2012 Ohio Tournament of Champions Info

[OhioTofC 1]

OHIO TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS - APRIL 21, 2012 COLUMBUS CONVENTIONS CENTER - COLUMBUS, OH

***For Additional Information: bdbop@aol.com ~ 614-833-5885***

"Help us set a World Record, with 4000 entries"

Age Divisions & Tournament Schedule Announced

***New for 2012: Girl's Division***

November 7, 2011.....Columbus, OH

The Ohio Tournament of Champions has announced the Age Groups, Weight Classes and Event Schedule that it will be using for next year's event, to be held April 21, at the Columbus Convention Center. While the age divisions are the same, the attempt at a World Record 4000 entries, prompted the organizers to add some additional weight classes, along with a Girl's Division.

"Basically, we are going back to the old weight classes that we had about seven years ago," said Tournament Chairman Bart Freidenberg. "The only change is that we now have an Open Division, which we stared two years ago, and have added a Girl's Division for this year." Freidenberg said that the Girl's Division would be for the high school age only, though girl's in the seventh and eighth grade may participate in this group if they so choose. He added that if there was enough interest in this new division, that younger divisions, for the girls, would be considered in the future.

This year, all the Boy's Divisions will place the top eight (8) place finishers, while the Open and Girl's Divisions, both of which will require no pre-qualification, will place the top six (6). In other news, Freidenberg announced that any wrestler from a state that does not have adequate qualifying events (this includes Kentucky), would be exempt from having to qualify, in order to register and participate. "Our goal is not to try to keep wrestlers from participating in our event," Freidenberg said. "The qualification process was adopted to try to keep those who might not be ready for such an event from competing. However, we feel that if a wrestler is coming from an adequate distance, that they more than likely have enough experience under their belt."

He also added that they are currently working on a new website, which should be operational when registration opens on December 1. New this year will be the ability for individuals/teams to be able to enter all their wrestlers, with one user name and thus monitor each individual's status and weight. Clubs and teams may also be able to receive a discount, based on the total number of wrestlers attending. "We're trying to finalize the number of wrestlers needed and the discount they would receive," Freidenberg said. "There will probably be a few different levels that we have. Also we are going to be having three levels of Club/Team competition (local, area and all-star). Scores will be kept, and awards given, in each Age Division and also Overall."

Freidenberg also added that the current site has a list of the current hotels where they have room blocks set up and that, once the new site is finished, most of the hotel listings will have a direct link to click on for reservations at most of the properties.

Here are the Age Divisions/Weights that will be contested:

***weights listed are the maximum weight allowed (ie: Bantam 44 is 44.0 and under)

Age Division (birth years)/Weight Classes

Bantam (2004-and later) 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 65, 70, 80, 95

Midget (2002-2003) 48, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 70, 73, 76, 80, 85, 92, 100, 115, 130

Junior (2000-2001) 58, 62, 66, 70, 73, 76, 79, 82, 86, 90, 95, 100, 110, 125, 140, 160, 180

Schoolboy (1998-1999) 70, 75, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 104, 108, 112, 116, 120, 126, 133, 140, 155, 180, 205, 240

Cadet (1996-1997) 92, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 124, 128, 132, 136, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 200, 242

Elite (1993*-1995) 112, 118, 125, 132, 139, 146, 153, 160, 171, 190, 220, 275 *must not have graduated high school

Open Division (Post High School): 135, 145, 155, 165,175, 190, 220, 285

Girl's High School Division (girls in grades 7 and 8 may choose to compete in this division if they wish): 100, 110, 116, 122, 128, 134, 140, 147, 155, 165, 180, 250

In addition, here is the time schedule:

Friday, April 20

4:00-8:00 PM Weigh-ins Cols Conv. Ctr - Hall C

Saturday, April 21

6:30 AM - Doors Open

8:00 AM-5:00 PM Bantam, Midget, Junior, Schoolboy (70-104), & Girls's Mats 1-36

3:00-11:00 PM Schoolboy (108-240), Cadet & Elite & Open Mats 1-36

10 AM-10 PM 4 mats will be used to allow those wrestlers, who lose their first two matches, to have an extra match. Mats 37-40

In addition, the tournament announced that the entry fee, for individual and family entries will remain at $60 (additional entries from the same immediate family will be only $40). Entry fee for the Open and Girl's Division will be $40. As like last year, a $5 fee, per wrestler, would be added for event insurance. Freidenberg added that the event will once again feature FREE ADMISSION, for all spectators, and that there would be no additional fees for individuals to coach.