While the issue is being discussed, I'll throw in my opinion on the lack of freestyle wrestlers in Kansas. As far as I know, Kansas is one of the few states that doesn't allow their high school coaches to coach during spring freestyle season. Maybe if the high school coaches were able to coach during the spring, they would encourage more of their athletes to participate in freestyle wrestling. Missouri just started allowing their high school coaches to coach in the spring a few years ago and they had multiple all americans this year.
I agree that some of the Kansas high school coaches don't know a lot about freestyle, but I believe more coaches would be eager to learn more about it if they could be involved in coaching it. Most of our Kansas coaches are pretty competitive and will do what it takes to get their kids better.
Until KSHSAA decides to change this rule, I think we could look at setting up some sectional training centers throughout Kansas that run a freestyle practice once a week during the spring that's coached by one of the coaches on the Kansas National Freestyle staff. For example, when you live in a small town in SE Kansas (like Chanute) you don't have the opportunities to practice with clubs such as the KCWC, the Why Wrestling Club, or the Central Kansas team, etc. The kids in the Kansas City and Wichita area already do this. Maybe USA Kansas Wrestling should look at our Kansas coaches that we have on the National staff and make it worth their while to run a practice once a week during the spring in a few central locations.
Let the bashing begin.
Andy Albright
Chanute Wrestling
