Do a lot of Kansas high school coaches support or oppose summer freestyle wrestling? I am not originally from Kansas and I have noticed a lack of Kansas high school kids interested and participating in summer wrestling opportunities. I believe freestyle/Greco is a intregal piece of the puzzle to make a wrestler take it to the next level. What are some thoughts and feelings you have about this?

I totally agree with what you have said. Summer wrestling is an important part of becomming a champion. Some of the best wrestlers in the state get where they are because they put the time and the effort into training in the summer. At some point this becomes a huge advantage over kids who have not put in the time during the summer. All I know is that the wrestlers who compete in the summer get valuable mat time that other do not.

As the old adage goes, "summer soldiers make winter warriors." I doubt you will find many state champs who didn't wrestle at least some freestyle/greco.

You hear that, Jhris? Get your a to freestyle practice.

Check out the NCAA results and do a search for each of the medalists/all americans all of em wrestle freestyle/greco.

Both of the other states in which i coached put the emphasis on freestyle and greco. The state tournaments were in May, and this led in to the regional qualifiers, it worked out well. In Kansas, you have a long wait in between the end of the folkstyle season and it is hard to carry the kids over. I attribute some of this to the long, stressfull kids wrestling burning out parents and kids. The nationals is where it is all about, where scholarships are earned and exposure takes place. As a former kansas high school coach, i realize the intense committment that it takes and know how hard it is to get the dedication it takes to make a difference...go for it kansas wrestlers

I am sorry to say this, but I have to completely disagree with your opinions. Sure Freestyle and Greco are great, but why would anyone do either one when tennis is going on?

You can't honestly say that mat time makes you a better wrestler, when you can learn the ins and outs of the drop shot, how to play serial doubles, and how to eat the Wonder Meal from Bogey's in Salina. Plus, it's way more fun to hit a dude in the crotch with a tennis ball than it is to throw a guy.

I mean hey, look at me: I never wrestled any Freestyle or Greco competition, and I held down an 18-18 record. I think that proves my point.

Freestyle and Greco is the most important thing a kid can do to make himself better. The more wrestling you do the better you get at it. The best way to learn how to wrestle is to wrestle. You can devolp that "feel", knowing what your opponent will do before he even does it. Plus it is alot of "fun". You also become exposed to a large variety of different techniques. At least if you are "coachable" and are willing to learn. Also if you are able to go onto the national level, you get the chance to surround yourself with people who enjoy the same sport that you do. Another thing is that once you make it to that level you realize that the state tournament is really small compared to a national tournament. Also some people do summer wrestling simply because they love the sport. Wrestling is not for everybody, and even in the sport we have different levels of commitment from different people. Some wrestle just to wrestle, others wrestle to have "fun", others wrestle because thier dad/mom make them, others wrestle so they can play around, and other people wrestle in the summer so they can elevate themselves above everybody else and be the best of the best.
As Dan Gable said "There is nothing wrong with working hard to be the best"--Video

I know of a few coaches (head and assistant) that are telling their wrestlers that freestyle/greco is not that important. I believe that they (the coaches) are doing a great misdeed for those athletes. In Kansas alone there are 56 state champions add all the other state champs from the all states. Being a multiple time state champion from Kansas alone will not get that wrestler recogonized by any DI and probably not a whole lot of DII. You need competition from outside the state (Southern plains, Nationals, Las Vegas, ect.)