I was just wondering what the buzz is lately about the possible move of the 6-5-4As from Wichita after this year? I haven't heard much, other than leaving Wichita was supposedly a forgone conclusion.
Any insights?

the last i have heard was either Topeka or Manhattan.

The talk is to move 5A & 6A to the Kansas City Area

4A to Salina

People are working on it but nothing is done yet.

The Kansas City thing is interesting, but there really isn't a facility just yet in the area — at least until either Wyandotte County or Olathe builds an arena. And Salina for 4A would be great — just like Hays for 3-2-1A.

Funny thing about the Manhattan idea is that a year or so ago, a bunch of us were kicking this one around: Move the tournament to Manhattan — put the 6As and 5As in Bramlege and the 4As and 3-2-1As in Ahern.

I know, there's probably very little chance that will happen; the 3-2-1A Western bloc will NEVER allow a move from Hays, but the Manhattan thing is interesting...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Why would Wyandotte County need to build an arena when we have Kemper Arena, it is bigger than the Kansas Collesieum(spelling).

That would be fine with me, but Kemper is in Missouri & I don't think that would work out for KSHSAA.

What they need to look at is reducing the number of state tournaments by combining 5A and 6A into one 16 man bracket. Then they could look for a site. Next they could combine 1-4A and have it in Hays. This would give Kansas two state champs intead of 4. If not that then they could go back to the 8 man brackets for state so the size of the facility wouldn't have to be so large. 16 qualifiers in 5A and 6A means that 50% of the wrestlers go to state. That is a joke!

Yeah. How dare we offer high school wrestlers the opportunity to compete in the state tournament. Crazy rules.

I think the Manhattan idea would be swell. I think KC is too far East. Besides, it's not like a school from the East will send many to state anyway. (Just kidding....jusssssst kidding)

Actually, I don't know what the problem is with Wichita...

The thing I like about the Manhattan idea (and again, so far as I know, this is not being seriously discussed) is the idea of everyone in the same town while in two different venues. We could try something revolutionary like A single day's admission would admit you to both arena, giving fans the chance to see "how the other half lives." Maybe we could even combine the finals into one arena, who knows?
It would be a great event and draw all of the state's wrestling to one place for a few days. Personally, I love it.
As for the troubles with Wichita, others could speak to that better than I (may Kansas state experience has been exclusively in Hays), but from what I understand, no one — coaches, wrestlers, fans or KSHSAA — have been very happy with the way the Colusiem runs things and they have been unwilling to make changes. That's my understanding, anyway; perhaps someone smarter could clarify?

A proposal that I have heard involves taking four sites from around the state, say (Hays, Topeka, Salina & Wichita) and rotate the classes bewteen the four sites each year. That doesn't seem practical to have a 6A tournament out in Hays, but it would only happen once every four years.
Ideally, if they could put 1-3A & 4A together in Hays and 5A & 6A together in Manhattan or Topeka, that would seem the best for fans and teams involved.

The Coaches in 1A, 2A, 3A and most of the people involved in that State Tournament has made it perfectly clear that they don't want their Tournament to be touched. It’s not that they wouldn’t like to see 4A wrestling but their Tournament runs well and they don’t want it disturbed.

I know of one proposal to move 5A & 6A to the Topeka area. I don’t know if the Coaches in 4A have put any proposals on the table yet with KSHSAA? But the talk is to move them by themselves to Salina.

Short of the Manhattan pipe dream, that sounds like an ideal situation. After seeing Hays the last four years, I can't imagine adding another class there (sorry Bill, I know you'd like that home cookin'!).

Topeka would be perfect for the biggest classes, while Salina would be great from all aspects for the 4As, while leaving Hays untouched. Hopefully that's the way it will play out.

No way. I like 4A in the same arena as the bigger schools. 4A wrestling is exciting to watch, and I think it would lose some of that excitement if they were all by themselves. I like the idea of everyone in Manhattan, then combining everyone for the finals. Man, that would be sweet.

Hays previously hosted both the 4A and 3A and did not have enough motel space to do it. I would like to see 3A rotated east once in a while but DO much prefer leaving it in Hays to putting it in the same site with 4, 5, and 6A. I have been to Wichita and NO Thanks!!!!!!!!

I would like to see the state tournaments held in a College town in Kansas that supports wrestling. If Hayes, America is the only choice so be it. Our kids club is going to Manhattan this week for a tournament and and I had better hear the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce Cheer, we have a few hotels and lodging tickets this year and maybe we will NOT next year. We would like see see division I wrestling back in this state. Or maybe we can hold our state tournaments in Stilwater, Ok., Columbia, MO, Or Lincoln, NE, Aimes, IA, keep the kids in Kansas that give the state some recognition!!

I was just curious; is there ANYONE out there in favor of seeing the State tournament stay in Wichita? This sounds like one of those ultimate one-sided arguments — like, "Are you in favor of nuclear war?"

I sure wouldn't mind trying it somewhere else! What about somewhere where it's a little more fan friendly? Costs per session, parking and walking issues, food fares, etc., keep many fans away and burden those who sacrifice to go--is there a way to cut back for the fans' sakes in these tough times? As far as combining divisions goes--my vote is NO! Recognition is one of the keys to success! If you don't give kids a chance to earn some kudos for themselves you might as well take wrestling out of the state completely! (Maybe this was the intent of those state schools referred to earlier!) No one would consider having a single state event for football, basketball, etc. so why wrestling? It would be cool though to go back to having grand state so the individuals could square off and quiet the braggarts who are sure that their 6A kid could whup all comers!

It is not, and has not been, Wichita alone that is the problem. It is that piece of crap building that is the problem and the way the people that operate it act. It is totally inhospitable not to mention dark, dank, dirty, and cold. The people that actually run the tourney do a marvelous job and always have done so, but the facility is horrible and the operators of it are worse.

Agree with comments. Manhattan has some advantages: I-70 access, collegiate atmoshphere, decent auditorium and central to most 4A-6A venues. Only issues appear to be impact of the tourney on KSU indoor events and enough interest in the community to execute. Parking will be a pain regardless. Potential of Topeka and Manhattan TV coverage better than average. The only difficult part would be to somehow stagger finals of the 4A and 5A/6A to encompass all.
Leave 3A-1A out at Hays. That's traditional and most cost effective for the schools represented. They know how to execute a tourney so why break it?
I was part of the 'wandering' state tournaments in the '70s. Not fun. Besides, bringing Hutchison and the Wichita crowds north might be interesting to watch.

It would be nice to have 4A, 5A and 6A experience the great atmosphere and hospitality that we get from Hays. I have been going to Hays for many years and always have a great time. I would not go to Wichita based on the comments I've seen on this site. I think the idea of bringing the Hutch and Wichita crowd to Manhattan is a great one.