to grandad--I am not sure where your concerns regarding Hiawatha wrestling have anything to do with the KSHSAA--it is not the KSHSAA that requires your school to turn the wrestling room into a weight room; it is not the KSHSAA that sets the price of gasoline, it is not the KSHSAA that hired the coaches in your school who are only "doing it for the money," nor is it the fault of the KSHSAA that your school cannot fill 14 weights (not just a problem in Hiawatha, I might add). Finally, you want the school coaches to spend more time with your wrestlers, but yet you are suspicious of the coaches you have. Reads to me as though your anger is being displaced.

To all others in this thread: At the risk of starting a firestorm because someone would have the audacity to defend the KSHSAA, here goes: Rick Bowden nor Gary Musselman make the rules on their own regarding Kansas wrestling. Further, neither Bowden or Musselman have the authority to unilaterally change the rules that govern Kansas wrestling. There is, in fact, a governance system in place for making rule change RECOMMENDATIONS and for acting on those rules. There is an ELECTED Board of Directors on which EVERY HS LEAGUE in Kansas has a REPRESENTATIVE ELECTED by the Leagues. On this Board are also representatives of Middle Schools, the State Board of Education, locally elected Board of Educations and representatives of state organizations such as the Kansas Coaching Association. From this group of 40+ persons (who ARE elected by the KSHSAA MEMBER SCHOOLS), an Executive Board is selected which consists of one representative of each classification (who is typically a school principalor athletic director), a middle school rep, a State BOE rep and a local BOE rep. While the KSHSAA Director and Asst. Director may not favor rule changes that are proposed, they HAVE NO VOTE. If you are really interested how recommendation become rules, or how rules are changed withing the KSHSAA governance structure contact Rick or Gary and they will be glad to give you that information. But, if you want something done before the start of next season save your time. Do you think the governance is too unwieldy? It is the result of a law suit filed several years ago by parents charging that the KSHSAA was not representative enough which led to the Kansas Legislature mandating changes in the KSHSAA to accommodate more views--hence the expansion of the Board of Directors. I do not always agree with the KSHSAA, but I also have worked with them enough to know that there are reasons for the rules and that they KSHSAA personnel are good people who strive to maintain the best interests of ALL Kansas schools and students.

The KSHSAA does seem to move at a glacier pace at times--and this is probably a good thing more often than not. Some of the things I read on this site are not good for kids or coaches or parents. I know this is a site devoted to wrestling but lets not forget we are talking about kids who many times have other school and athletic interests besides just wrestling. Lets also remember that not every wrestling coach in Kansas was a qualifier for the US Olympic team, a college wrestler, a state champion, etc. Some do it because if they don't no one else will, or because they love the sport, or they like working with kids, or they do it for the money (those who do it only for the money don't do it long).

There are MANY ways for your coaches to work with your athletes outside of the season within the rules that are now in place. If you need some ideas contact the coach at any school who is, year in and year out, competitive at the state level; those programs don't just happen. Also, having your kids work with different coaches is a GOOD thing--any GOOD coach will tell you that.

One final point and then I will retire and you guys can have at me--just because YOU think something is a good idea or should be done, doesn't mean it really is a good idea or a good thing for all. A lot of what I read on this forum or elsewhere is mostly what "I think should be done; or "what (some other state) does;" which leads to "if the KSHSAA doesn't immediately do what I think should be done they are stupid." Our society has become entirely too "me-oriented," impatient, and (IMHO) way too specialized. Schools are NOT ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP FACTORIES!

Yours in Wrestling, Greg Mann; Norton, KS