Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion High School Doesn't This Make You Mad!

You can't help but feel mad when you see numbers like this, you hear about KU's new $67 million dollar contracts, and you know how popular wrestling is in our Kansas community. I hope that everyone who feels the new way as we do about these numbers will get involved somehow. Let Sean McCarthy know that you intend to make the 5/14 cookout meeting at his house or the meeting at the State Freestyle Meet at Junction City on June 4th. If you can't make one of those meetings, start sending those letters to the people and organizations that Sean lists on the link in his Breaking News announcement. If you send letters. please remember to send Sean a copy too.

This was found on http://www.themat.com:

Number of NCAA wrestling teams, 1980-2001




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information provided by the NCAA

1979-80 - 152 Div. I; 72 Div. II; 150 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 374
1980-81 - 150 Div. I; 74 Div. II; 148 Div. III, total NCAA schools- 372
1981-82 - 146 Div. I; 68 Div. II; 149 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 363
1982-83 - 136 Div. I; 69 Div. II; 146 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 351
1983-84 - 136 Div. I; 62 Div. II; 144 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 342
1984-85 - 136 Div. I; 52 Div. II; 137 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 325
1985-86 - 133 Div. I; 51 Div. II; 133 Div. III, total NCAA schools- 317
1986-87 - 124 Div. I; 46 Div. II; 130 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 300
1987-88 - 121 Div. I; 41 Div. II; 127 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 289
1988-89 - 117 Div. I; 43 Div. II; 126 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 286
1989-90 - 112 Div. I; 44 Div. II; 122 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 278
1990-91 - 111 Div. I; 49 Div. II; 120 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 280
1991-92 - 110 Div. I; 48 Div. II; 117 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 275
1992-93 - 108 Div. I; 44 Div. II; 113 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 265
1993-94 - 107 Div. I; 49 Div. II; 108 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 264
1994-95 - 104 Div. I; 46 Div. II; 111 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 261
1995-96 - 98 Div. I; 48 Div. II; 112 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 258
1996-97 - 96 Div. I; 48 Div. II; 107 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 251
1997-98 - 96 Div. I; 42 Div. II; 101 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 239
1998-99- 94 Div. I; 43 Div. II; 101 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 243
1999-00 - 91 Div. I; 41 Div. II; 106 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 238
2000-01 - 90 Div. I; 41 Div. II; 104 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 235
2001-02 - 86 Div. I; 43 Div. II; 100 Div. III, total NCAA schools - 229

It does make a person mad. But if a Kansas wrestler wants to wrestle in college there are schools that would love to have them.

Bob: We do agree that we also need to promote our current programs. In the initial meeting that Sean, Randy and I had this weekend that was discussed and we all agreed that promotion of current wrestling programs of smaller schools in Kansas should also be a part of our groups agenda. We want college programs to grow in Kansas all over. Right now we feel that a big focus should be to promote a NCAA I program. Personally I would love to see a strong wrestling program at every college and high school in Kansas. The fact is though that we do not have ONE NCAA Division I wrestling program in Kansas now. That is in my opinion unacceptable. Yes a Kansas wrestler can have an opportunity to wrestle at some fine Kansas programs. But why shouldn't a Kansas high school wrestler be able to choose to wrestle NCAA Division I at a Kansas institution? Zach Roberson, Joe Johnston, Shawn Bunch or any of our other fine Kansas wrestlers who have gone outside of Kansas to wrestle Division I should have an the opportunity to do that in Kansas. Does it really hurt basketball teams at Washburn, Emporia State, Fort Hays State, etc. that Kansas University, Kansas State, and Wichita State have basketball teams? If you ask me I think it probably helps them.

The other thing you have to think about when you consider these numbers is that overall the opportunities are diminishing for wrestlers in all classes. Look at those numbers 229 schools vs 374 in 1979-80. That is a severe reduction in the total amount of opportunities for wrestlers to continue their wrestling in college. We have to make noise about this. We need to turn it around. We know in our hearts that this is not right. Wrestling is the fifth most participated high school sport for boys in Kansas. We do not have one Division I team. Oklahoma has two and we have almost twice as many high school wrestlers as they do. Iowa has three Division I teams. I think it is imperative in Kansas that we work hard to change this. Let's Bring Division I Wrestling To Kansas! Let's all get involved this effort.

**Title IX was passed in 1979** cough

**Title IX was passed in 1979** cough [/QB][/QUOTE]

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 is the landmark legislation that bans sex discrimination in schools, whether it be in academics or athletics.

That's kinda funny...

Regardless of where we stand about Title IX, it is the current law and probably will not change. Even if it did get repealed, I do not believe all those schools that have dropped wrestling are not going to just start adding it back for that reason alone. I think we have to give them reasons to add College Wrestling programs at all levels. I know some have been successful at doing that like Wichita Newman but I don't believe it has been very successful at the Division I level. Someone posted on I believe themat.com forum that no major school has added a program in 30 years. We are going to have to work hard to change that.

Obviously there are great obstacles to overcome to add Division I wrestling at major colleges or universities. We know it is not right though that we do not have Division I in Kansas. We have a lot of work to do to convince someone to add it. I really do hope that you will all consider being part of the effort. Please let Sean McCarthy know that you will attend either the May 14th meeting at his house or the 6/4 meeting at Junction City.

Write your petition letters and send Sean a copy. Talk about it to your Kansas community wrestling friends and get them involved too. Keep your ideas coming on promoting college wrestling either by posting them on the forum topics or e-mailing Sean or myself. Remember in my initial letters to the Kansas University Athletic Department they told me that there was just not enough interest in Kansas. Show them how much interest there really is to bring Divison I wrestling to Kansas. Whatever we do, we cannot let them get away thinking we do not have enough interest in it.

What is also sad is the number of women's scholarships left on the table each year by DI schools because of title IX. What many people don't realize is that many full ride women's scholarships are never taken advantage of because colleges can't find the bodies.

My wife's first roommate at KU was on full ride scholarship for golf and her handicap was a 20!! Very frustrating!

Richard- I am sorry that I was off, I could have almost sworn that it was 1979 but as I did some research I was wrong as usual.

Here's a website that has a Title IX overview and what it's about as well as some wrestling facts.

Title IX & Wrestling Impact

Alex

That site did have some good Title IX information and good Title IX links too. I like the one to the Illinois Sports Advocacy group.

http://illsportsadvocacy.com/

I derived these numbers from the 2003-2004 National Federation of High Schools Survey. They will make you wonder why there is no NCAA Division I wrestling program at Kansas University, KSU or WSU. I am not sure how this will read across. If anyone is interested in receiving the numbers in a more readable Excel format, send me an e-mail and I will forward the file to you. It will come in this order:

Mens High School Athtletic Participation
Sport, KS Participants, Pct., KU Participants,Pct.
1.Football: 16,463, 28.33%, 84, 36.52%
2.Basketball: 9,976, 17.17%, 17, 7.39%
3.Track & Field: 8,535, 14.69%, 52, 22.61%
4.Baseball: 5,688, 9.79%,37, 16.09%
5.Wrestling: 4,762, 8.20%, 0, 0.00%
6.Golf: 3,582, 6.16%, 13, 5.65%
7.Soccer: 3,445, 5.93%, 0, 0.00%
8.Cross Country: 2,846, 4.90%, 27, 11.74%
9.Tennis: 1,915, 3.30%, 0, 0.00%
10.Swimming & Diving: 873, 1.50% 0, 0.00%
11.Softball: 21, 0.04%, 0, 0.00%
12.Volleyball: 1, 0.00% 0, 0.00%
Total: 58,107 100.0% 230 100.0%

i agree

Golf and Cross Country just need a uniform. Bring your own legs for CC and your clubs for Golf and your set.