ELL,

Nobody from western kansas is putting down the wichita classic. So quit putting words in our mouths. We wrestled in Hays for 5 years. For three of those first years the tournament was in Dec. Then the next year we had the tournament in Mar. and last year we had to move to Gross Memorial. To many conflicts with Hays High for a date and the entries kept increasing each year. Plus, the Hays wrestling club wanted to give parents, grandparents and family a place to come watch their kids wrestle and not be in an overcrowded gym all day. We have since moved. But, the Hays wrestling club does a great job of putting on a tournament. Starts up on time(maybe 15 min delay at most) and finishes up fairly early. They excellent people runnning that tournament and all the volunteers do a great job. Especially the table workers.

Thanks,
Mark Baldwin
Russell,Ks

why not move one of the tournaments. is it possible to move subs, districts and state back one week so that we could get both tournaments in? it would give the 14u and 16u one extra week to get acquainted with the others that didnt wrestle high school. i would love to go to both. we travel from dallas every year for the classic ond would not bother traveling for one more as our season ends too early here.

We don't need an extra week of the season in Kansas! We have always went to the Classic but this year are driving another 1 1/2 hours to check out Hays and Western Kansas competition. I'm not going to miss the barn!

I am not a business man, but if it cost 24k to rent the colliseum for the TWO DAY state tournament, does that mean it is 12k a day?... At 20 an entry and possibly upto 1000 or more entrants, plus concessions, the gate fee, and vendors fees...your banking...this tournament could eventually be considered a National with the right facility. Wichita and Park City benefit ...everyone wins. Also, I have never ran a tourny and I don't know how many entrants are coming tomorrow...but at 20 a head, where does that money go? All towards the renting of the barn and payment of the officials? The plaques?
These are just some thoughts running through my mind, if you don't agree with them or care...just let it go.

The whole reason I brought this topic up, goes towards one kid I know who is a real good wrestler. He loves it. Doesn't want to be out of any tournies, especially the big ones. He has severe allergies and after have wrestling the Classic before he isn't healthy for near a week. No, its not my kid. But, I just assume if there is one there are probably more. And this is about the kids. This is the last thread I will post on the subject. It wasn't a classic bashing or a hays boosting thing to start with.

I thought 24k seemed awful high also. Maybe 3k or 5k. I can't see the state of kansas paying that kind of money for wrestling with only 2 classes. If it was that high you would think they would try and push for all the classes in one building. If the colliseum costs 24k that means a total of 72k for the 3 state high school meets. I just don't see them paying that much. Maybe a total of 24k for the 3 venues and that's still high.

where do all the state champs from high school go. the state splits up and crowns 4 champs in each weight. i would think that they would want to get together at one of these and stop the (who's the best) posts. when we come up there we travel 6 hours and just want a chance to compete with the best in the state.

From The Wichita Eagle - February 23, 2007

Bowden said the activities association spent $24,000 to use the Coliseum last year, while it spent $8,000 each at the Hays and Salina sites.

"Our expenses in Wichita have just become too high," he said.

Bowden said the expenses at the Coliseum include security, ticket sellers and ticket takers. The Coliseum keeps 20 percent of the ticket revenue.

First off, thank you Jim for the "EAGLE" quote. That is where I saw it too. Second, I am in no way at all bashing ANYTHING about Hays having a tourny on the same weekend as the classic and I'm sure it is a great tourny and ran very well. But then again, I don't think there are too many BAD tournaments any how when it comes to kids getting good mat time. Personally my only point whatsoever was this... wouldn't it be Great to be able to do both for those KIDS?

When will the results be posted and were at?

I now have been to both tournements. Park City for the four years and hays this last year. They both have there flaws, and both have there good points as some may say. I don't think no one is trying to take away from the other it comes down to personal likes and dislikes, travel time and eliminating overnight stays.
My most negative experience with Park City was 4 years ago when we where going up for Saturday weigh-in and had car trouble at Mcpherson once we got back up and going we where 10 minutes late to the weigh-in and was turned away. Even though they still had kids in the weigh-in area, along with the fact the tournement had a 1 hour late start. But we went back two more years in a row.
Like I said both places has there flaws and here was what I noticed: addmission fees, seating, restrooms (Hays does have more than one), time frame you where done and on the road. But one of the biggest was I din't see as any coaches and refs argueing a call in Hay's, like that I have seen at Park City over the last few years, but than again those teams (Which everyone knows of who) was not at Hays, you know the ones who complain about every call, the ones who ref+coach at the same tournements.

Anyhow this was the last year that my oldest son can participate in Kids Club, so by the time my youngest son starts wrestling at 6 & under in a couple more years I hope everyone has this sorted out by than.

Best Wishes

what were the flaws in Hays? I didn't see any listed.

I've got one for you.
The announcer stopping the matches to cry about non-coach/wrestlers on matside. I'm sorry, that was stupid. NOBODY moved. Nor where they going to. But, I'm not here just to critize. I have an answer. Other tourneys with the same setup take that orange barrier netting and bar the openings save for two on the opposite ends. Put you volenteers there to restrict entry. Zip tie them to the bleachers, then in an emergency they can be cut or dropped easily.
I had a real problem with the match halt. They were an hour behind which isn't a bit deal, it happens. Don't make it worse. The arena was great parking was easy. The wind sucked bad. I don't have an answer for that, its Kansas.
We signed up for Wichita and cancelled out and resigned to Hays. It was nice seeing others coming back so grandma and grandpa can watch there grandson wrestle. That is what we did.
Shudog, I am not trying to bust your chops, I just had to vent. If you will have us we would love to be back next year.

You are right, they should not have stopped the matches at Hays. After the first announcement that those not authorized to be matside needed to return to their seats, the offenders should have been escorted out of the building. It amazes me the number of people that feel that the tournament rules apply to eveyone except them.