I do not disagree with your points about academics but a few posts up you mentioned that success is defined as the number of state champions one produces. Didn't see anything in there about academically proficient athletes.
My point: In my opinion you can define success based on the number of champions one produces....it is a way. I think it is only one of many ways of defining success.
I submit that wrestling is one of the few, if not the only sport that teaches young athletes a lot of valuable lessons that can be applied in life as an adult. Examples: discipline, character, sportsmanship, work ethic, etc. I feel it is a disservice to the sport to narrowly focus success purely on number of championships. Wrestling is too great of a sport to limit the potential effects that it can have, coaches can have, etc. on influencing young athletes.
I have been out of high school now for over 20 years. I can tell you that the most influential people I had in my life were the myriad of coaches I had as a little kid in wrestling and more importantly my high school coach. I am so thankful that he took a broader perspective on defining success because the lessons I learned from him via wrestling have carried me through life a lot farther than just my success on the mat as a wrestler. He is the reason I coach today. My personal coaching goal is that I hope some day, some where one of the kids I have coached will look back and say that having me coach him helped him be a productive member of society and that we learned some valuable "life: lessons together.
My intent is not to criticize you or your beliefs. I respect those. My intent is to just offer a broader perspective.
