Wow, what a weekend. It’s 5:00 p.m. on a Sunday and I am just waking up from a four hour Nap trying to recover from a fun filled weekend of state wrestling.

This weekend marked my 7th year at a Kansas State wrestling tournament. Wish I could have seen the other classes, but 5a at Hutch was some of the best wrestling I have seen to date.

What was lacking from the setting of a big time arena was made up by some hard nose wrestling by all. These Kansas kids are really looking strong.

Highlights included:

• Watching about a third of the University of Nebraska Huskers’ (Cotton, Koehn, Isenberg) and ½ of University of Minn Gopher’s (since Atticus Disney is so big, I count him as ½) recuriting classes in the finals.
• Mitch Arnold (an absolute artist on the mat).
• My boy Nick scrapping with Kyle Detmer in the Semis
• Trisen Graham’s and Romeo Cotton quest for 4 titles
• Philip Haines and Isenberg going head to head in the finals.
• Pete Tapia and Detmer in the finals.
• Scott Elliot----wow!
• Atticus Disney’s Flip at the end of the tournament (how does he move like that?)

Well my days as a parent spectator in this great event are over as my boys move on. Paula and I will be at many more of these events, but I think I will be able to relax a little more.

What a super job by all these fine Kansan young men. Best of luck to all in the future.


Mike Flynn

Mike,

Awesome post. I heard in Wichita how great Nick did. Ed raved about your boys and their wrestling on the way to the finals last night. I got to experience the HS state tourney this year as a spectator instead of a parent and it was WAY less stressful. Now lets see how College Reginals and Nationals feels.

We have enjoyed our boys wrestling yours and watching them over the years. Can't wait for many more in the college scene.

Ms. Jenni

Any idea if the 5A highlights or finals are available or will be re-broadcast. I've always felt that Kansas needs to do more to promote our sport to the average sports fan/John Q and Suzy Parent. I know that annually the 1-3A Finals are shown on KTWU or whatever your local public broadcasting affiliate is but there is never very much advertisement or media regarding this great sport which has produced some very high level wrestlers in recent years.

I use Wayne Simien for an example- Kansas (native) biggest name in Basketball to go pro recently. Look up his stats and then compare to the Zach Roberson etc. or wrestlers from our state who have gone on to being in the top 10 or so in the world at their respective weight classes. Kansas Wrestling keeps getting tougher and tougher every year and we are putting more and more in top notch programs (Division 1's best) as Mr. Flynn stated above and I just wish that the rest of the State/Media would recognize just how outstanding KANSAS WRESTLING is !!

Folks, let's face it- Kansas does have the talent to support a top notch D-1 program with talent from in state that could compete with the Iowa Hawkeyes which I idolized their program led by Dan Gable in my youth. I never did think it was possible but it is and I would love to see it happen in my lifetime. Anybody else ?

It's time to quit out-sourcing OUR talent and stand up for what KANSAS WRESTLING has become ! Greg Grater, Bob Cairns, Rocky Welton, Larry Tilton, Ken Jones, Ben Bennett, John Akin, Fritz Knorr, Jake Durham, Chuck Elvin, Bill StanHope, Bob Gonzales, and great wrestling communities like Clay Center, Beloit, Oakley, Norton, Hays, Derby, WWC, Emporia, Hays, Valley Center,Olathe,Columbus, etc. and the countless good people of our sport (those who've helped build it) would be proud !! WE OWE IT TO THEM !!

Re: What a Weekend! Memorable moments at 5a State



Any idea if the 5A highlights or finals are available or will be re-broadcast. I've always felt that Kansas needs to do more to promote our sport to the average sports fan/John Q and Suzy Parent. I know that annually the 1-3A Finals are shown on KTWU or whatever your local public broadcasting affiliate is but there is never very much advertisement or media regarding this great sport which has produced some very high level wrestlers in recent years.

I use Wayne Simien for an example- Kansas (native) biggest name in Basketball to go pro recently. Look up his stats and then compare to the Zach Roberson etc. or wrestlers from our state who have gone on to being in the top 10 or so in the world at their respective weight classes. Kansas Wrestling keeps getting tougher and tougher every year and we are putting more and more in top notch programs (Division 1's best) as Mr. Flynn stated above and I just wish that the rest of the State/Media would recognize just how outstanding KANSAS WRESTLING is !!

Folks, let's face it- Kansas does have the talent to support a top notch D-1 program with talent from in state that could compete with the Iowa Hawkeyes which I idolized their program led by Dan Gable in my youth. I never did think it was possible but it is and I would love to see it happen in my lifetime. Anybody else ?

It's time to quit out-sourcing OUR talent and stand up for what KANSAS WRESTLING has become ! Greg Grater, Bob Cairns, Rocky Welton, Jody Thompson, Larry Tilton, Rod Spellman, Ken Jones, Ben Bennett, John Akin, Fritz Knorr, Jake Durham, Chuck Elvin, Gary Ulmer,Bill StanHope, Bob Gonzales, Kit Harris, Randy Hinderliter etc. and great wrestling communities like Clay Center, Beloit, Oakley, Norton, Hays, Derby, WWC, Emporia, Hays, Valley Center,Olathe,Columbus, etc. and the countless good people of our sport (those who've helped build it) would be proud !! WE OWE IT TO THEM !!

Further Proof ::

2007-08 InterMat All-Class
High School Rankings
Dec. 23, 2007

103
17 Jeff Vesta (Manhattan, KS) Jr.
20 Kenneth Orneleas (Chanute, KS) Jr.

112
15 Tyler Stokes (Gardner-Edgerton, KS) Jr.

119
13 Jordan Keller (Bishop Carroll, KS) Sr.
I think that Rhyne Cokely could be added to this list after
this past weekends performance as a FR @ the State Tourney !

130
18 Jake Tanenbaum (Blue Valley North, KS) Sr.

135
19 Jeremy Davenport ? (Sallisaw, KS) Fr.
20 C.J. Napier (Columbus, KS) Jr.

140
8 Aldon Isenberg (Gardner-Edgerton, KS) Sr.
17 Philip Henes (St. Thomas Aquinas, KS) Sr.

171
19 Scott Elliott (Ark City, KS) Sr.

189
8 Romero Cotton (Hutchinson, KS) Sr

285
2 Elijah Madison (Oak Park, MO) Sr. (formerly Salina,KS)
6 Atticus Disney (Andover Central, KS) Sr.
13 Duane Zlatnik (Rossville, KS) Sr.

and of course ther are the Neil Erisman,
Tanner Gardner, Josh Baldridge, Jake Kriegbaum
Jesse Strawn, McCormicks, Cody Garcia, Danny Grater,
Ross Taplin, Marrs etc out there that are getting it done at a high level

I think its a very safe bet that we can EASILY field a top 10
Division 1 program with kids right here IN STATE. Look at all the publicity our Basketball and this year even Football Jayhawks receive for being top 10 teams. WE are ready to be at that level for a Div 1 program NOW and with kids in our own back yard. Do the powers that be, Collegiate officials, Congressmen, Board of Regents and those that could help to make this happen soon realize this.

I remember taking my daughter to a Womens K-State Basketball game a couple years back and proudly being able to show her the program with all the In State talent
Kendra Wecker-Marysville
Laurie Koehn-Moundridge
Nicole Ohlde-Clay Center
& another whose name escapes me.


It sure was great for her to be able to see and envision that level of play as a Kansas youth by seeing fellow rural Kansas young ladies who achieved that level by puting in the work. I know that the Kansas State women's program still has alot of local talent that makes up their team. How outstanding to be able to field a competitive team by recruiting solid in state athletes.

It sure would be great to take our youth get to watch those they look up to in the HS level now-- to see them compete against the Iowa Hawkeyes and OSU Cowboys at say KSU or whoever has the insight and courage to see what is possible?


Well, the fact IS that Kansas Wrestling has arrived and is ready to be a Top 10 (one of the BEST) DIVISION 1 programs by using in state athletes now and can do it every year. The time is NOW !
Are you ready to do YOUR part, however small or big it may be to see this happen ??

I really don't think there is another sport in our state that has put in the work like KS Wrestling does in gyms all across the state on weekends as many months out of the year or the time spent developing our youth in the practice rooms 2-3 nights a week. Look at ALL the effort we've as well as our fore-fathers have put into the sport here in Kansas. IT IS TIME !!

I whole heartedly agree. We ship entirely too much talent out of state. This has been brought up on these posts several times before and unfortunately it was a pretty resounding "no" Mainly due to title IX. I'm pretty sure title IX was designed to protect the women athletes, not hurt the men. It looks like one of our instate schools would have to drop a men's program to add wrestling, much the same as Oregon is dropping wrestling to add baseball. I'm with you all the way on this one, but we all need some direction on what to do next.

well lets see what program needs to be dropped then, maybe rowing or fencing or equestrian or even track and field. It would do so much more for our state to be put on the map nationally because we deserve it and more importantly WE would be able to show OUR youth what they can aspire to!

Agreed. It would seem to me in a state like Kansas that wrestling would have a lot bigger following and impact than rowing or fencing or probably take your pick of a half dozen or so. It would seem to me the trick is convincing the decision makers that's the case. Wrestling would be an extremely inexpensive sport to start up and maintain at the college level comparitively. The national exposure KSU or KU would get from it would more than pay dividends. I would think the next thing to do is join forces with the folks who have already put considerable time and effort into this only to have the door closed on them. Maybe some new eyes and ears may come up with an angle that hasn't been tried yet. I'm in.

I think by merely showing them (those who can make this happen) the numbers 1) of our youth membership 2) what Randy has done in developing Coaches through the Bronze program which he states has the highest numbers of any State 3) have them see the packed gyms and money that can be generated at tourneys during the year such as Mill Valley, Manhattan, Hays, Wichita Classic etc during the year

and not just an appearance at the State Tourney for 30 mins. Our member (USAWKS) activity as far as time spent with our kids (valuable), money spent on travel/tourism etc, gear, improvement aids/camps etc happens each and every week for many months and year round for some.
The movers and shakers who have the clout NEED to Grab those dignitaries in your communities and get them out to tourneys in your area. Let them see just how vast and supported KS WRESTLING at the grass roots level is. Your parents that are willing to spend approx ea week $15 entry fee, 10 gate fees for family, $15-20 concessions, $ gas money, sometimes lodging and other monies spent in these communities weekly are die hards. My parents didn't do it for me as a youth and I always envied those friends of mine who had parents that did but I was fortunate to have their parents step in and take care of me. My career culminated at the kids level anyway with me winning State Championships at 16U 125 and 16U 145 lbs and I didn't have a lick of family there. I didn't know whether to be happy with joy or cry from sadness because I didn't have my family to share it with me and they still don't realize what this sport means to me and exactly how hard I worked and how I would set my alarm to wake at 5 AM to run in the morning and all those Saturdays spent with others traveling to Tourneys. But there are many thousands who feel me. You parents are to be commended and we sometimes get over-heated even over a match win here and there for our youth because we want for them all to do well and I remind myself often of Randy Hinderliter tag line to keep it positive and just let him have fun and know that I've backed off myself from when I first started coaching my son and don't even know if he'll compete in HS because he also excels at basketball but those of you like me know WHY even if I didn't have a youth in the sport that doesn't mean that those close to wrestling don't have a vested interest because it truly gets in your blood and I don't think there is a sport out there that is more rewarding to youth and helps to build character, drive and discipline. I guess what I'm trying to say is how great a sport this is and how thankful I am for those of you that give of yourself to benefit youth. There is not a single better investment out there than investing in YOUTH and this sport in that sense is unparalleled.

So, .. Lets start by showing off what we(USAWKS) are all about!!