15 years ago, we had 9 duals and 5 multiples and only about 35 matches if you wrestled through the state tournament. Now kids have 60 matches. What other sports have increased the number of "competitions" by 90% in the last 15 years? Does track run a few extra rounds of time trials for the 100m every track meet so the kids can get more experience? Does track run the heats, reorganize the runners, run another heat, reorganize the runners, run another heat then finally run a semifinals and finals? Wrestling tournaments used to be predominately 8-man bracketed tournaments... now no coaches want to go to them, since they want their kids to get the maximum number of matches... Most of these coaches only wrestled 25-30 matches/season when they were in high school.

The comment about other individual sports not needing non-school competitions during the season... The WIAA had zero thought about wrestling when they decided to make the changes. It was more about tennis and swimming, since a lot of good kids were forgoing their HS teams. We are starting to see it in wrestling now, too.

getyourpoints- About Storniolo's idea. Exactly. We could basically shorten the season to 10-12 weeks for the kids who wrestle but aren't really "wrestlers", while not robbing the "die-hards" of a full 16-week season... It's kind of the cornerstone of my plan.