I wreslted in Kansas since I was five and have loved every minute of it. It doesn't get much better than KS wreslting.
I moved down to GA a few years ago, and was an asst. coach for a high school. the wreslting down there is great also however nothing compared to KS. There was one thing that I liked a lot more in GA than in KS, and that was a Dual State Tourney. It was great you get the states top 16 teams in the state for each class (only 8 for the smaller classes). It was a great atmosphere!
I'm sure a lot of people would say that the season is not long enough for an extra state tournement. However it would be two weekends out of the year!! They had it set up to have it before the leauge tourneys of the teams then because most teams have that week before the strecth run off anyway.
The thing I loved most about it was it incorperated the "team" aspect on wreslting...belive me i am a big beliver in wreslting being an individual sport and it still had that. However anyone who wrestles should admit that it is a lot more fun if you win a big dual against a rival or to win that league championship than it is to win a match on your own. I mean for me as a coach we were one point from being in the finals at the team state, in my opinon getting that far as a team was more excitin than the state champ and 4 placers we had 3 weeks later!
And the best part was that for those kids that were not the "elite" and were never going to make it to state, get that oppertunty to wreslte on the big stage and be in that collisium with everyone cheering them on!
I'm just thinking out loud, just was wondering if the dual state had ever come up or if anyone had thought about it?
Derek Trammell
