Heavydad 3 Report post Posted February 19, 2020 On 2/11/2020 at 4:47 PM, Coach Livingston said: Overall, outstanding job by the KFWC, our KY coaches, and kids at both MS and Youth tournaments. I especially enjoyed the coach’s lounge with constant food and beverages. There was plenty of seating and the security staff was pleasant. I’d have to agree on the larger mat space for the Novice - Middle School Divisions at the Youth tournament. These ages have likely been wrestling middle school Saturday matches throughout the season. As a solution, I would suggest having the pee wee and bantam wrestle on mats divided in quarters, the intermediates wrestle on mats divided in half, and novice/MS divisions on full mats. Again, outstanding job by the KFWC. The MS parade of champions was a great experience for our kids. Thanks!! There is no way to wrestle on a quarter mat..... seriously 4 matches on one mat. That's 16 coaches yelling 4 refs blowing whistles and a ungodly amount of parents screaming. I would not want my Wrestlers on quarter mats..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
halfhalfhalf 121 Report post Posted February 19, 2020 3 hours ago, Heavydad said: There is no way to wrestle on a quarter mat..... seriously 4 matches on one mat. That's 16 coaches yelling 4 refs blowing whistles and a ungodly amount of parents screaming. I would not want my Wrestlers on quarter mats..... I maybe lost here but.... most youth tournaments I have been too the little kids wrestle on 1/4 mats. It's been this way since I was involved in wrestling...... I get the yelling and all that but it still has been that way at almost every youth tourney ive ever been too. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Livingston 16 Report post Posted February 19, 2020 6 hours ago, Heavydad said: There is no way to wrestle on a quarter mat..... seriously 4 matches on one mat. That's 16 coaches yelling 4 refs blowing whistles and a ungodly amount of parents screaming. I would not want my Wrestlers on quarter mats..... It’s extremely common to wrestle on 1/4 mats for the little kids. They don’t need a half mat nor a full mat to wrestle on. If you travel outside of Kentucky (which you might, not judging), you will see many 1/4 mats for the little ones. This year’s Region 4 Youth Regional Tournament was a great example of using 1/4s. My coaching staff had no complaints. Again, I like the dialogue of making our Kentucky tournaments better, but I’m also going to suggest a solution to the “problem.” Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heavydad 3 Report post Posted February 20, 2020 On 2/19/2020 at 11:01 AM, Coach Livingston said: It’s extremely common to wrestle on 1/4 mats for the little kids. They don’t need a half mat nor a full mat to wrestle on. If you travel outside of Kentucky (which you might, not judging), you will see many 1/4 mats for the little ones. This year’s Region 4 Youth Regional Tournament was a great example of using 1/4s. My coaching staff had no complaints. Again, I like the dialogue of making our Kentucky tournaments better, but I’m also going to suggest a solution to the “problem.” We just moved from Oklahoma. And I haven't seen or thought of having that many kids going on 1 mat. We have traveled to different states and haven't seen it. Not saying it hasn't been done but let me say this. The little kids bust their butts just as much as the bigger kids. And deserve as much mat as the bigger kids get. My suggestion is this it's the state tournament, just deal with it being so long and drawn out. I want more focus on the kids that made the finals. At least give them a finalist singlet. Maybe introduce them as their match starts 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heavydad 3 Report post Posted February 20, 2020 On 2/19/2020 at 8:38 AM, halfhalfhalf said: I maybe lost here but.... most youth tournaments I have been too the little kids wrestle on 1/4 mats. It's been this way since I was involved in wrestling...... I get the yelling and all that but it still has been that way at almost every youth tourney ive ever been too. I haven't seen this. And I wouldn't want it. Just from a safety reasons 8 kids, 4 refs, 12 coaches on 1 mat. That is alot of movement on one mat. We have traveled all over Wrestling and haven't seen it. I have seen half mats. But it's State!!! Give these kid their due and give them 1/2 mat or a full mat if they make the finals....it's a big deal to them no matter their age Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
halfhalfhalf 121 Report post Posted February 20, 2020 5 minutes ago, Heavydad said: I haven't seen this. And I wouldn't want it. Just from a safety reasons 8 kids, 4 refs, 12 coaches on 1 mat. That is alot of movement on one mat. We have traveled all over Wrestling and haven't seen it. I have seen half mats. But it's State!!! Give these kid their due and give them 1/2 mat or a full mat if they make the finals....it's a big deal to them no matter their age I still do not see the point. I thought the goal of youth wrestling was mat time.. So cutting the mat in 4 makes sense. Again, I don't see it as a safety issue like you say. Most referees have mat awareness to stop a match if the kids get too close to each other. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Heavydad 3 Report post Posted February 20, 2020 1 hour ago, halfhalfhalf said: I still do not see the point. I thought the goal of youth wrestling was mat time.. So cutting the mat in 4 makes sense. Again, I don't see it as a safety issue like you say. Most referees have mat awareness to stop a match if the kids get too close to each other. Mat time is during the season...I'm all for it....but at the STATE tournament it should be about the kids wrestling....it should be a huge deal. Almost like the biggest tournament of their young lives. Not just heard them in and put them on 1/4 and go home. That to me make the state tournament look cheap. I understand people want to go home it was a long trip. But it's State. It's gonna be crowded,loud....as it should be....it should be bigger,louder....and a huge deal should be made of it. Not this whinning about 1/4 mats or it took to long or location. It's State.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naplesme 58 Report post Posted February 21, 2020 8 hours ago, Heavydad said: We just moved from Oklahoma. And I haven't seen or thought of having that many kids going on 1 mat. We have traveled to different states and haven't seen it. Not saying it hasn't been done but let me say this. The little kids bust their butts just as much as the bigger kids. And deserve as much mat as the bigger kids get. My suggestion is this it's the state tournament, just deal with it being so long and drawn out. I want more focus on the kids that made the finals. At least give them a finalist singlet. Maybe introduce them as their match starts So instead of 2,3, or 4 champions per weight class have one. One big bracket, one champion. It will run faster and the Finals can be a big deal. jm2c Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MLee 68 Report post Posted February 22, 2020 I’d be more concerned about participation than the format. Based on Track’s #’s, we had a decrease of almost 20% this year vs last year. I recall a season of 1200+ youth only kids. This year we had under 1000 and that includes 200+ MS aged kids. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kytn 3 Report post Posted February 22, 2020 It will be interesting to see if numbers go back up if the tournament eventually gets back to a more central location 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites