Does anyone know if the athletes will be required to wear masks during competition at the state tournaments in Madison? I've heard of a couple tournaments in Dane County that have required masks during competition and wondering if this is a county rule of if each facility is making that decision?
https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/2021-12-20_Order_22.pdf (https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/2021-12-20_Order_22.pdf)
Just extended and I would expect them to continue extending
Quote from: LaValle on December 21, 2021, 12:35:14 PM
https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/2021-12-20_Order_22.pdf (https://publichealthmdc.com/documents/2021-12-20_Order_22.pdf)
Just extended and I would expect them to continue extending
Since the Kohl Center is a UW-Madison facility, I believe UW-Madison gets to set the COVID policies for the state tournament. My sources say the WIAA has discussed this information about other sport's state tournaments that occurred in Madison this fall. For example, tennis athletes did not have to mask for the state tournament this fall. The event was held indoors and in Madison. I believe this facility was even governed by Dane County and the WIAA worked out a deal with them for the athletes not to mask.
I have been to UW Volleyball matches (Field House) and basketball games (Kohl Center) - and fans are required to wear masks but the athletes are not. I think given the circumstances this is a reasonable precedent. I think asking the kids to wear masks when they are wrestling would not be good, or healthy for the kids.
I hate wearing masks and question their effectiveness. However, as a fan I will do whatever I can to make sure our kids have the opportunity to have a state tournament, in the Kohl Center - and not wear masks while competing.
They just hosted the Badger State Invite and I am not sure if they had wrestlers wear masks. Masks are required indoors everywhere. Lots of duals and such happening in Dane County. Are they all wearing masks?
Would need some sort of exception. For tennis they allowed it as they kept players 6 ft apart and made all fans mask. All Dane County high schools I saw play volleyball had to wear masks while competing. In our conference we had different mask rules at each school.
Badger sports are exempt due to the testing that is required by the NCAA.
I would guess fans will certainly need to wear masks and I am sure they are in negotiations with UW and Dane County about basketball and wrestling. Likely will depend on trends when as we approach that in a month. If this Omicron surges I could see Dane County not even allowing these events again this year
UW Madison properties are not governed by Dane County. However, UW Madison does require masks by all those inside, with the exception of athletics.
At the Middleton JV Tournament on 12/11/21 the kids were required to wear masks to wrestle. Our coach called and asked if there were any special requirements and they said no. When our team showed up they told them that masks were required when wrestling and some of our kids didnt have any. Their response was this is Dane County and you should know better. If you are running a tournament and requiring masks you need to let everyone know. Period.
With Midlands being canceled, I hope the WIAA has a plan B for the state tournament. I can see everything being back to February 2021. Especially in Madison.
Quote from: Wrestling Novice on December 22, 2021, 09:11:27 PM
With Midlands being canceled, I hope the WIAA has a plan B for the state tournament. I can see everything being back to February 2021. Especially in Madison.
And not just a hs gym. The kids deserve better.
14 days to flatten the curve? lol.
But on a serious note, let's hope these athletes can compete to their full potential in Madison!
Masks in the stands is what it is. In Madison it's the best of the best, let's hope they can compete like such!
Badger sports are exempt due to the testing that is required by the NCAA.
Vaccinated athletes do not need to be tested if now symptoms - can we have some sort of a policy like that so the wrestlers don't have to mask?
Could someone please look into this, or some one way smarter than me. I was told that there is a state law with combat sports, which includes wrestling, about wearing masks or in should say not wearing masks.
Nothing is to be worn above the shoulders due to choking, used to choke and etc.......makes sense to me but I am not a legal expert so asking for help on this one.
I will do what ever to get the kids on the mat but let's make sure we are protecting kids with all safety measures we can think off.
If the Dane county mask order keeps getting extended. Which it most likely will. There will almost certainly be a mask policy for both spectators and competitors at the kohl center for the boys state wrestling tournament. Just like all middle and high school wrestling currently is masked in Dane county.
If I had to guess there will be a high likelihood that all wrestlers will have to wear masks at the state tournament if held in Madison. Unfortunately that may not even be the biggest worry as the actual event itself might be in jeopardy again.
I wonder if they could work out an agreement to not wear masks if every competitor was given a rapid test at weigh-ins. I think I would rather have the kids wear masks because I would bet there would be a lot of asymptomatic wrestlers test positive and then they would not be able to wrestle at all and that would be harsh.
Sports contests are being canceled all over not because of sick athletes but because of positive tests. This is why the professional leagues are switching to only testing symptomatic athletes.
My hope is that this Omicron is so contagious that it burns through everyone so fast that numbers are going down greatly by the time the state tournament comes around but I think numbers are going to skyrocket over next 3-4 weeks.
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
I think any covid procedures for the state tournament will be mandated by Dane County or UW and will have nothing to do with the WIAA. If it was the WIAA then they would be state wide rules
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 07:33:25 AM
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
By adapted you mean they pulled the mask down or modified their masks? Athletes did it so they could compete.
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 08:58:43 AM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 07:33:25 AM
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
By adapted you mean they pulled the mask down or modified their masks? Athletes did it so they could compete.
By adapted I mean, as you probably already understand, that physiologically as well as mentally, the athletes that trained with their masks on for a few weeks were able to perform at a higher level than if they only put the mask on for a particular event. That athletes wore their masks so that they could compete is a testament to the young men and women who did it. Many chose not to, and many adults wouldn't even attempt a workout wearing a mask. Athletes last year proved to themselves and to the rest of us they could and were willing do it.
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 12:58:09 PM
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 08:58:43 AM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 07:33:25 AM
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
By adapted you mean they pulled the mask down or modified their masks? Athletes did it so they could compete.
By adapted I mean, as you probably already understand, that physiologically as well as mentally, the athletes that trained with their masks on for a few weeks were able to perform at a higher level than if they only put the mask on for a particular event. That athletes wore their masks so that they could compete is a testament to the young men and women who did it. Many chose not to, and many adults wouldn't even attempt a workout wearing a mask. Athletes last year proved to themselves and to the rest of us they could and were willing do it.
Yes but now the vast majority of the state isn't practicing or competing with masks and then going to make them wear them when they get to state? That doesn't make any sense at all. Xmas tournaments with multiple states and no masks from wrestlers.
Guessing the WIAA will have a choice so what do you want?
1) Hold the state tournament at the Kohl Center but I will predict that UW will require masks for everyone and all participants and those in attendance will have to be vaccinated or have a negative test within a day of the event. Other Big Ten universities have already taken this next step in the past couple days now requiring vaccination or negative test.
or
2) Find alternate locations
I am sure adults will be all over the board but I would bet that the athletes would want a packed Kohl Center no matter what they or the fans have to do.
Now that the Madison schools went virtual, are their High school teams able to practice or compete?
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 12:58:09 PM
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 08:58:43 AM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 07:33:25 AM
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
By adapted you mean they pulled the mask down or modified their masks? Athletes did it so they could compete.
By adapted I mean, as you probably already understand, that physiologically as well as mentally, the athletes that trained with their masks on for a few weeks were able to perform at a higher level than if they only put the mask on for a particular event. That athletes wore their masks so that they could compete is a testament to the young men and women who did it. Many chose not to, and many adults wouldn't even attempt a workout wearing a mask. Athletes last year proved to themselves and to the rest of us they could and were willing do it.
Lol most refs barely made a kid keep the mask on anywhere near properly.
The mask issue makes about as much sense as last year when kids wrestled for 6 minutes with masks on and then were not allowed to shake their opponents hand after the match.
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 01:10:32 PM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 12:58:09 PM
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 08:58:43 AM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 07:33:25 AM
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
By adapted you mean they pulled the mask down or modified their masks? Athletes did it so they could compete.
By adapted I mean, as you probably already understand, that physiologically as well as mentally, the athletes that trained with their masks on for a few weeks were able to perform at a higher level than if they only put the mask on for a particular event. That athletes wore their masks so that they could compete is a testament to the young men and women who did it. Many chose not to, and many adults wouldn't even attempt a workout wearing a mask. Athletes last year proved to themselves and to the rest of us they could and were willing do it.
Yes but now the vast majority of the state isn't practicing or competing with masks and then going to make them wear them when they get to state? That doesn't make any sense at all. Xmas tournaments with multiple states and no masks from wrestlers.
1. If everyone starts wearing them the week before State, then they are all in the same boat, so it's pretty much equal. 2. Some teams will wear them ahead of time due to a school mandate OR because the coach has foreseen this might be the case and planning and preparing their wrestlers ahead of time. No harm done if it's not mandated, and if it is, their kids are ready. Good for them.
Quote from: Handles II on January 04, 2022, 07:47:28 AM
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 01:10:32 PM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 12:58:09 PM
Quote from: wrastle63 on January 03, 2022, 08:58:43 AM
Quote from: Handles II on January 03, 2022, 07:33:25 AM
Quote from: paintortureagony on December 29, 2021, 10:06:52 AM
Can we really place any hope in the decision makers of the WIAA/UW/DaneCounty to think logically, when is comes to wrestling (or all sports for that matter). Having wrestlers wear masks while competing is hands down the dumbest thought to come from this entire pandemic.
The whole state, and most other states did it last year with virtually zero issues from an athlete standpoint. Like it or not, athletes that trained with the masks on adapted very well physically and mentally.
By adapted you mean they pulled the mask down or modified their masks? Athletes did it so they could compete.
By adapted I mean, as you probably already understand, that physiologically as well as mentally, the athletes that trained with their masks on for a few weeks were able to perform at a higher level than if they only put the mask on for a particular event. That athletes wore their masks so that they could compete is a testament to the young men and women who did it. Many chose not to, and many adults wouldn't even attempt a workout wearing a mask. Athletes last year proved to themselves and to the rest of us they could and were willing do it.
Yes but now the vast majority of the state isn't practicing or competing with masks and then going to make them wear them when they get to state? That doesn't make any sense at all. Xmas tournaments with multiple states and no masks from wrestlers.
1. If everyone starts wearing them the week before State, then they are all in the same boat, so it's pretty much equal. 2. Some teams will wear them ahead of time due to a school mandate OR because the coach has foreseen this might be the case and planning and preparing their wrestlers ahead of time. No harm done if it's not mandated, and if it is, their kids are ready. Good for them.
LOL....
It is my hope that the State Tournament goes off without any crazy rules, new venues or anything else!. These kids and fans got robbed in my opinion last year and state tournament felt like a Regional not a State tournament yes better than not having at all but let's face it everyone involved was robbed of the atmosphere and everything that comes with it for these kids that work so hard. Hopefully the powers that be do not make any decisions that deny these kids of this experience.