Keeping the Badgers Competitive

Wisconsin Wrestling Fan · January 13, 2016, 12:42:37 PM

As Angry Fish has pointed out, "In the end, we all want the same thing: A competitive Badger wrestling program" I agree completely.

What do you believe needs to happen to accomplish this?

Here are some of my thoughts/comments:

* Re-launch the Summer Badger Wrestling Camps - Get creative with who are the camp counselors to build interest. The fall camps they had were a start.

* Re-start the Northern Open - This was always a big fan draw; I enjoyed watching and eventually participating. If not an Open, maybe a Badger Duals against quality non-conference opponents - Iowa State, Central Michigan, Missouri, etc.

* Wrestle-offs in Northern Wisconsin? Russ Hellickson did this one year.

* Continue developing the Badger Wrestling Club - Get more Olympic caliber wrestlers involved

* Get more information on Wisconsin Wrestling Network - the website is not active enough to make people want to keep going back there - I think they need some sort of forum, perhaps with people identified instead of anonymous posters like here. Are we not able to post Badger match results? I relaize it is a fine line between "club" and "Badgers" Perhaps if results from other in state teams Parkside, Whitewater, LaCrosse, etc, it would be okay? I do like the Throwback Thursdays

* Communication - The Tuesdays with Barry are good - it would be nice if there was a little more information though. We were not updated on who is wrestling at the Nebraska dual, none of us knew who was participating at the Midlands other than reading track wrestling. Who are on the travel squads? Is there a reluctance to publish the depth chart? Obviously I understand not stating the specific nature of injuries. I would also recommend they not state how we are beating a certain opponent - word can get back to the opponent. More interviews with individual wrestlers would be great. More interviews with Trevor and Kyle would be good

* Freshmen Update - Again, beyond scrolling through trackwrestling, it would be nice to be given the heads up who is wrestling at open tournaments.

* In match updates - I like the twitter updates; the blog they had in the past right at the uwbadgers.com website was better than how they are doing it this year in my opinion, although Ryan Taylor and Isaac Jordan were entertaining for the Whitewater dual.

* Has Coach Kleven ever been an honorary coach? Everybody loves seeing him wearing his red jacket !

* Could former UW Boxers that could be introduced at a meet? The Badgers dominated that sport in the 40's and early 50's

Note - please try to be creative beyond "the coaches have to go"

lizard king · January 13, 2016, 01:18:49 PM

I don't know if this helps but it's nice for fans; I watch a NC State match live from their web site. It was free, they had commentators, and the quality was great. If we could do that we might be more excited to see one in person?

I also think recruiting needs to be relooked at? (forgive me because I do not know what I am talking about.) Some how we have to find the kids that have AA potential and are not big recruits. Even I can tell you the big recruits, but WI needs to find the ones in the ruff and make them good. It's that easy....kidding

crossface21 · January 13, 2016, 01:27:55 PM

I think more home duals would generate more interest. And to go along with that, what about having a "home" dual somewhere else in the state to generate more interest. During the season, making it to a home dual on Friday night isn't really possible for those living farther away do to HS practices and meets. And on Sunday's, after usually traveling to a tournament on Saturday, I'm sure most don't want to travel a far distance to watch a dual on Sunday. Having a meet in Green Bay, Milwaukee, LaX, Eau Claire for example. And it doesn't have to just be a single meet. What about a quad or something?

vsmf2010 · January 13, 2016, 02:22:04 PM

A dual during Bi-State or Cheesehead would be great. I think Bi-State generally conflicts with Midlands but I am not sure about Cheesehead. If not those maybe during On the Water or the Dells Duals. Maybe a dual in Green Bay that corresponds with the coaching clinic. I know when the UW dualed Northwestern at the field house during the state individual tournament we had the biggest crowd I have ever seen. Great dual with Massey upsetting D Fox.

Big Steve · January 13, 2016, 02:41:38 PM

Quote from: The Angry Fish on January 13, 2016, 02:21:21 PM
Quote from: Wisconsin Wrestling Fan on January 13, 2016, 12:42:37 PM

* Re-start the Northern Open - This was always a big fan draw; I enjoyed watching and eventually participating. If not an Open, maybe a Badger Duals against quality non-conference opponents - Iowa State, Cenral Michigan, Missouri, etc.

I would be willing to throw my hat in the ring as well. I would love for a chance to get my hands on Barry Alvarez.....I would crush that old gas bag.

That is good stuff!

DocWrestling · January 13, 2016, 03:46:31 PM

The badger staff has to do more outreach to the Wisconsin high school coaches. Those coaches have direct access to what would be the Badgers future wrestlers and just as important their future fans.

They need a PR campaign first and above all marketing the team and its faces.

dman · January 13, 2016, 03:59:03 PM

Make a commitment to never let the best WI wrestlers leave the state.

Brett Favre - R.I.P. · January 13, 2016, 04:08:06 PM

These are all great ideas but you still have to be able to attract top level talent and I hate to say it but one thing has to happen first

dad 2 5 · January 13, 2016, 04:59:28 PM

Quote from: The Angry Fish on January 13, 2016, 12:53:48 PM
Quote from: Wisconsin Wrestling Fan on January 13, 2016, 12:42:37 PM

I'd like to get Lee Kemp more involved also. Maybe invite him to assist in one of their camps.

AF - FYI - Mr Kemp was at the last to summer camps for many of the days and he also is in the room I think most Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I would think that would help recruiting but there is a big age difference from myself and today's recruits. MAN HE WAS FUN TO WATCH!

dad 2 5 · January 13, 2016, 05:08:23 PM

Think about this, Lee Kemp; Barry Davis; Mitch Hull all in one room. WOW - That is a great coaching line-up! What a privilege these young men have. I think you guys have hit on the points I would bring up - get the in-state 7th-8th camp; 9-12 camp (both intense camps); build the club; get the relationship with the WI high school coaches built and solid. Also, need to get top 100 wrestlings recruited. I don't know how to move this from ideas to reality. Hopefully Mitch does as I believe that is what his desire is.

Micah · January 13, 2016, 08:47:07 PM

They need a coach on staff that can act like a CEO. There is no promotion of UW wrestling within the Wisconsin wrestling community. How many kids wrestling in HS can name a wrestler on the team? Better yet how many would be able to name the HC for the Wisconsin Badgers? Very few, lucky if the average was one kid on every HS team. Ask them who coaches the football and basketball teams and everyone can name the coach (before Bo retired). To me this sad, there needs to be more outreach by the Wrestling staff to HS teams and kids clubs.

This relational development with the wrestling community will also increase interest and the quality of wrestling within Wisconsin. The UW staff should look at the HS teams in Wisconsin like a HS coach looks at the youth program in his city. I coached for 8 yrs in WI before moving and I think I saw Barry as a presenter once at the coaches clinic. If you don't want to present technique that is fine but at least make one of your assistants do it each year so your program is visible. I don't think I ever received a flyer about their camps, do they still do camps? (Chertow will send you one a week by mail and email lol)

*maybe a member from the coaching staff could attend each conferences coaches meeting to develop relationships

*produce weekly technique videos that the coaches can view and share with their kids (not only can you teach kids in your state technique you think is important but you are visible and maybe someone on the team will pay attention and actually learn one of the UW coaches names)

*create a form of dialog between HS coaches and the UW staff - topics could vary and be controlled (forum?)

*set up a booth at kids state - use it as a meet and greet, sell product, distribute camp info, hand out fundraising info. Barry has a lot energy little kids would be all over him and any his stories

*get HS coaches to buy into the Badger program and staff - I do not think this has happened for a large number of HS coaches

*stay in close contact with the regional clubs in WI and IL (OT)

*be organized

These are just ideas, not even sure they are feasible with their schedules. But the lack of visibility and promotion just kills them. They need to reach Youth and HS wrestlers, not only are they potential team members they are your future consumers! I am sure there are lots of other things they can do! More than half of the WI wrestling community does not even read this forum, posting a video on it once a week is not going to hit a large portion of your market.

A college wrestling coach has to be able to promote and run an athletic program just as much as they need to be able to run a practice. A sport like football the promotion takes care of itself, for the wrestling program if it's not done by the coaches it is not going to happen.

Maybe I am rambling and maybe a cohesive Wisconsin Wrestling community is not possible. But if you don't have a built up relationship with a HS coach or wrestler you lose the draw as the in-state program. I could have told you back when Beau Breske was ten and tossing kids on their on heads at ringers practices he was going to be good. That's when the relationship needs to be built, bump into him at kids state introduce yourself talk him up. Kids love that kind of stuff and they will remember you forever.

Fitzpatrick and Ralph Legal were two of my youth coaches and to this day I remember wrestling with Fitzpatrick and getting a TD and him giving me a pair of Wisconsin Wrestling shorts. Man I thought I was a stud when I was ten and wore those shorts lol

littleguy301 · January 13, 2016, 10:16:23 PM

Quote from: Micah on January 13, 2016, 08:47:07 PM
They need a coach on staff that can act like a CEO. There is no promotion of UW wrestling within the Wisconsin wrestling community. How many kids wrestling in HS can name a wrestler on the team? Better yet how many would be able to name the HC for the Wisconsin Badgers? Very few, lucky if the average was one kid on every HS team. Ask them who coaches the football and basketball teams and everyone can name the coach (before Bo retired). To me this sad, there needs to be more outreach by the Wrestling staff to HS teams and kids clubs.

This relational development with the wrestling community will also increase interest and the quality of wrestling within Wisconsin. The UW staff should look at the HS teams in Wisconsin like a HS coach looks at the youth program in his city. I coached for 8 yrs in WI before moving and I think I saw Barry as a presenter once at the coaches clinic. If you don't want to present technique that is fine but at least make one of your assistants do it each year so your program is visible. I don't think I ever received a flyer about their camps, do they still do camps? (Chertow will send you one a week by mail and email lol)

*maybe a member from the coaching staff could attend each conferences coaches meeting to develop relationships

*produce weekly technique videos that the coaches can view and share with their kids (not only can you teach kids in your state technique you think is important but you are visible and maybe someone on the team will pay attention and actually learn one of the UW coaches names)

*create a form of dialog between HS coaches and the UW staff - topics could vary and be controlled (forum?)

*set up a booth at kids state - use it as a meet and greet, sell product, distribute camp info, hand out fundraising info. Barry has a lot energy little kids would be all over him and any his stories

*get HS coaches to buy into the Badger program and staff - I do not think this has happened for a large number of HS coaches

*stay in close contact with the regional clubs in WI and IL (OT)

*be organized

These are just ideas, not even sure they are feasible with their schedules. But the lack of visibility and promotion just kills them. They need to reach Youth and HS wrestlers, not only are they potential team members they are your future consumers! I am sure there are lots of other things they can do! More than half of the WI wrestling community does not even read this forum, posting a video on it once a week is not going to hit a large portion of your market.

A college wrestling coach has to be able to promote and run an athletic program just as much as they need to be able to run a practice. A sport like football the promotion takes care of itself, for the wrestling program if it's not done by the coaches it is not going to happen.

Maybe I am rambling and maybe a cohesive Wisconsin Wrestling community is not possible. But if you don't have a built up relationship with a HS coach or wrestler you lose the draw as the in-state program. I could have told you back when Beau Breske was ten and tossing kids on their on heads at ringers practices he was going to be good. That's when the relationship needs to be built, bump into him at kids state introduce yourself talk him up. Kids love that kind of stuff and they will remember you forever.

Fitzpatrick and Ralph Legal were two of my youth coaches and to this day I remember wrestling with Fitzpatrick and getting a TD and him giving me a pair of Wisconsin Wrestling shorts. Man I thought I was a stud when I was ten and wore those shorts lol

Now this is a very good post and right to the point!

What Micah asks of the staff is NOT out of line one bit. I also think that would get some good support if we would have that.

I remember when Frayer would come on here and talk about the team and such. Never gave out any real inside info but just gave updates after duals and tournaments. If the Badgers were idle he would post about what they were doing in the room, if they had a couple days off.

Frayer would also in a round about way say who was serious, who would be the jokester and such. I really like that it put some much more behind that kid you watched at a dual or on the Big Ten Network. It was more fun and such.

I really miss those days and at this point I am not sure if the current staff would really help if they decided to start doing this because on this forum I would think much talk would turn negative!!!!!!!

Gutwrench · January 14, 2016, 09:27:58 AM

I thought the idea of having an exhibition or Badger dual meet in conjunction with the Cheesehead was a great idea. Turn it into an event. Here is a tournament that brings in a lot of talent from all over the Midwest and beyond. Maybe one of those kids will start to see UW as a cool fun program to be apart of. Turn it into a tradition where some day a UW wrestler could say "I remember wrestling for Montini and watching the Badgers, now I'm the one wrestling for the Badgers having my high school watch me".

kluevercoach · January 14, 2016, 09:35:18 AM

I just want to people to know what are some of the things the Badger coaches have done.
1) Started the Wisconsin RTC. Great opportunity if you qualified for it. Practice with the coaches and Badgers.
2) RTC camp Memorial day weekend. Several quality wrestlers attended. Lee Kemp was also at the camp.
3) USA Wrestling 2020/Cadet World Team Camp. Once again great for those that qualified to attend.
4) Kyle and Trevor coaching on the WWF Cadet and Junior Freestyle staff. They attended several practices, June/July camp and Fargo.

littleguy301 · January 14, 2016, 10:30:23 AM

Remember when the Badgers had a dual during the time between the placing matches and the finals at high school state or was it before the semi on Friday afternoon/night?

I believe the Badgers won that dual with a pin from Massey at the time.

Why in the world wouldnt they do that again? Seems so simple and so easy to make happen.