State Tournament Follow Up

[tcats 4]

23 hours ago, Wrestling123 said:

KHSAA better be handing Basketball trophies out in boxes and not letting the team take pictures on the floor if a wrestling team can’t take a picture with their trophy. 

 

[1555 5]

Oops

[BigBossMan 21]

After seeing photos from the first round of the Boys Sweet Sixteen, I am quickly reminded of how different things are in Rupp Arena compared to a high school gym. What it's like having a student section to cheer on your class mates.

[Wrestling123 5]

 

[NO-OX 1 120]

We have to figure out a way to do better for our Wrestlers 

[bestmistake33 28]

7 hours ago, Wrestling123 said:

 

Wow that looks awesome.   Meanwhile moving the mats for finals is an act of God.  
 

Also saw they handed the trophy out on the court, let players cut down the nets, let parents celebrate with their kids, and rushed the court.   
 

Where was Tackett and Barren regulating?

[Ranger123 43]

Conveniently timed bathroom break. Or maybe chik-fila delivered to hospitality room at just the right moment. 
 

Nothing at all against the basketball folks for doing things the right way. More of a black eye on us for not finding a way to give our kids what they deserved. Shame on us and our lack of leadership. 

[Wrestling123 5]

Exactly. I’m happy the kids that play basketball get this kind of celebration and reward. I just can not comprehend why wrestlers don’t get this kind of treatment too. Is is that hard to move a mat to the center? To turn down the lights and shine a spotlight on our kids accomplishments? To put them on a podium? 

[VisionQuest 64]

There was also team trophy presentations for semi-final losers.  

[VisionQuest 64]

Results for the Ky State Wrestling Championship were published in the Lexington Herald Leader today on the back page of the paper.  In all honesty I didn’t think they were going to be published this year.  Who is responsible for getting the results out to the public?  

[bestmistake33 28]

13 hours ago, Ranger123 said:

Conveniently timed bathroom break. Or maybe chik-fila delivered to hospitality room at just the right moment. 
 

Nothing at all against the basketball folks for doing things the right way. More of a black eye on us for not finding a way to give our kids what they deserved. Shame on us and our lack of leadership. 

KY Wrestling Leadership should send those videos and pictures to Tackett, Barren, and the entire BOC on repeat until next February.  
 

Get AD’s on board and send emails to the entire BOC and KBE on copy.  Make someone be accountable.   

[grappler-of-old 44]

5 hours ago, bestmistake33 said:

KY Wrestling Leadership should send those videos and pictures to Tackett, Barren, and the entire BOC on repeat until next February.  
 

Get AD’s on board and send emails to the entire BOC and KBE on copy.  Make someone be accountable.   

After seeing this video, I for one am very disappointed in KHSAA and Mr. Barren and Mr. Tackett. BUT 

Lets make sure we are not trying to punish Basketball, just show that we were not treated equally. I don't want to take away from any high school athlete.  It is not the kids fault. 

[Ranger123 43]

1 hour ago, grappler-of-old said:

After seeing this video, I for one am very disappointed in KHSAA and Mr. Barren and Mr. Tackett. BUT 

Lets make sure we are not trying to punish Basketball, just show that we were not treated equally. I don't want to take away from any high school athlete.  It is not the kids fault. 

I don’t think anyone is criticizing basketball at all. It’s 100% on the Westling folks who told us this absolutely could not happen. 

[rjs4470 103]

19 hours ago, Ranger123 said:

I don’t think anyone is criticizing basketball at all. It’s 100% on the Westling folks who told us this absolutely could not happen. 

It’s very disappointing though that the wrestling community dutifully followed the rules despite strongly disagreeing, while the same guidelines were likely in place in place for basketball and were just simply ignored by both the teams and the KHSAA. I’ve tried my best to be supportive and understand the decision making process of why the KHSAA does what it does. And I get that basketball is likely the number one sport in terms of participation (at least in number of schools playing), and that the Sweet 16 is the premier event in the state. But every other sport has had to make pretty serious concessions, while outside of some attendance limitations, the Basketball post season was business as usual. I’m very involved in the Football community, and they are having similar conversations as to why the basketball post season seemingly had no real limitation, and got such a big production.

I don’t begrudge the basketball players, coaches or teams. This is all on the KHSAA.

[grappler-of-old 44]

I will tell you that I know the dad of the winning teams head coach.  He tried to get onto the floor to congratulate his son. He was stopped by a security guard and told they could not go down this year.  The security officer told him that KHSAA got on the security officers for the lack of security the night before.  The winning teams players were given their medals by their coach after they left the building and not by KHSAA officials as usual.  There was a little change in the event but by no way the change that the wresting state tournament had to endure. 

[Old wrestler 92]

Good grief. Never seen so many grown men whine. We got to wrestle. Other states weren’t as fortunate. If we’re expecting to have the same treatment as basketball, then we better bring in the same community interest (this is in reference to the venue/excitement, not covid protocols). Seems like this board has been non stop complaining for the past couple of months (semi state format, venue, podium, etc). If you picked wrestling for the recognition, you picked the wrong sport. I don’t believe one kid tried any less to win a title this year because it was in a hs gym, and if they did than that says more about their competitive spirit then it does about the KHSAA. We’re a niche sport. Not sure when we forgot that (actually, that felt like one of the endearing qualities when I was growing up, blue collar mentality). I fully expect to get flamed for this response, but I think the Kentucky wresting community needs a dose of reality, not picking unnecessary fights with the KHSAA. 

[BigBossMan 21]

19 minutes ago, Old wrestler said:

Good grief. Never seen so many grown men whine. We got to wrestle. Other states weren’t as fortunate. If we’re expecting to have the same treatment as basketball, then we better bring in the same community interest (this is in reference to the venue/excitement, not covid protocols). Seems like this board has been non stop complaining for the past couple of months (semi state format, venue, podium, etc). If you picked wrestling for the recognition, you picked the wrong sport. I don’t believe one kid tried any less to win a title this year because it was in a hs gym, and if they did than that says more about their competitive spirit then it does about the KHSAA. We’re a niche sport. Not sure when we forgot that (actually, that felt like one of the endearing qualities when I was growing up, blue collar mentality). I fully expect to get flamed for this response, but I think the Kentucky wresting community needs a dose of reality, not picking unnecessary fights with the KHSAA. 

Great perspective. But there a lot of people across the state and on this forum who have gone to great lengths to grow the sport in KY so that it is no longer a niche sport. The talent and level of competition has increased due more to what has taken place at the youth and middle school levels than anything the KHSAA has provided. Imagine if the carryover from youth and middle school was met with the same amount of support? Coaches and board members going out of there way to provide a top notch experience year after year only to be shut out by the powers that be at the high school level. The KHSAA and their pompous and arrogant attitude which has been repeatedly displayed prior to this year was only personified more this year. And who are the ones that were impacted the most? The wrestlers. The KHSAA failed them only to fill their coffers $$$. I personally hope it was worth it. 

[Ranger123 43]

I somewhat disagree with great perspective. The whining has nothing to do with being treated the same as basketball. No one expects that. But you can’t crap on our event in the name of safety and use a different standard for basketball. How was it unsafe for Union county to huddle with the team trophy at George Rogers Clark HS, but Highlands is able to cut down the nets and celebrate on the court their great accomplishment at Rupp Arena?

 

I’ve never said we should be in Rupp. Never claimed we should get any special consideration. Wrestling is not basketball and doesn’t have the following.  But a lot of good people have put in a lot of hard work for years to get us where we are today and we don’t deserve to be treated as an afterthought on someone’s to-do list. 

[grappler-of-old 44]

2 hours ago, Old wrestler said:

. Other states weren’t as fortunate. 

I keep hearing this statement. What other states were not as fortunate?  Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri all had their tourney. 

And if they did not was it all winter sports or just wrestling? 

[Old wrestler 92]

With minimal research (could be more, but found this relatively easy) Vermont. 
 

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/November/03/Vermont-cancels-high-school-wrestling

 

Based off the article it appears wrestling and indoor track did not take place. 
 

*updated New York, too. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.syracuse.com/highschoolsports/2021/02/a-nys-high-school-wrestling-championship-yes-but-its-held-in-pa-see-cny-roster.html%3foutputType=amp

**updated Connecticut 

https://ctwrestling.com/2021/01/before-it-even-began-the-wrestling-season-is-over/3742/

 

***updated Maine

https://www.pressherald.com/2021/02/26/maines-high-school-wrestling-season-officially-canceled/#

 

**** updated Nevada 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.rgj.com/amp/6680211002

 

***** updated Rhode Island (still in limbo, but this late in to the school year it doesn’t look good). 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.providencejournal.com/amp/6817510002

 

https://www.win-magazine.com/2020/12/18/update-on-2020-21-us-high-school-seasons/

Good resource to educate some people on this board. We weren’t perfect, but A. we got to wrestle and B. we didn’t have to deal with some of the restrictions other states had to deal with this season. 

Long story short, we all want more for our kids, myself included. But complaining about every aspect of this season has not been constructive. 

[Wrestling123 5]

3 hours ago, Old wrestler said:

Good grief. Never seen so many grown men whine. We got to wrestle. Other states weren’t as fortunate. If we’re expecting to have the same treatment as basketball, then we better bring in the same community interest (this is in reference to the venue/excitement, not covid protocols). Seems like this board has been non stop complaining for the past couple of months (semi state format, venue, podium, etc). If you picked wrestling for the recognition, you picked the wrong sport. I don’t believe one kid tried any less to win a title this year because it was in a hs gym, and if they did than that says more about their competitive spirit then it does about the KHSAA. We’re a niche sport. Not sure when we forgot that (actually, that felt like one of the endearing qualities when I was growing up, blue collar mentality). I fully expect to get flamed for this response, but I think the Kentucky wresting community needs a dose of reality, not picking unnecessary fights with the KHSAA. 

Looking beyond Covid restrictions this year, we should just be happy with what the KHSAA says we get? I think wrestlers already understand they don’t get the crowds basketball does. Sure basketball has a bigger following, but why does that equal our wrestlers get a sub par experience. Did you ever watch the State Wrestling Tournament when it was in Frankfort?The atmosphere there was electric. Even though this was supposed to be an exception year, I think it was also a pilot experiment. I can understand Region, Semi-State and State. I can understand how it saves the KHSAA money to move wrestling to a HS gym. But atmosphere CAN be made in a HS gym. It took coaches moving mats at the Horse Park. The KHSAA just hasn’t or won’t let the people who know wrestling do wrestling. KHSAA just keeps taking things away from wrestling instead of building it up. We don’t have to be in Rupp Arena to give the wrestlers a great State experience. 

[Ranger123 43]

Now that is a great perspective 

[Ranger123 43]

I don’t care what’s happening in Vermont. Who cares about Rhode Island or anywhere else a thousand miles away. Our border states went on with the show. And most importantly other sports in our own state during this season DID NOT follow the same protocols we were forced to follow that were supposedly for the safety of the participants and fans. It’s pretty simple. Those in charge chose to pick and choose the rules based on their convenience and not what is perceived to be best for everyone. 

[naplesme 58]

12 hours ago, grappler-of-old said:

I keep hearing this statement. What other states were not as fortunate?  Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Missouri all had their tourney. 

And if they did not was it all winter sports or just wrestling? 

Maine, Vermont and Hawaii. However ingnorance abounds in those 3 states. IMHO

I know that in Maine every other winter sport had their season.

Every state that boarders KY had seasons.

[grappler-of-old 44]

Hey son here's an old pair of shoes with the sides blown out.  But dad these shoes are torn and dirty.  Hey son be happy you got these shoes the kids in Africa don't have shoes at all. 

Meanwhile with the other son.  Here ya go son sorry I could only get you these $250 pair of Jordan's, money was kind of tight this year. 

 

OHHH but be happy you got to wrestle this year. GEEZZ.