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Link to themat.com on the topic:

http://www.thematforums.com/myforum/?show_topic=77728&forum_id=4

Link to NWCA:

http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/ne...in_2008-09.aspx

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Participation Numbers at the High School Level Increase in 2008-09
9/15/2009 4:06:31 PM



For the fifth straight year, high school boys wrestling participation numbers have increased while girls' participation hit an all-time high as The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) released their 2008-09 participation numbers. High School boys’ wrestling remains the sixth most popular sport with 267,378 participants.

The total number of participants in 2009 is the highest number that wrestling has seen since 1980, when participation statistics were listed at 273,326 by the NFHS. As a whole, wrestling participation at the high school level has been seeing substantial growth in numbers over the past decade.

The number of schools sponsoring boys wrestling is also at an all-time high with 10,311 schools.

In 2008-09, Arkansas became the 49th state to sanction high school wrestling. The state recorded 1,975 participants in its inaugural year. Arkansas can credit much of the their growth and success to businessman Greg Hatcher, Agency Owner of the Hatcher Agency, in Little Rock, who was instrumental in getting the Arkansas Activities Association to sponsor wrestling.

Mississippi remains the lone state which does not sponsor wrestling.

Girls' wrestling also continues to grow each year. Girls' wrestling is at an all-time high with 6,025 participants. Texas and California continue to have the strongest girls wrestling presence on the high school level.

"These high school participation numbers are great for the sport of wrestling, as the overall youth numbers throughout the country are also on a steady uphill climb," said Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "We attribute a lot of this growth to the incredible generosity (funding and otherwise) of wrestling alumni, business professionals, and wrestling organizations/clubs throughout the country."

"It is also important to note that a growing number of wrestling coaches are dedicating more time to improving the recruitment and retention of wrestlers at all levels," said Moyer. "While growing the overall participation numbers across America is very important (i.e. increasing the number of teams), we must also make sure we are growing the average roster size of each individual team. What is important to remember with these growing numbers is the importance of ongoing coaching education as it relates to the retention of the student-athlete once they start participating in the sport."

For more information on wrestling participation numbers since 1971 please visit the links below:

•Boys Participation (PDF)
•Boys Participation State by State (PDF)
•Girls Participation (PDF)


For more information on the NFHS participation numbers you can visit the NFHS website.







Tammy Tedesco

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This would appear to go against those who think wrestling is in trouble or dying at the high school levels.


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Sportsfan02-Why does every post you make have to challenge someone it seems? Wrestling numbers are up according to this great. But there are other areas that KS is growing weaker. Most of our Fargo (national)placers were lower than in years past, We only had two kids place in the top 4 and they are both graduated and gone now. In years past we have had several finalists. Our core group that carried the load for KS, Disney, Slyter, Cotton, are gone. The next group appears to be weaker although there are a couple standouts. I believe there are less Tier one national level kids coming up in KS. That is how I believe we are going backwards. Look at the results from HS nationals and Fargo. CJ and Detmer were the last of the group that KS hang there hat on for years. There was a group organized by Barry Disney and others that took KS to a nice level on their own. The KS system can not take credit for them. In my opinion they did it in spite of the system. Numbers are up and that is a good thing for the masses. But it is not the sole indicator. What that means is we have more mediocre kids wrestling and again that is a good thing, but we will still fall behind if we don't find opportunities for the top kids as well. It is a balance.

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We are talking folkstyle so don't try to lump FS/GR in with it. I DO believe FS/GR is in serious trouble if not dying and there is nothing any of us can do to stop that. The facts are that the public, fans and wrestlers prefer folkstyle in over-whelming numbers. It is what it is.
I don't care if a wrestler or wrestlers are poor, mediocre or good in quality. I only care that kids wrestle period. There is room for all of them. With good coaching at the high school level and more opportunities for off-season folkstyle wrestling the cream will always rise to the top.
The reason I believe our state more than holds it's own (by any measure), on a national level in folkstyle goes right back to the quality of high school coaches in this state. If we continue to encourage young former wrestlers to major in education and find ways to fund education scholarships for former high school or current college wrestlers we will be just fine for years to come.


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badbo - What do you suggest KS do to elevate our qaulity of wrestling? To get a superior team together is difficult as the better kids usualy are strung out across the state and most post season opportunities are put together by the East side of the state. Travel not only for these opportunities are restricting but, so is travel for quality practice. In my opinion wrestling like baseball is becoming a "rich mans" sport. To be of the top tier one must have "many miles" and years on them. Also, these kids you are asking to wrestle many times are asked to participate in other sports that arguably are "easier" during the same time frame as the HS Nationals or Fargo. Wrestling is the longest and most demanding season kids participate in and many are tired of it by the time these events roll around.
Given KS relative low population, the Cotton's and Disney's are only going to surface every so often anyway. It's good they do, but they are rare. For KS to put this type of team together every year is a lot to ask. Unless there is major funding forthcoming that I can't see.


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Our numbers are dropping at Sr. Nationals too. And that is folkstyle. CJ is the last to place high and guess what he did summer wrestling or FS to get to that level Just ask him. How do you think he got so good on his feet. Alot of that was a result of wrestling so much freestyle. Almost every kid you want the state to take credit for wrestled alot in the summer. It's just simple math. If you think KS kids can wrestle 4 months a year, (that is high school plus a few other extra tournaments) and compete with kids in other states wrestling 10 months a year you are mistaken.

I too want all kids in the room. I never said it didn't. but your comment about summer wrestling is very close minded in my opinion.

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There again CJ's avalibility of opportunities were "easier" for him. Places to wrestle & partners. To wrestle freestyle my son would have to drive 2 hrs. to do so and probably not have a partner when he got there. Time & money not very well spent.


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Originally Posted By: sportsfan02

The reason I believe our state more than holds it's own (by any measure), on a national level in folkstyle goes right back to the quality of high school coaches in this state.


Certainly quality coaching is necessary to our kids development, but let's have some common sense. A kid that wrestles from October to July, WILL develop stronger skills than a kid that wrestles folkstyle season only. I believe that those that are FS/GR averse are holding back our state.


Eric Johnson


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Originally Posted By: badbo
Our numbers are dropping at Sr. Nationals too. And that is folkstyle.

I am a team guy so I only look at the team results. We are consistently in the top ten and that is outstanding for our population.
I think any of our placers would have been just as good had they been exposed to folkstyle wrestling for the time they spent in FS/GR. The thing was, there used to be only FS/GR available for the off-season. Every year more and more folkstyle events encroach on the FS/GR season, and for good reason. Didn't someone on this board say "change is good"?


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I don't have the perfect answer. Nobody does, but abandoning summer wrestling is certainly not it. Part of the problem is opinions like Sportfan02's "It's not Olympic wrestling it's real wrestling", or "I only look at HS wreslting and summer wrestling". It should just be wrestling. If you want to make a case that the Disney duals (folkstyle) are better than Fargo fine with me, let's just promote more wrestling. But to stick our head in the sand and think we are good just look at our past numbers is complacentcy (sp). We need to be looking forward to things like middle schools, advanced summer camps. State supported Grand state. Constant improvements in our FS/GR operations. Like getting Zack Roberson to coach our kids, etc. There are many options. And as much as it pains you sportsfan02 Cokeley has brought up alot of them or originated them like KS participation in Middle schools duals. You might not like his methods, but he is not standing still.

In some ways its really no different than if someone wanted to improve the level of any sport. You find more opportunities, you get better and better coaching, higher competition for a longer period of time. Wrestling is more difficult because of the other aspects, but those parts are the same. We can't just throw our hands up and say we give up on the sport we love. Fundraise during tough times. I understand even that is harder but it can be done.

I don't claim to have the perfect answer but those are a few suggestions. One of the first things I would like us to do is put together a team for the Disney duals as an option for kids to wrestle folkstyle (see Sportsfan02) in the summer. Then kids can pick what they prefer. More opportunities for all (see sportsfan02). I am still a huge Freestyle fan as I believe it make you a ton better on your feet since that is where most of the matches are wreslted. Just my two cents.

One final thing is KS certainly has some fine coaches, but when you look across the mat and kids from other states are being coached by Kory Kolat, Jeff Jordan, etc. It clearly shows that we can all use some help. Even the best coaches are looking to others to get even better. Many of those coaches go back to the olympic trainging center ever year to learn the latest techniques from around the world, not just the next county. On that subject how do you think some of the most advanced technique currently used in folkstyle came about....From freestyle. Many of the tilts, trips, etc came from Europe. We certainly were not doing them when I was in school.

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Originally Posted By: badbo
Nobody does, but abandoning summer wrestling is certainly not it.

Who suggested abandoning summer errr "spring" (for Cokeley), wrestling?

Originally Posted By: badbo
Part of the problem is opinions like Sportfan02's "It's not Olympic wrestling it's real wrestling", or "I only look at HS wreslting and summer wrestling".

You will note those are not my statements in my sig line. Those are quotes from King Of The Hill. And I never said "I only look at HS wreslting and summer wrestling"! I said "I have two seasons, wrestling and summer". If you're going to quote me make sure you get it right.


Originally Posted By: badbo
It should just be wrestling.

Sorry, it will never be that. There are dozens of different styles of wrestling and folkstyle is the one with the most appeal in this country. The other styles are the soccer of wrestling!


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Sportsfan02-I guess you are right. I don't even know why FS is wrestled all over the world and develops the most advanced techniques. All we need is to grab an ankle and shoot a 1/2.

And by the way I think it's fair to say if it's in your signature line you endorse it, and my quote was of you was off the top of my head and pretty dang close. The intent is the same. I am not as good as Cokeley at jousting with you and I tire of it more quickly. I have said my points and I think most would view them as valid.

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Originally Posted By: sportsfan02
The other styles are the soccer of wrestling!


It's these statements that define you.


Eric Johnson


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Originally Posted By: Chief Renegade
Originally Posted By: sportsfan02
The other styles are the soccer of wrestling!


It's these statements that define you.


I think even more defining is that Cokely is not even involved in this topic and Sporty simply is so obsessed with him he continues to take shots. It's both sad and humerous at the same time.

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First of all, i do believe that Zach Roberson and Eric Ludke told all of our kids after the middle school duals this year that they were behind in technique from other states. So this "we hold our own" comment is either idiotic or self serving or both. Second, I can remember an interview with Bobby Douglass that said if he had a 3 or 4x st. ch. that wouldn't wrestle in the summer and a 2 or 3x st. ch. that did wrestle in the summer with the limited number of scholarships available that he would give the shot to the kid that wrestled all summer (meaning fs/gr) because he showed that he would put the effort in and was a coachable kid. Third, does anyone have a rough est. of the number of college coaches/scouts at fargo this year?


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One thing is clear to me, at this point. We eventually will drop folkstyle and adopt freestyle at the high school and college levels, whether it be in our lifetime or not. We just finished 7th at the World Freestyle Championships, and won one gold medal at 2008 Olympics and we have alot of facilities and participants in this sport for such a low placing.

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Originally Posted By: badbo
Sportsfan02-I guess you are right. I don't even know why FS is wrestled all over the world and develops the most advanced techniques.

I live in the USA and don't care to live like they do in third world countries. If I did, I would move there.

Originally Posted By: badbo
my quote was of you was off the top of my head and pretty dang close. The intent is the same.

No, your paraphrase of what I said changed it's meaning entirely. I just appreciate if I'm going to be quoted that it be accurate.

Originally Posted By: badbo
I am not as good as Cokeley at jousting with you and I tire of it more quickly.

You give him far too much credit.


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sportsfan, people in 3rd world countries at least try to find jobs. do you? or do you milk the system?


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I'm sure it is obvious to most on this thread, that the guys they see coaching every weekend are the guys with the credibility. I put far more weight on a statement coming from someone that is at a wrestling tourney most weekends from late november to June, than I do from a guy that only shows up at the district meeting, and from behind a computer screen. It's like the guy that never played football, hollering at the coaches the whole game.

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Originally Posted By: doug747
I'm sure it is obvious to most on this thread, that the guys they see coaching every weekend are the guys with the credibility.

Do they actually have to be IN the building or can they be outside standing on the sidewalk after being ejected, in order to have credibility?


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