Should the state tournament be divided?

[Mathound 4]

I know this topic has been debated forever but I would like to hear some of your reasons to switch to a 2 division state tournament or stay the same.

[Mathound 4]

I have always liked the 1 division state tournament because you get to see a "true champion". Also, I have heard other wrestling states complain because they would like to see who the true champion is!

[penguinskillkids 0]

Keep it all 1 division, if people like Ozzie Parker and Pat Banks and other small school kids can place high/win state then what is the need for 2 divisions?

[Just Wrestle 0]

Coundn't agree more..

[DumpTruck 0]

I have heard that a lot of other states have gone to the split format to foster more participation in the sport. They say that some of the smaller schools don't pick up a wrestling program becasue they don't think they have the numers or the facilities to compete with the larger schools. I agree that good wrestlers will win no matter the size of the school, and there should be a "true champion," but if it would help the sport grow a split format could be a positive thing...

[grapplinfan 0]

You've got both now !! Everyone wrestles together, but they split off the team champions based on their position. But i'm sure you guys all know that.

I think its great, as it is now. I wouldn't touch a thing about it, except maybe that i think its goofy that somebody like LaRue gets two trophies last year for coming in second overall. But, you get the true individual champion determined while giving the smaller schools a shot to win something. Both sides of the argument are covered as it is now, right ?

[Happy Pappy 0]

You've got both now !! Everyone wrestles together' date=' but they split off the team champions based on their position. But i'm sure you guys all know that.

I think its great, as it is now. I wouldn't touch a thing about it, except maybe that i think its goofy that somebody like LaRue gets two trophies last year for coming in second overall. But, you get the true individual champion determined while giving the smaller schools a shot to win something. Both sides of the argument are covered as it is now, right ? [/quote']

That is only true to an extent...both the small school state title and the Kentucky State Duals championships are not KHSAA sanctioned events. They are both sponsored by the KWCA (wrestling coaches association) which means they are kind of like kissing your sister. While we take them very seriously, they are really not even listed with KHSAA which brings the question to mind...I wonder if that little Single A basketball tournament every winter is KHSAA sanctioned?

[refdad 3]

I have mixed feelings about this two division thing. I see the intent behind it, however we are a weak state in wrestling as it is. Will this not make your accomplishment mean even less if you win a state title. On the other hand, if we do see growth in the sport and lets just say we have 73 teams this year, and within 5 years it has grown to .....I dont know, lets just say for the heck of it it grows to 90 teams. Are we still going to only have one division? That would be alot of kids not making it to state. Lets say that with 90 teams we split it into two divisions. We have two divisions with 45 teams in each. Make the state tournament into a 16 man bracket with seeding..Crown two state champs in each weight class and 1 team in each division. What do you all think of this??.........I am just wondering if everyone will be able to respond to this without any mudslinging :?

[dragonballz 0]

the tounament is great the way it is the bigger issue is the private schools who dont have to play by the same rules as the public schools  i know of one instance of a wrestler who lives in indiana and goes to a private school here in kentucky and is ranked my question is what if that was a public school athlete? otherwise for all the kids who have to play by the rules let the best wretle the best

[eville dad 17]

I wouldnt mind the dividing of the teams if there was a logical reason to divide, school size, public vs private, any other reasons to divide them?

With only 75 teams competing I dont think it makes sense for any reason. Maybe when we get to 100-125 teams and then go to a 16 man brackets.

But only if the two champions from the divisions wrestled in a true tournament of champions to crown one state champion. I think this idea would be fun because you would have twice as many champions and still one true overall champion.

Do any other states wrestle the divisional champions against one another to get to one true champion?

[Southern112 0]

I have mixed feelings about this two division thing. I see the intent behind it, however we are a weak state in wrestling as it is. Will this not make your accomplishment mean even less if you win a state title. On the other hand, if we do see growth in the sport and lets just say we have 73 teams this year, and within 5 years it has grown to .....I dont know, lets just say for the heck of it it grows to 90 teams. Are we still going to only have one division?  That would be alot of kids not making it to state. Lets say that with 90 teams we split it into two divisions. We have two divisions with 45 teams in each. Make the state tournament into a 16 man bracket with seeding..Crown two state champs in each weight class and 1 team in each division. What do you all think of this??.........I am just wondering if everyone will be able to respond to this without any mudslinging :?

I like youre way of thinking..

[Southern112 0]

I wouldnt mind the dividing of the teams if there was a logical reason to divide, school size, public vs private, any other reasons to divide them?

With only 75 teams competing I dont think it makes sense for any reason. Maybe when we get to 100-125 teams and then go to a 16 man brackets.

But only if the two champions from the divisions wrestled in a true tournament of champions to crown one state champion. I think this idea would be fun because you would have twice as many champions and still one true overall champion.

Do any other states wrestle the divisional champions against one another to get to one true champion?

I take that last post back I like YOUR way of thinking...

[Ranger123 43]

the tounament is great the way it is the bigger issue is the private schools who dont have to play by the same rules as the public schools  i know of one instance of a wrestler who lives in indiana and goes to a private school here in kentucky and is ranked my question is what if that was a public school athlete? otherwise for all the kids who have to play by the rules let the best wretle the best

On the individual side of wrestling, it doesn't matter.  If St X and Trinity (just to pick on the big guys) are allowed to pay all of their athletes it doesn't affect the outcome.  If a kid wrestles for Doss or Western or is "bought" by a private school you still have to beat him to take home the championship.  Now from the team perspective, I agree, it makes a difference.  Back to your question, I don't think that could happen at a public school.  BUT, I don't think you can honestly say that this private school went out scouting the Indiana countryside looking for the kid to resurrect their program.  I don't know the situation, but I would guess this is a kid who is crossing the river to get what his family considers the best education possible.  And as far as we all know they have followed all of the rules.  Didn't Isaac Knable do this same thing?  If there was anything fishy going on, someone at one of the public schools in Louisville would have raised a stink by now.  Remember Jordan Lewis.

[Ranger123 43]

I wouldnt mind the dividing of the teams if there was a logical reason to divide, school size, public vs private, any other reasons to divide them?

With only 75 teams competing I dont think it makes sense for any reason. Maybe when we get to 100-125 teams and then go to a 16 man brackets.

But only if the two champions from the divisions wrestled in a true tournament of champions to crown one state champion. I think this idea would be fun because you would have twice as many champions and still one true overall champion.

Do any other states wrestle the divisional champions against one another to get to one true champion?

The only way I would go for dividing the state is if you had a tournament of champions to get to one in the end.  And I agree, we need to add a lot more teams before we are ready to split.

[Ranger123 43]

Just to make sure there is no confusion on my post...

My comment on Jordan Lewis was just to say that if someone can dream up a possible rules infraction when a good kid transfers to Trinity or St X it will be brought to the KHSAA.  From my limited knowledge of the situation, absolutely nothing improper happened here and a good kid's high school wrestling career was ended prematurely.