Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion Kids Folkstyle Hosting a Tournament

I was hoping you could give us some advice on how to host and manage a successful tournament. We just had our board meeting tonight and discussed the possibility of hosting a tournament for the first time in several years (none of our current board memebers have any experience in hosting a tournament). We do have prior board members who have hosted tournaments in the past we will call, but things have changed with track wrestling etc., and wanted opinions from people like yourself.

Do any of you who host tournaments have a check list of things to do to get prepared for a tournament, and would you be willing to share?

Feel free to e-mail me at pellandz@sbcglobal.net .

Thanks in advance,

Greg Pelland
Pratt Wrestling Club

Just for starters:

Make sure you incorporate as much help as possible.
organize teams of people to do different task such as, those responcible for gathering mats and setting them up, taping, tear down,knowing official measurment on wrestling area for different age groups... The kids in your club will of course be benificial for taping and tear down. I can't emphasize ennough the importance for crews to do certain duties only. kitchen crew, finding, and securing an officials crew, score tables crew (timers,score keepers, towell throwers, bout keepers... This is probably the most difficult thing you will have to do, because you will need the most numbers to do it, and you must educate all the ones you enlist for this job. We use parents and community to fill this job, and set up two or three sessions with them alone so they have an idea to the pace and stress that can be involved with this job. You must have a weigh in crew lined up for the night before and that morning, skin checkers that know what their looking for...... As far as track wrestling goes I would consult Juby's or Conklin, they have been at the front of all that from the begining, they might even help you set up a crew with that? There is much more, and I would consult as many people as you can. The main advice I would give you in a nut shell is that you form crews for specific jobs, and start on time with your wrestling!

Thanks for the reply. Does anyone else have anything to add before this post dies? Not only will you be helping me, but you would be helping other tournaments as well.

Again, feel free to e-mail me if you have a check list.

Thanks,
Greg

Greg, look at the tournaments with the high numbers, the truth is, many people will complain about any given tournament from year to year. The truth of the matter though, is those tournaments that are drawing big numbers from year to year are doing somethign correctly. Good luck in the future, a good crew of volunteers, prebracketing, a good quality officiating crew and others are big, I also think most folks prefer split tournaments as it allows parents and some wrestlers to get in and out with less time at the tournament. Also check your pm, I will give you my thoughts on another subject or two privately.

big medals like maize and derby make for big numbers. kids love the big hardware. heck i have 2 nephews that have never wrestled before wanting to try and wrestle at just those 2 tournaments just for the medal. i had to explain to them its not that easy.

Good catch Bockman ... and quality brackets for the winners!!

If your tournament is worth winning, it is worth spending a tad extra on medals and brackets!!

The thing I look for in a tournament, competion. And if you run a good tournament it'll come. Second shut weigh ins down when you say your going to that always seems to annoy me most starting late. Now my son on ther other hand BIG shiney medals, Huge Fancey brackets. So he always reminds me his favorite tounaments Johnson County Classic, Mill Valley, Salina Etc. And since he's the one doing all the work we go where he wants. Oh and a great hospitality room is always nice!!!

Heck instead of medals, why not do trophies, only a little more and not many made available in Kansas. I also think a fastest pin, or OW is a fun draw, but if doing that, make it fair, have coaches and officials nominate the wrestlers for this award, the most pins in the least amount of time is not a good way to determine an OW imo.

my son actually shows off his big medals more than his plaques and trophies. its kind of weird but hey thats just what he likes and I am fine with that. Centrally located, good atmosphere, good competition, friendly people, clean mats, and great rewards keep the kids and parents happy in return will make them talk to others and the tournament will build from there. Heck one of these days if ran properly you will be using the college.