Fargo - rant #1 - the good

[Ranger123 43]

Actually the great. I have a lot of comments, but want to start by recognizing the positives. 

- first ever Freestyle National Champion with Cadet Zeke Escalera

- another year earning multiple All Americans with Junior Brandon Reed placing 7th

- that's back to back years with multiple All Americans

- after a drought of All Americans from 1997 to 2011 (not counting women), we have earned at least one All American for 5 years in a row and 6 of the last 7

 

Ky All American History at Cadet/Junior Freestyle/Greco Nationals

1991 - Mike Benson 8th JR FS

1994 - Joe Carr Jr 7th CD FS

1995 - Joe Carr Jr 4th JR FS

1996 - Joe Carr Jr 5th JR FS

1997 - Joe Carr Jr 2nd JR FS

2011 - Kevin Cooper 5th JR FS

2013 - Sean Fausz 8th JR FS

2014 - Austin Myers 3rd JR FS

2014 - Austin Myers 6th JR GR

2015 - Austin Myers 3rd JR FS

2016 - Ryan Moore 7th CD FS

2016 - Brandon Reed 4th JR GR

2017 - Zeke Escalera 1st CD FS

2017 - Brandon Reed 7th JR FS

 

I also want to recognize the kids who put in the time, effort, energy, and $ to prepare for and compete at such a tremendous event. 

Cadets - Jarrett Sanders, Alex Rivera, Dalton Russelburg, Isaiah Newberry, Jordan Bates, Nathaniel Lawrence, Payne Carr, Tony Ornelas, Zeke Escalera

Juniors - Ryan Moore, Brandon Reed, Corey Knoth, Chris Allen, Derrick Witmer

These are not all of our top ranked or most accomplished kids, but definitely a bunch of young men who are committed to working hard and improving on the mat. I know I will be rooting for these guys when we get into the regular season. 

[kdsmith27 14]

Well Said

[DrBaker 497]

I honestly didn't know about so many different freestyle and Greco opportunities until I got on this forum. Lots of chances to get better in the "off season". The guys that went to Fargo show that they want to get better. Still makes me wonder where all the other elite Ky wrestlers were. 

 

[DevilDad 8]

6 hours ago, DrBaker said:

I honestly didn't know about so many different freestyle and Greco opportunities until I got on this forum. Lots of chances to get better in the "off season". The guys that went to Fargo show that they want to get better. Still makes me wonder where all the other elite Ky wrestlers were. 

 

Unfortunately a lot of kids don't get exposed to freestyle or Greco wrestling. Coaches seem to focus on folkstyle and folkstyle only in our area. I would love to see more kids learning freestyle or Greco because from what I understand, it improves your folkstyle. That said, congratulations to the Kentucky kids that competed!!! Is it October yet?!?!

[REscalera 189]

1 hour ago, DevilDad said:

Unfortunately a lot of kids don't get exposed to freestyle or Greco wrestling. Coaches seem to focus on folkstyle and folkstyle only in our area. I would love to see more kids learning freestyle or Greco because from what I understand, it improves your folkstyle. That said, congratulations to the Kentucky kids that competed!!! Is it October yet?!?!

What part of the state are you in?   Maybe we can help lead you in the direction of some areas/coaches working freestyle/greco. 

[coachteater 70]

Although I will say many coaches "seem" to focus only on the folkstyle,but they try to do freestyle and Greco too in many cases.  It also lays on the kids as well to show interest.

I've tried to learn more myself and integrate it in, but the kids reject it and at times seem to down right hate it. I think it's largely a fear of failure. It's unfamiliar and push away, because they dont want to fail. I see this especially in some of my better wrestlers who have had some success in folkstyle,  they feel like they are going backwards.  Seems like the kids who have took to it best are the newer ones who don't know any better. Just my 2 cents. 

[Ranger123 43]

That will be addressed in a later rant #3 coming soon. 

[Ranger123 43]

Let's focus this on the kids putting in the effort and making improvements and making history. 

[Melissao6969 1]

Exactly!!!!

[Ranger123 43]

I almost forgot. Have to give a big pat on the back to our 5 boys who competed in both styles. This was the first year I was in Fargo for the full grind of freestyle and Greco. I always had an appreciation for the accomplishment of double AA. But after finally experiencing that monster week I am amazed at kids just competing in both styles. I believe 5 is provably a record for KY. Kudos to those boys for sticking it out, getting on board for making weight up to 4 times, and battling through a full week of competition. And I have a totally new appreciation for any kid who can bring home a double AA from Fargo. 

[DevilDad 8]

On 7/25/2017 at 8:04 PM, REscalera said:

What part of the state are you in?   Maybe we can help lead you in the direction of some areas/coaches working freestyle/greco. 

Ranger covered it pretty well. Although my son "won" freestyle state last year in his weight class, he's never had the first formal lesson. We're in Lexington. Of course, we could go to CWA and get some privates and he eventually will,  but how many other kids will? Kentucky still has a long way to go, in my opinion, to get more young men to be competitive in freestyle or Greco. And I've formed this opinion over the last 6 years. We have to start implementing both styles in our HS practices to eventually have a better turnout in Fargo. Take 30 minutes and spend 15 minutes per discipline going over some of the techniques. If our coaches don't, we'll end up falling off the radar. Kentucky has produced some real studs to enter college or the next level the past few years. Let's produce Olympians!!! And congrats to Zeke!!! And congrats to any of these young men who aren't afraid to try new things, win or lose. Everyone needs to lose. It's how you come back that defines you as a person and as a wrestler. Is it October yet?!?! And by no means am I bashing coaches. These guys have lives and families too. Their job is often thankless but they're molding our kids to succeed in life off the mat as well as on it.