tbau, I looked over their rosters for football, basketball and cross country. I have to believe there are quite a few athletes from middle class families on those rosters. I also believe there have been quite a few poor and middle class athletes at Baker University over the years. I would encourage wrestlers no matter what your economic situation is to give Baker University a chance and see what type of financial package that Baker University is able to put together for you and then to compare it to what is available to you at other institutions.
Coach Westphal, I hear what you are saying about the potential of wrestling becoming an elitist sport. Unfortunately a lot of sports are becoming that way with all the one sport year around specialization that occurs today in sports. Unfortunately wrestling at the youth level seems to require more time and travel even at the early stages than other sports. We all know that travel costs are high. This makes it difficult for wrestlers from poor and even middle class families. Many wrestlers and families can't afford to spend a good portion of time and resources traveling to summer freestyle/greco competitions that help a wrestler progress in the sport. Many of these young wrestlers need to spend their time and energy working jobs during the summer. Like Will said though if an athlete wants it bad enough, they still seem to find a way to succeed. I do agree though it is becoming more difficult to succeed in this environment for an athlete from a poorer family. That is true for about all sports anymore. All that being said, I don't think it has anything to do with this opportunity being offered by Baker University or the topic of Jimmy May being named its first coach. In fact I believe this new program will give some more opportunity for kids who otherwise might not be able to afford it to both go to school and wrestle in college.
