After seeing the Kansas Cup results how would you grade the college programs of Kansas?
Take into consideration recruiting, developing, leading, coaching, and graduating the best student athletes.
1 104.5 Labette CC
Joe Renfro and the Labette Cardinals get an A+. A proven coach, system, and results that back them both up. The coach is passionate and develops champions. Every year they are right in the National title race. Keep it up!
2 82.5 Baker University
Jimmy May and the Baker Wildcats get an A. In just a few short years they are ranked 26th in NAIA. Undefeated in duals! They arguably have a better team than Fort Hays State this year. I see them getting better in the near future. Good Work!
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.... I wish USA Wrestling Kansas would start a tax exemption fund to endow a Division I wrestling program someday. If they would put $15,000 a year in it and could raise another $55,000 a year through tax write-off donations, in ten years that would be close to a million by the time you added interest. When you have a start, it’s easier to bigger donations. Hope you enjoy the post.
I did enjoy your post but you are a pretty tough grader. I do really agree with your assessment of the first two though. I think Coach Joe Renfro and the Labette CC program deserve an A+ and I also think Coach Jimmy May and the Baker University program deserve an A. I am not that knowledgeable of the other programs that I could be giving them grades but I think your first two definitely deserve your A grades. I do think that Fort Hays State has some potential individual All Americans and at least one potential national champion this year in Aldon Isenberg.
The main point of your post that I wanted to comment on was your suggestion of the Kansas D-1 endowment fund. I liked your idea of USA Wrestling Kansas starting a tax exemption endowment fund. I have been in support of some type of College Wrestling Endowment fund in Kansas for the last several years. I do think you need an organization like USAW-Kansas with some credibility to start it. I also like your idea of USA Wrestling Kansas donating $15,000 a year to it and then working to raise another $55,000 a year to it. I would actually like to see that $55,000 actually be more in the neighborhood of $100,000 a year or more. It would take some time and some strong fund raising efforts to develop it to that point, but the important thing would be getting it started. If it had been done for the last 30 to 40 years this could be a very large endowment fund by now. The wrestling community though needs to take charge of the situation and we can not depend on anyone else to help us. I do not believe we are going to get help from the government or the athletic departments of our current D-1 schools in Kansas to make good things happen for college wrestling in Kansas.
The only change to your suggestion that I would make is that I would not make it strictly a fund to endow a D-1 program in Kansas. I would devote at least 75% to 90% of it to funding each year the colleges in Kansas that currently have college wrestling programs. I would only earmark 10% to 25% of it each year for the purpose of building a fund for a potential D-1 program in Kansas. I really would not contribute much personally to a fund that was only there solely for establishing a D-1 Kansas college wrestling program. I would probably contribute a small amount each year to such a fund but I would contribute a larger amount to a fund that was like I described (75% to 90% for current college funding and the balance for a potential D-1 program in Kansas). Years ago I would have been more apt to contribute a larger amount to a Kansas D-I endowment fund but now I think it is more important for us to support these universities and community colleges in Kansas that already have wrestling programs. I would like to see them all thrive both as wrestling powers in their divisions and more even more as programs that encourage and develop excellent students who excel in their academic and career pursuits.
