In Arizona they have 6 stinking classes for state championships. For the previous 2 years all 6 were held at the Glendale Arena at the same time. The finals were essentially unwatchable. it took forever, for them to do the awards for 6 in each weight class, talk about handing out candy!
This year they had the 2A and 3A state tournaments in Prescott Valley, which is about 100 miles northwest of Phoenix. Excellent venue with seating for about 3,000 and 8 mats.
The 4A 1 and 2, and 5A1 and 2 tournaments were held at the Glendale Arena.
Both have plenty of parking and restaurants nearby. Prescott Valley has plenty of hotels/motels nearby. The Glendale Arena, which is next to the University of Phoenix Stadium, which hosted the Super Bowl last year has plenty of parking and restaurants, the hotels are beginning to be sufficient.
I watched the finals of the Oklahoma State tournament with all 4 classes at once on 4 mats.
Polls are being conducted in Oklahoma and Arizona on their websites as to whether there should be a Grand State Tournament, or 1 class tournament. In Oklahoma about 93 percent are in favor of a Grand State. In Arizona only a slight majority favor 1 class for wrestling.
I loved the Grand State tournaments at Fort Hays, other than waking up and finding out the electricity was out, due to the 13 inches of snow that fell during the night. As I remember about 7,500 fans for the finals.
As someone who does some scouting for a college wrestling program, I would wish that every state had a Grand State.
We had a coach at Salina on Friday, I was at the Colisem on Friday, then at the Oklahoma finals on Saturday. I scouted both state tournaments everyday (championship brackets only) in Arizona.
Northwest Kansas has too long a storied history in wrestling to ever give up hosting a state tournament. I'd like to see the 4 state tournaments spread around the state, then a Grand State in Wichita.
As one kid in Arizona (hwt. state champ at 5A1) he said he'd like to feel like he really accomplished something when he won a state title. Unfortunately, the coaches want to be able to brag about how many state champs and placers they had. The kids are more purists than the coaches these days. I hope everyone in each state takes what the wrestlers themselves think when they make these decisions.
