Any truth that they are being split up?

2...is one of the venues Lee Arena on the Washburn Campus?

I really hope that they aren't splitting them up, it's already split up enough in my opinion.

In talking with a rep from KSHSAA at the 4A tourney, 5 and 6 A will split next year unless a facility large enough could have been found very quickly. I assume that is now the case. 4A will stay in Salina and 321A will stay in Hays.

This weekend I spoke to several collegiate coaches. They tell me that our separate tournaments make a terribly difficult to recruit in Kansas!

Their suggestion is to go to a 3-day tourney and get all classifications at one site!

Sounds like the issue that was discussed earlier. A question for those who know. Is Bramlege in Manhattan large enough for 5-6A? 4, 5, & 6A? I think it holds around 16-18k but am not sure of the floor space available for mats. Thanks in advance.

No it is not… there is only enough floor space for 3 full size mats. The other problem with Bramlege is timing… there is no way that KSU will relinquish that right to their building on any given day during the basket ball season. With the women’s and men’s programs winding down their seasons they need the floor space to accommodate these teams first. Now if this was planed out way in advance then something might be able to be worked out with scheduling. I just know that they were not very receptive to a deal at the end of February with Ahern let alone Bramlege.

Bramlage seats around 13,340, but there is not nearly enough floor space.

Randy how dare you bring this up, after all we all know there are many who have never spoken to college coaches and all of them know that coaches don't care about our state tournament. Or something like that. Of course some of us are hoping and praying that this will be possible in Wichita with the new arena or at the very least someplace in state. I would also prefer having the finals in each class as a individual event.

(Please note sarcasm above.)

ATTENTION:

It is official that all classes will be combined into one state tournament at a single site. Where is this site you may ask? Well look no further than my living room in Manhattan. We can fit one mat, so the tournament should only take a few weeks. Also due to limited room for spectators, a lottery will be held to decide on which 20 people will get to watch. Coaches, there probably won't be enough room for you guys in the corner, so you'll have to shout directions to your wrestlers from the front yard.

College Coaches do come to state tournaments and 4 locations in one state is crazy. This allows the college coaches to meet parents, HS coaches and watch other kids they may not see at national tournaments. Not all parents and HS coaches travel to spring and summer national tournaments. I would say more parents attend their childs High School State vs Fargo, Fila, Cadet & Junior Duals, etc. Trust me college coaches like to meet the parents. Additionally, parents want a chance to discuss a few things with coaches. Splitting up the locations of the different classes is bad for our sport. We should have 2 locations maximum not 4. My vote is Salina & Hayes - but nobody asked me to vote.

Sean McCarthy
STA Kids Wrestling

or your loser neighbors' basement.

Hold it at that bar in Clay Center I was at this weekend that mixes Mountain Dew and Crown Royal.

Swayz that would be any bar, you just have to order it that way... Jeez

SCOOTERS...that's the name of the place...but be forewarned...the gals there are in the old UNLIMITED weight class.

So you had a good time then?

You know it. Seriously though they can hold it anywhere, but as long as it isn't in a High School Gym...I'm cool with it. Most coaches I've talked with like the openess of a larger type venue so they can hide in the shuffle, and see how kids perform more in a bigger stage setting.

How dare you mention Crown Royal and Mt. Dew in the same breath! You talk about a seeing grown man CRY! That is blasphemy! On the rocks only! Man Rule #537

AMEN!! Man Rule #537

To get back on topic here...

If you'd ever spend the time and TALK to Bowden or Musselman, they'd be the first one to tell you they'd prefer a one site state or even "go back" to the 2 site state. Rick's always told me, "As long as FHSU has a wrestling program, we will have a state tourney there to support their wrestling program! It's a no-brainer!" That appears to be the 1-2-3A State, with no end in sight...

What to do with the others, 4-5-6A. The Ks. Coliseum is a joke: it's getting old, the management's whole goal is to rape, pillage and plunder whatever they can from attendees, so they can try to keep a sinking ship afloat.
Wichita/Sedgwick Co. is looking to build a new arena (15,000 seat capacity), but they haven't even broke ground and there's a referendum (recall) movement now in the works!

So, where do you put 4-5-6A and keep them together?

The Expo Center – Topeka, Ks:
Large enough for all three classes, there’s just one problem: the Shriner’s Circus has that baby locked in for countless years, the same weekend as our state tourney. (Could always move the date of state up or back a week???)

The Bi-Center – Salina, Ks:
They do an excellent job of hosting the 4A state tourney! But it can only fit 1 class, and I've been there these past two years. Eight mats would be a tight fit and I don't know if two classes could fit in there. Besides 4A has fallen in love and Salina will fight like heck to keep it there!

KSU’s Bramlege:
From what I’ve seen, the seating is fixed, doesn’t collapse in, to accommodate more than 3 mats, like a traditional gym.

KSU’s Ahern:
From what I can put together in my mind, when I’ve been there for indoor track, you’ve got the same situation as the Bi-Center. Might be able to get 8 mats down, but enough seating for two classes?

KU’s Allen Field House:
KU Pumpkin ballers would rather burn that to the ground before letting mats be carried in and placed on that coveted floor. Yet, there’s room for maybe 8 mats, if the seating folds in???

Washburn U – Topeka, Emporia State, Pitt State, even WSU’s Koke Arena:
All too small to accommodate all three classes, even just two.

The Kansas Coliseum had a good thing going, just a run-down facility and wrong approach on how to hold the event – poof focus. From what Musselman shared with us officials at the 4A state tourney. The only option is to have 4 sites and it looked as if 5A would be hosted at Hutchison and 6A would be at Olathe NW, in their new facility. Goddard was in the mix.

It really is quite interesting when you take the time and sit down with “the powers that be” and see what all they’ve looked at and their whole thought process into making their “snap decisions” or “what’s best for KSHSAA and not the kids/parents/schools/college coaches…”

I've got an idea...why not have it at arrowhead stadium, that field can probably hold like 12-15 mats on it. And the seating capcity in that place is huge.
Or we could go someplace else out of state where there actually is a big enough space, since Kansas obviously can't provide that space.