Looking for Good Matches

[figure4match]

I may get a few posters upset about my rant, But here it goes!! First, USA Wrestling needs Middle School Wrestling to keep the sport alive and introduce to new kids (I get that). But as a parent I have a hard time taking my kid out of a talented wrestling room with good partners and coaching which is better than what they could achieve in a Middle School program just for the sake of the program. All of the post on the High School site forum about forfeits and team holes. Bigger problem with MS!! How can a talented Middle School wrestler advance in a room with limited partners and maybe Daddy coaches? I'm not claiming to be in the know on the in and outs of the WV Middle School rules that regulate WV Middle School Sports. But a few of these rules seem to hold back the advancement of kids that want to achieve and build on their sport [An athlete is only has good has the people they surround themselves with and will only perform to the expectation with the competition that they meet]. I would rather take my wrestler to legit team dual or quality tournament in Pa., Oh, Va and WV than take 5 hrs trip for a Middle School bout were you may only have 2 matches with no quality opponents. Second, I applaud the group (WVYWA) that is in the attempt to build and advance Youth and Middle School wrestling in this state. I hope that it continues to separate from regional sponsored regime that this state endured for many years. My only gripe about the change from last year to this year is that 6th graders 12yr or younger have their on division in the New State Tournament. I also believe in this tournament that QTR finals and up should be 1. 1/2 min periods long. All in all it was a good tournament and I hope that it is better this year.
To conclude, this is all about building/ preparing our children for High School.

[mattman]

I'm not sure where your from but there are several highly respected middle school coaches in the state. 99% of the best high school wrestlers in the state came right through their middle school programs.

[Bobtail]

Then why have your kid wrestle high school? Why not keep them out of that too so you can get him ready for college?

[Gator]

Braxton Amos won Fargo this year in both Cadet Greco and Freestyle at 195. He wrestled Middle School at Edison in Wood County, but also worked with as many well qualified coaches, better and older wrestlers and had a family that totally supported him.

A humble young man who has never thought he was bigger than the sport of wrestling.

c41d09a17a1f95886f4e798a867fa832.jpg (37.28 KiB) Viewed 3703 times

[mattman]

Braxton Amos won Fargo this year in both Cadet Greco and Freestyle at 195. He wrestled Middle School at Edison in Wood County, but also worked with as many well qualified coaches, better and older wrestlers and had a family that totally supported him.

A humble young man who has never thought he was bigger than the sport of wrestling.


c41d09a17a1f95886f4e798a867fa832.jpg

I agree coach, I think Amos just falls into that very slim category that is the talent and he works very hard. Flo did an interview with Braxton and I loved the headline! "Stay outa my weight class" that's really making a statement. Braxton has been winning his whole life. Did he ever lose a jr state tournament match? I know he has the record with something crazy like 10-11 JR state titles. I can't recall him ever losing a match in that tournament.

[Gator]

I think Braxton won 11 straight Junior titles. Most people never caught the rest of his, "Stay out of my weight class" statement. He added, " to make it easier".

[johnroberts]

Some school districts do not allow any travel outside of their county unless it is a county next to them and as long as it isn't overnight. If your kid goes to one of those schools that have the rules like that, then I don't blame you for keeping them to independent or club teams. I don't know why some principals (not the WVSSAC) sets these rules up that way but they do. Wood County schools are not that way and support all sports. I don't agree with all the rules but over all we have there total support to advance the sports in school. That is why we have great programs and community support year in and year out. My son wrestled all over the country as long as he followed the rules that the school put forth. Most Middle school (if not all, I don't know for sure) practices start right after school and end by 6 and most club team practices start at 6 and end at 8 so I don't know why your child can get a double practice in if his school team is not up to your standards. But if you are using the "daddy coaches", or your child just hasn't won the wrestle off, or some other excuse to justify why your child isn't wrestling middle school than in my opinion you are making a mistake. The kids generally love wresting and supporting their school that they attend and the season is only about 12 weeks out of the year. Just my opinion

[Frank]

Some school districts do not allow any travel outside of their county unless it is a county next to them and as long as it isn't overnight. If your kid goes to one of those schools that have the rules like that, then I don't blame you for keeping them to independent or club teams. I don't know why some principals (not the WVSSAC) sets these rules up that way but they do. Wood County schools are not that way and support all sports. I don't agree with all the rules but over all we have there total support to advance the sports in school. That is why we have great programs and community support year in and year out. My son wrestled all over the country as long as he followed the rules that the school put forth. Most Middle school (if not all, I don't know for sure) practices start right after school and end by 6 and most club team practices start at 6 and end at 8 so I don't know why your child can get a double practice in if his school team is not up to your standards. But if you are using the "daddy coaches", or your child just hasn't won the wrestle off, or some other excuse to justify why your child isn't wrestling middle school than in my opinion you are making a mistake. The kids generally love wresting and supporting their school that they attend and the season is only about 12 weeks out of the year. Just my opinion

I agree completely

[figure4match]

Some school districts do not allow any travel outside of their county unless it is a county next to them and as long as it isn't overnight. If your kid goes to one of those schools that have the rules like that, then I don't blame you for keeping them to independent or club teams. I don't know why some principals (not the WVSSAC) sets these rules up that way but they do. Wood County schools are not that way and support all sports. I don't agree with all the rules but over all we have there total support to advance the sports in school. That is why we have great programs and community support year in and year out. My son wrestled all over the country as long as he followed the rules that the school put forth. Most Middle school (if not all, I don't know for sure) practices start right after school and end by 6 and most club team practices start at 6 and end at 8 so I don't know why your child can get a double practice in if his school team is not up to your standards. But if you are using the "daddy coaches", or your child just hasn't won the wrestle off, or some other excuse to justify why your child isn't wrestling middle school than in my opinion you are making a mistake. The kids generally love wresting and supporting their school that they attend and the season is only about 12 weeks out of the year. Just my opinion

My frustration is connected to the time that MS wrestling takes and getting quality opponents in MS sponsored matches. My son and his travel team members are not worried about going to two practices within a day. The grip that I have is we have 20 kids show up at the start of the season at a given Middle School and through attrition the team or teams are down to 5 wrestlers after a month and half into the season.
Sure Wood county and some other schools or county's (very few) have a more established circuit for coaches and team building. The problem is building in area's were wrestling isn't as established or an after thought. If you have a talented club room why would you spend your weekends going to a MS event that you'll be lucky to get 1 good match on a weekend where you can choose to go and get 4-5 tough matches pending on the region that you travel.
If people within the state want the sport to grow they need to take the blinders off and look at the whole state and it affairs with wrestling. I have a hard time letting my kid fall on the sword just to help build a program that we may be with for only one or two years and then hopefully spill into High School to build it's program. I'm not here to beat my chest and say my kid should be ranked or is some great phenomenon that is a gift to this sport. He likes to compete and understands to improve or get better it takes hard work and teammates with the same mind set (hard to find in the same school and or graphic area). In regards to the Daddy Coach. That is all some of these programs have and my hat off to them for volunteering their time but it isn't the same level that some clubs, rooms have and because of hand cuffs that are placed by MS due to the county not allowing a child to either do both or make it pretty darn hard for them to compete on two different arenas.
My stance is things need to change and change fast. The sport is declining in numbers and it's not as attractive to all as we would to think that it is. Sure, the State of WV has pockets of strong programs from youth to High School. But many are falling aside and due to budgets cuts that some counties may face in the very near future. MS and HS wresting could get the ax.
I want the sport to grow not hold it back.

[mscoach57]

I would love to know specifically which rules you are talking about when you say "a few of these rules seem to hold back the advancement of kids that want to achieve and build on their sport"

Travel? We have it better than any of the surrounding states. WV's rule is very simple and unless you have a middle school meet the day of Tulsa or VAC or PowerAde then I don't see the problem. The ultra talented club coach can sit in Johnny's corner at all of these tough events without that awful MS coach screwing things up for him. Ask someone from Pennsylvania who has to pick between club or school and there is no middle ground. Talk to someone from Ohio or Virginia who deal with points and specific cutoff dates, you need to be a math whiz to know if it is legal.

Practice partners? Other than going into another middle school room or a high school room, WV allows middle school wrestlers to practice wherever they please after their middle school practice. FWIW, you couldn't legally go into another middle school or high school room if you limited yourself to club either.

Coaching? You have a genuine objection to having your MS coach go through a CPR/First Aid certification? You have a genuine objection to your middle school coach being subject to a background/sex offender check? The original post about daddy coaches sounds of sour grapes. Wrestling is one of the very few sports where the wrestlers choose the team. I have sat in the stands of football, soccer, baseball, and basketball games and heard parents or experts explain why the coach was screwing up by not playing Johhny instead of Jimmy. Wrestling matches don't have that as much because if Johnny can make grades and make weight then he will have the opportunity to take Jimmy's spot regardless of what the coach or anyone else thinks.

Competition? If it is your position that there is no one on a middle school team in the state who can give your son a match then I would recommend that he participate on the middle school team because he can help his classmates get better and he'll pick up chicks, then afterwards he can go to the club and sharpen his iron with the other iron. Peer teaching by using the better wrestlers to teach in small groups is a very good way to help the newer wrestlers and it reinforces good habits with the better wrestlers.

We don't have things so bad in WV. The middle school system does more good than harm. Don't spend time or energy blasting middle school coaches even if they are daddy coaches because many of them are doing it for free and having to pay for the background checks and classes. Good luck to you and your son whichever decision you make. It sounds like he is very talented and will do well whichever way you choose.

[timamos]

My frustration is connected to the time that MS wrestling takes and getting quality opponents in MS sponsored matches. My son and his travel team members are not worried about going to two practices within a day. The gripe that I have is we have 20 kids show up at the start of the season at a given Middle School and through attrition the team or teams are down to 5 wrestlers after a month and half into the season.
If 75% of your team quit in 6 weeks there is a problem

If you have a talented club room why would you spend your weekends going to a MS event that you'll be lucky to get 1 good match on a weekend where you can choose to go and get 4-5 tough matches pending on the region that you travel.
Talk to your coach about going to good middle school tournaments. There are some out there. Feel free to message me and I will give you information on the ones that I thought were good.

I'm not here to beat my chest and say my kid should be ranked or is some great phenomenon that is a gift to this sport. He likes to compete and understands to improve or get better it takes hard work and teammates with the same mind set (hard to find in the same school and or graphic area).
That is frustrating but you are missing a silver lining. If there are only five kids on the team then use the school practice to work on learning technique, improving strength, or cardio conditioning and use your club practice to get your hard drills and or live goes in.