How much is Ky improving?

[bigtime 0]

I know Ky is getting better, but when I don't see a single KY wrestler ranked in the nation, it make me think how much have we really improved. Intermat rankings has zero KY kids. I knew we are not the level as most states out there, but I thought that Hitchens or Ervin would be on it somewhere...

http://www.intermatwrestle.com/rankings/high_school

[wrestlesmart 15]

I see where you're going but Caleb Ervin beat the 16th ranked person at 140 last year at Sophmore Nationals, so that should be an indication of how much Ky has improved

[#1fan 0]

Great job to Caleb for all of his success, but wrestlers like him should not be our concern. A few more phenoms like Ervin or Fahy in our state is not what is going to earn us respect. We need to be worried about "Big Picture" stuff. Which state would earn more respect at a national tournament?

1) The state that has 2-3 studs that do really well, and the rest don't manage to find a way out of the third period

or

2) A state that as a whole at a national tournament has large numbers of competitors who win multiple matches, whether they place high or not (though the State with its worst wrestlers at a higher level, usually reflects on how good their best wrestlers are).

I wrestle at a college in missouri and I must say that the high schools I help out at in the off-season as a whole have a much higher knowledge of the sport.

The best way to get better at wrestling is to learn from the best. Coaches and wrestlers alike need to be involved in the wrestling community around the world. Pick a favorite D1 team and follow it, watch their dual meets, study the wrestlers, when they score rewind and try to figure out what they did to make that particular move work.

Coaches could choose a college team that as a whole the high school team rooted for, and maybe even get together as a team and watch their matches(a little team bonding doesn't hurt anybody)

Studying wrestling is our biggest problem as a state, and if we became more observant of college/international wrestling, I think we would notice results.

[#1fan 0]

Great job to Caleb for all of his success, but wrestlers like him should not be our concern. A few more phenoms like Ervin or Fahy in our state is not what is going to earn us respect. We need to be worried about "Big Picture" stuff. Which state would earn more respect at a national tournament?

1) The state that has 2-3 studs that do really well, and the rest don't manage to find a way out of the third period

or

2) A state that as a whole at a national tournament has large numbers of competitors who win multiple matches, whether they place high or not (though the State with its worst wrestlers at a higher level, usually reflects on how good their best wrestlers are).

I wrestle at a college in missouri and I must say that the high schools I help out at in the off-season as a whole have a much higher knowledge of the sport.

The best way to get better at wrestling is to learn from the best. Coaches and wrestlers alike need to be involved in the wrestling community around the world. Pick a favorite D1 team and follow it, watch their dual meets, study the wrestlers, when they score rewind and try to figure out what they did to make that particular move work.

Coaches could choose a college team that as a whole the high school team rooted for, and maybe even get together as a team and watch their matches(a little team bonding doesn't hurt anybody)

Studying wrestling is our biggest problem as a state, and if we became more observant of college/international wrestling, I think we would notice results.

meant the first period for dramatic purposes

[exhawk 0]

I totally agree. As a whole, KY wrestlers and coaches need to raise their wrestling IQ's. Just like basketball and football, the very best players are usually those who have the greatest understanding of their respective sport. I wish I would've had a resource like flowrestling when I was competing. Wrestlers now have instant access to the highest levels of wrestling 24/7. You can learn so much by watching the best and then applying what you have seen into your own technique and match management skill-set. I recommend that anyone who wants to improve get on flowrestling and click extra hard on the coverage button (and do it every day).

[eville dad 17]

Thats great advise Hawk!

It seems there is more and more video available today and watching other accomplished wrestlers is a great way to learn, just study the film and imitate.

[grappler-of-old 44]

#1fan;

I guess I agree with your analysis, however.

Untill a D1 school picks up wrestling in or even near Ky it is difficult to pick a D1 school to follow and root for.  Yeah you can just pick one and start rooting for them.  But its not natural, not like if it was your hometown team. 

For example in Nky Mount St. Joes is the closest college with wrestling, but not D1.  My quess would be that Ohio State is the closest to us.  Kids have a hard time relating to a team that far away.  Where as in Basketball in Nky kids root for UC, Xavier, KY, and Lou. Along with a few who follow Miami and Dayton. 

I do like the idea of watching wrestling more often, GOO jr. is always looking at wrestling on Youtube or some other site, (even though we can't now our adobe reader is on the fritz), and has tried to emulate some of the moves.

As for your question. "How much is Ky improving?"  It is and has improved tenfold in the last 10-20 years.  More kids are interested in wrestling and that is the 1st step in the process.  We still do not have enough schools in KY with wrestling.  Another thread mentions the have and have nots.  The have's have made impact outside the state.  10-20 years ago these teams would not have been able to compete outside the state.

your comments have changed to what can we still do to help improve wresting.  I like the ideas you are comming up with.  I am also happy that you are not satisfied with our improvments.  But don't sell KY short we have made huge jumps in the last decade.  Remember our 1st state championship was in 1964 and our 1st sanctioned wrestling championship was in 1966.

Ohio's first wrestling state championship was in 1938,

Indiana's first wrestling state championsip was in 1922, 1st sanctioned was in 1933

Tennesee started in 1961

West Virginia started in 1948

Illinios started in 1937

Missiouri (I  could not find)

[JCFATTY 0]

I agree that watching and understanding the sport will help you improve as a wrestler but you also have to go out and wrestle the best in the country and get beat up to find out what you are doing wrong and how to fix it.

[dog101 1]

I agree with going out of state is going to make you better.  I think  Ky sent 7 to the Beast and 1 to the ironman.

everybody that went to the beast won at least 2 and I'm sure that Caleb would have won multiple matches at ironman. the interesting thing is everybody  that did this either won or placed high at state this year. I would like to see this trend continue as the better our kids do at these tournaments the easier it will be to get more and more kids in these tournaments.

[D1 Fan 9]

Couldn't let this thread continue without my 2 cents... How can we improve KY wrestling... spend the time in the off season improving personally.  We as parents need to invest in our kids wrestling as we do in other sports.  Take them to competitions whenever you can.  Camps are great ways to learn new techniques, improve the ones you know, and practice practice practice.    As our boys got older and into high school we stepped it up a notch too.  We have planned vacations around tournaments and the bonus has been enjoying learning about all areas of the country.  The more you can get them on the mat... in the off season... the better they will become.  This becomes contagious.  Take a friend with your son that is also interested in improving.  Team up with other parents... even parents from other schools...  It's a lot of time and energy... and expense, but that's what others are doing.    Having said all this I would not recommend this higher level of intensity until they are in high school.    They can get burnt out quickly and their maturity level to handle it may not be there before they are 14-15.    Plus they should have the opportunity to enjoy the other sports as well if they so desire.   

As for the colleges... we are in a better position now than we have been for a long time.  We have 3 colleges with wrestling in our state... not D1,  but its a start and we should be supporting them.  Lindsey Wilson's program is in its first season with a coach from Wisconsin, Cory Ruff.  He knows how to build a strong program and is working hard to help KY wrestling.  I'm also hearing we may be getting another college with a program.  The more we can build these programs and show we can support college wrestling in our state the better opportunitiy we will have to eventually draw a D1 program.  It's all about the money.  If wrestling can bring in money and students that's what will build the interest in a D1 school to add the program.

[#1fan 0]

i think it is plenty easy to follow a college team if you desire to. You can watch almost any wrestling dual meet nowadays on tv. Get a couple of guys together and go watch at buffulo wild wings, hooters, or almost any pizza place.

As for the whole not having a home team to root for... Yes I do agree that if we had a D1 team closer to home it would make things much easier. But the fact is that we don't have that luxery so until it happens we should make due. Besides watching alot of wrestling matches, and seeing tendencies from particular schools that may mimic your own style should be a better reason to root for them than location. Im from kentucky and live in st louis, my favorite team is oklahoma st, and somehow I find a way to watch almost every match.

Drilling is much more important to bringing a young wrestler to the next level than live wrestling in my opinion.

The science of wrestling is no different than any other science, you learn the material and practice the problems.

Drilling is the studying and homework, the live wrestling is the test. You can't get better at taking the same test you keep failing without studying a little more.

[dstruck 5]

The Team Jeff RTC goes each wednesday as listed below.  We will have clinicans at most every practice, and I will list those as they are confirmed.  Please bring $5 to pitch in to a clincian donation - all of our athletes here paid the clinician with-in their club dues, so we ask those stopping in to help pitch in. We also practice on Monday's and Thursday's at 5pm in March, and 4:30 in April, May and June.

Wednesday - March 3rd - 5-6:30  (clinician TBA, folkstyle emphasis)

Wednesday - March 10th - 5-6:30 (clinician TBA, folkstyle emphasis)

Wednesday - March 17th off - due to our elementary league finals

Wednesday - March 24th  - OFF - spring break

Wednesday - March 31 - 4:30-6:30  (clinician TBA)

Wednesday - April 7 - 4:30-6:30  (clinician TBA)

Wednesday - April 14th - off - we have duals - (feel free to come to our Monday or Thursday night practice)

Wednesday - April 21 - 4:30-6:30 (clinician TBA)

Wednesday - April 28 - 4:30-6:30 (clinician TBA)

Wednesday - May 5 - 4:30-6:30 (clinician TBA - last practice before Junior state)

Wednesday - May 12 - 4:30-6:30 (Live and conditioning going into Regionals)

Wednesday - May 19 - 4:30-6:30 (live and conditioning going into Regionals)

[eville dad 17]

JTC that is an awesome off season program, no wonder your program continues to improve!

It's good for young wrestlers to get exposure to different techniques and strategies. The more variety the more likely they will find one that fits them well.

I mentiioned that watching video of matches is important to learn but I should have also mentioned the importance of watching video of your own matches. Get someone to tape your matches and then spend the time to watch them with someone who can offer unbiased analysis of the match.

Nothing better than watching yourself and identifying faults and opportunities to work on at practice.