Originally posted by Nigel Isom:
With no disrepect to you Mr Nowak. It seems like every year you and Mr. Cokely are the only two people who seem to share this opinion. Im not saying thats a bad thing. My only point in this is that the majority of people in this state have spoken out in large numbers about how they would like to continue to trend that has forever been in place here in USAWKS.
I don't see the big problem with is, both as a former coach and now officiating. I think its great for wrestlers to get as much competition as possible all year long, and fed wrestling gives these kids 4 more weeks to get that much more competition.
Nigel, I know you are not showing me disrespect. I think you have respect for me and I have respect for you too. I admire you as a young man who gives so much of your time and energy for wrestling in Kansas. It is okay to disagree on subjects. We can do that and still like each other.
You are definitely wrong though if you think that Will Cokeley and myself are the only two to feel this way. I can site different topics on this very subject over the last several years that will prove that we are definitely not the only two to feel this way.
Also I am no longer advocating for the high schoolers not to be participating in Federation wrestling for four more weeks after their season is over. Even last year I was not saying that. Read what I said. I just want the high schoolers to have two separate high school divisions. A JV division and an Open Division (the open division would be open to all classes freshman thru seniors that wanted to partcipate in it). So a year ago a Romero Cotton, a Scott Elliot or a Marvio Tischhauser (if he had been healthy last year) could have been competing against the State's top freshman thru Seniors. You know as well as I do that those three would have been ready for that. My freshman son would not be ready for this Open Division this year but I believe he would be ready for the State best JV wrestlers at his weight group. I also believe that would be better for him competitively than wrestling 8th graders. I also think he is better prepared this year as a 9th grader to face the State's best 10th graders than he was last year as an 8th grader to face the State's best 9th graders in his weight group. The result might not end up any better than he did a year ago. He might even do worse. I just know that practicing all year in that Aquinas practice room has him better prepared for those sophomores this year.
I think due to the logistics that these separate high school divisions would have to be at another weekend than the grade school tournament. But some people suggested last year it could maybe happen on the same weekend if we made it a 3 day instead of 2 day State tournament.
