As usual, a fantastic and well organized event that gets better every year. Great job tournament organizers and volunteers!
I offer the following comment for consideration for next year however, that may help improve press coverage of wrestling as a whole.
I have come across complaints now and then on this forum of the lack of coverage and lack of exposure of our sport. We in Leavenworth County are fortunate not to have this problem. The two local papers (Leavenworth Times and Lansing Current) do a great job of covering wrestling at the high school, middle school, and club levels all year around.
At the state tournament, I was told by reporters that they could not photograph mat side. The reason sited for asking them to go behind the railings were that US Photos were the only photographers allowed on the floor. It was explained that this was part of the US Photo contract for the event. [I do not know if this is true or not]
If true, I recommend the powers to be, to reconsider restricting mat side photography to only professional photo buisness. Should also include the press as well. Press coverage works both ways. If we want them to cover our sport, we should ensure we enable the press the opportunity to adequately cover the matches [Of course there are some safety concerns as well, don't want camera people and equipment all over the floor].
A related issue we also should address more strictly, is “who is the press”. There were a lot of “moms” and “dads” with press passes. We probably should look at press credentials a little harder as to who is issued a press pass.
Some things to consider.
Again, super tournament.
Mike Flynn
Slammer Wrestling
