My son Garret wrestles at 12/130. He is very focused this year and has found it difficult this year to locate a good practice partner.

He loves the sport and wants to do well. Good athlete, mature mentally and physically. And now understands the value of being a good partner, as well as having one.

Who might be in our Olathe area, and willing?

Also, I'm not sure just how good he is, as I view through my fatherly bias. But I'd like to know who you think, or who have you seen that you believe, are the top KS wrestlers at 12U/130lbs that he should try to wrestle against in tournaments?

Rhett Flood from Independence is by far the best wrestler at this age and weight.

Manns, from Toganoxie, is pretty solid too. I believe is close to your area and may welcome a good workout partner.

You should also go to the Wichita Classic, I am sure there will be plenty of competition there!

Brett Dunlap Doniphan County. I think he is at this weight.

Thanks for taking the time to give me the good input. Someone else (off-line) also mentioned Manns. I plan to get in touch with Henry. thanks again, sjf

PS: Garret wrestled Rhett for the first time, at Chanute, in a great match - Garret lost. You're right, Rhett is a great wrestler, as Garret soon learned. I tried to soften Garret's disappointment by pointing out the low score (2-1), and given the duration (all 3 periods). It didn't help much, but we all know how that goes...competitors compete.

It sounds like your son Garret is really good.

If he can wrestle Flood to a 1 point match, he shouldn't have any problems finding 14&under 130lbs. kids in the KC area to wrk out with.

Will Garret be going to the Wichita Classic or the Tulsa Nationals?

The jury is still out. He qualified for state 3 years ago (first year in open, after a year in novice). Then he took a year off (kids club cramps). Started again last year, psyched-out at subs (but qualified), sick at district (lost).

Garret did Tulsa after Flood (Chanute). The Flood match was great to watch, fast and furious. It told him that he was doing well, but not enough. We had no idea that Flood was so well ranked/respected. Maybe that was for the best. I will tell him tonight. It ate at him all the way to Tulsa.

He didn't embarass himself in Tulsa, but he didn't place either. It was his first National tourny, overwhelming, "I got distracted by all the lights and stuff, then I got nervous watching all good wrestlers." He lost early to placers...great experience though. It's made a HUGE difference in his mental and physical wrestling since.

Yes he wants to go to Wichita. His tentative schedule is: Mill Valley this weekend, Linn Co next, then Topeka, then Liberty, and on to Wichita before run to state.

Hey Scott,

Garret is welcome at any Renegades practice. We have my son, Tanner 14/125 and Josh Powell, 14/135, who placed at Salina. We practice Mon-Tues-Thurs at SM West High School. The wrestling room is around the back on the lower level.

Eric Johnson
Renegades Coach

Thanks, sounds good. I'll talk to you tomorrow about it.

Scott & Big Pin 22:
Garret is certainly a good wrestler! He gave Rhett his best match of the season including middle school. However, the score of the Chanute match was 4 to 1. Remember the take down right before the end of the match. This was still a very close match. I understand your delima concerning good competition. We have had the same problem. Rhett has to wrestle the coaches.
I think there are some other pretty good wrestlers out there to be concerned about. Don't forget the bigger kids that may drop down to 130 from 140. I know Chadd from Maize is good and Blazevic from Turner appears to be undefeated. We wrestled Blazevic when he was 6 and Rhett lost in the overtime match.

Gentlemen, thanks for the respect you gave Rhett! He is indeed very focused on wrestling this year. He's had some burn-out the last couple of years.

Hope to see you down the road and best of luck!

Mike,
Good to meet you sir. Yes, you are absolutely correct. How convenient of me to forget...LOL!?! Sorry.

When they went down, and the whistle blew, I didn't even look up, knowing he needed the takedown. Then I heard him whence about needing a "jewler". His stuff got caught in the fall...on top of his bruised ego, then he had cramps for a while.

Rhett's praise is well deserved. We are learning more this year about the larger wrestling community. And thanks for the return compliment.

I told Garret tonight about the forum conversation. It did take some of the edge off the loss (in a good way). Are you coming up to the Mill Valley?

His tentative schedule is: Mill Valley this weekend, Linn Co next, then Topeka, then Liberty, and on to Wichita before run to state.

Will they see each other again, anytime soon?