What valuable lesson are we teaching the Wrestlers of De Pere High School?

[Nobody]

The De Pere wrestling team is being told again they are not allowed to compete at the Sectionals or State Tournament due to a scheduling error made by their Athletic Director who has nothing to lose from the ruling.  The kids, however, that have EVERYTHING to lose, who have refrained from drugs, alcohol, bad grade, or anything that could jeopardize their wreStling seasons/careers are now being punished- the seniors the most. 

This ruling was originally overturned and the wrestlers were allowed to wrestle at regionals.  However, when they qualified 10 for Sectionals this upcoming weekend, coaches of the other teams called with complaints forcing the WIAA to make a ruling to withhold the sectional qualifiers from further competition. 

I am reaching out to you, the wrestling community, the same community that preaches that wrestling is the best sport for a child to do.  The same community that preaches the lifelong lessons wrestling teaches: discipline, commitment, dedication, hard work, strength, builds character, strengthens heart, and produces all around better people.  To please try and see that this technicality is not something that should punish the kids that have done nothing wrong- just showed up to the events (including the extra 1) that they were told to show up to, told to diet for, told to train for.

The beauty of wrestling is that there are two people in a ring, two people that can only do what they themselves are capable of doing, and only one, true victor, will come out with their hand raised.  Politics and technicalities can't change what happens on the mat, but they can change if a wrestler is allowed to step on the mat.  Which leave me with my final questions:   

WHAT VALUABLE LESSON ARE WE TEACHING THE WRESTLERS OF DE PERE HIGH SCHOOL?

[crossface21]

It's a terrible thing that happened. But don't just blame the AD, I'll be kind and say only some of that is on the coach. The way our program is run, this mistake would be totally on the coach. I don't know of one coach that doesn't know the limits on the what the kids can wrestle. In addition, I think most coaches schedule what tournaments they want to be in so they should know how many they have. It's a tremendous breakdown by the AD and the coach and the kids are being punished for it. It's too bad there isn't some other type of sanction that can be placed on the program like a loss of 2 tournaments or something for next season rather than punish the kids that have worked hard to get to this point of the year. 

[ramjet]

The AD should resign for such a huge mistake and the kids get to finish there decade of work that took them to this point.
Save the kids, the AD should have already resigned to demonstrate remorse and to insure the kids can full fill there dreams.

If the AD doesn't step down then it's unfortunate, but it is what it is.

Depends who is responsible coaches or AD? Both?

[aarons23]

call Wade Lubeke at the WIAA and let him know how you feel.  715-344-8580   We should not be punishing students for an adults mistake!!!

[aarons23]

I feel so bad for these wrestlers.  My heart hurts for them.   But, rules are rules.  If they are allowed to wrestle after a clear violation, undisputed violation, then a dangerous precedence is set forth by the WIAA.  Tough to see a lesson in this, but these type of mistakes/oversights are made daily in life and without rules, we are a third world society.  Deep down, I really see that a greater lesson is actually learned by the decision than if it was overturned.  We preach about teaching athletes about life and being better people. I know that nobody wants to hear this, but in my OPINION, the WIAA got it right.

Sorry...IMO...the WIAA did not get this right...they are punishing kids for something adults did. 

[onwisconsin]

Cannot dispute the fact an error was made at De Pere.  What I have a very hard time understanding is that if they were allowed to compete at regionals and had a written response and "plan of action" from the WIAA, is how can the WIAA go back on their initial ruling.  That makes no sense.  They made a decision and whether right or wrong the student athletes at De Pere should not be punished after that initial ruling.

I know there is precedent for this in volleyball, not sure about other sports.  However volleyball is a team competition and besides the 16 teams left in the team state tournament, wrestling is now an individual event.  I would have understood initially punishing the team from advancing to team sectionals, but for most wrestling is now an individual event.  The De Pere boys do not deserve to be punished.  

I do hope the WIAA actually shows some human decency at this point.  I also hope that us in the wrestling community can band together and nudge the WIAA to make the right decision.  Punish the team next year, but not the individuals this year after they were already allowed to compete last week.

[Preparewrestlingcoach]

Rules are rules...every coach is aware of these rules and it is on both the AD and the Coach...all they had to do was realize the error and sit out the conference tournament. The only way to punish the coach is to sit the kids.

[aarons23]

Rules are rules...every coach is aware of these rules and it is on both the AD and the Coach...all they had to do was realize the error and sit out the conference tournament. The only way to punish the coach is to sit the kids.

I was told the coaches agreed to resign....that should have been the end of it.

[DocWrestling]

This is a horrible predicament.  I am not fond of many of the WIAA decisions.  This is obviously a clear cut violation and I guess I would lay a lot more of the blame on the coach.  In order to move forward the WIAA has to have consequences.  I would like to know what the consequences were when they allowed them to wrestle at regionals?  What changed?  I think everyone agrees on that but what should the consequences be?  Give your thoughts as to what they should be. Be realistic and they should be fair and they should be stern enough to deter this from ever happening again and makes people take notice to pay more attention in the future.  Put your feet in the shoes of the WIAA.

1) Wrestlers declared ineligible-  WIAA choice
2) Consequences to the coach?-  What can be done here?  Suspension?
3) Consequences for AD?  What can be done here?

Looks like Depere has 2 seniors who are the most greatly affected and one was likely to qualify and possibly win it all.  Could you actually compromise and declare all wrestlers ineligible except for those 2 seniors?  That could also set a bad precedent because it would make it individual rather than team

[bulldog]

I agree...this is hurting the athlete and not the guy that set the schedule. He is going to say he feels bad and it is unfortunate that it happened but he is still an AD. I do hope these kids will be able to compete at Sectionals. I will make a call to Wade and tell him I hope they rule in favor of the athlete

But as crossface seemed to be indicating, the coach is also responsible. (Sorry if I put words into your mouth Crossface). He needed to know the schedule and be aware of how it fit into the WIAA rules. An AD is dealing with 20 different sports. The AD cannot possibly be an expert on all of the sports. So at some point the coach needed to take a look at the schedule and say "this doesn't work". And at some point the coach needed to take ownership of the schedule of his program. There is more to being a head coach then the practice room and meets.

But the Devil's Advocate in me asks "when should the entire team be held responsible?". If the AD messes up the team shouldn't share the consequences? What if it is the coach? What if one of the athletes violates a rule that causes the team to be suspended is that fair? What if it is 5 athletes? Where is the line drawn?

I think the WIAA is in a tough situation. Do they bend to be fair to the athletes or do they hold fast to enforce their rules? Good Luck to De Pere. Hope to see those kids on the mat this weekend

[LaValle]

This is a horrible predicament.  I am not fond of many of the WIAA decisions.  This is obviously a clear cut violation and I guess I would lay a lot more of the blame on the coach.  In order to move forward the WIAA has to have consequences.  I would like to know what the consequences were when they allowed them to wrestle at regionals?  What changed?  I think everyone agrees on that but what should the consequences be?  Give your thoughts as to what they should be. Be realistic and they should be fair and they should be stern enough to deter this from ever happening again and makes people take notice to pay more attention in the future.  Put your feet in the shoes of the WIAA.

1) Wrestlers declared ineligible-  WIAA choice
2) Consequences to the coach?-  What can be done here?  Suspension?
3) Consequences for AD?  What can be done here?

Looks like Depere has 2 seniors who are the most greatly affected and one was likely to qualify and possibly win it all.  Could you actually compromise and declare all wrestlers ineligible except for those 2 seniors?  That could also set a bad precedent because it would make it individual rather than team

WIAA has to come up with sanctions against the school not the athletes.  The school then needs to determine what should be done with coach and AD.
WIAA Sanctions
1. Place school on probation (2-3 years) If another occurrence during that time then an immediate 1 year WIAA revocation for all sports
2. School not allowed to host any WIAA post season event (any sport) period of 2 years

That should be enough to get the school boards attention

Don't punish the athletes

7   10   Sam Bruss   De Pere   9 - 106lbs
HM   HM   George Lopez   De Pere   11 - 113lbs
11   HM(138)   Maxwell Bruss   De Pere   11  - 132lbs
3   3   Trevor Turriff   De Pere   12 - 160lbs
HM   NR   Charlie Hooyman   De Pere   10 - 182lbs

[Nobody]

Rules are rules...every coach is aware of these rules and it is on both the AD and the Coach...all they had to do was realize the error and sit out the conference tournament. The only way to punish the coach is to sit the kids.

De Pere does not have a conference tournment

[buc65]

This is a horrible predicament.  I am not fond of many of the WIAA decisions.  This is obviously a clear cut violation and I guess I would lay a lot more of the blame on the coach.  In order to move forward the WIAA has to have consequences.  I would like to know what the consequences were when they allowed them to wrestle at regionals?  What changed?  I think everyone agrees on that but what should the consequences be?  Give your thoughts as to what they should be. Be realistic and they should be fair and they should be stern enough to deter this from ever happening again and makes people take notice to pay more attention in the future.  Put your feet in the shoes of the WIAA.

1) Wrestlers declared ineligible-  WIAA choice
2) Consequences to the coach?-  What can be done here?  Suspension?
3) Consequences for AD?  What can be done here?

Looks like Depere has 2 seniors who are the most greatly affected and one was likely to qualify and possibly win it all.  Could you actually compromise and declare all wrestlers ineligible except for those 2 seniors?  That could also set a bad precedent because it would make it individual rather than team

WIAA has to come up with sanctions against the school not the athletes.  The school then needs to determine what should be done with coach and AD.
WIAA Sanctions
1. Place school on probation (2-3 years) If another occurrence during that time then an immediate 1 year WIAA revocation for all sports
2. School not allowed to host any WIAA post season event (any sport) period of 2 years

That should be enough to get the school boards attention

Don't punish the athletes

7   10   Sam Bruss   De Pere   9 - 106lbs
HM   HM   George Lopez   De Pere   11 - 113lbs
11   HM(138)   Maxwell Bruss   De Pere   11  - 132lbs
3   3   Trevor Turriff   De Pere   12 - 160lbs
HM   NR   Charlie Hooyman   De Pere   10 - 182lbs

Why should athletes in other sports, be punished because the wrestling coach didn't follow the rules?  The rules are clearly stated on the maximum number of competitions.  The other sports at the school should not be affected or face potential consequences because of the inability for a wrestling coach to follow the rules.

[onwisconsin]

Well said LaValle!

No one can dispute De Pere scheduled incorrectly. However, the WIAA made a ruling 2 weeks ago allowing them to compete in the post season tournament. To go back on their initial decision is just wrong. 

[Ghetto]

Same thing happened to Westosha's volleyball team.

If it was my program, it would fall directly on my shoulders as the head coach. I would have been to blame. The kids suffer. The WIAA has to stand by the rules, as harsh as they are. They should never have allowed them to wrestle in regionals and create a larger mess.