Let me saw first that I've been thrown out of a few tournaments. And I deserved it everytime. Opions always very. And I've always tought that with great power comes great responsibility.

This Saturday at District 1's tournament I watched as Cody Reynolds of UMS Topeka was offically ejected which basicaly means he will not see his kids and even his son compete at the state tournament. And I think its completely out of line and over celius.

In this situation He "QUESTIONED A JUDGMENT CALL". Not by yelling, Cussing, charging the mat, Using a harsh tone or Aggressive hand genstures IE. POINTING etc. But in a normal respectful tone questioned a control call. When he was OFFICALLY wargned he was almost as shocked as the rest of us. And was accually still being respectful and was trying to get a grip on what was going on saying hold on, hold on . Well your gone get out and was escorted away by the head ref. Who was watching the whole thing go on.

Now I know theres a greiveience comity and all that crap. But this close to the State tournament doesn't that call for a little extra judgment coming from highier ups. theres accually alot at stack here and seeing is how at this time this coach really wasn't in my opion in the wrong really But more that a ref was just tired and cranky. I've heard all the stuff and agree you have to stand behind your refs and support there discions But how can you have a fair shake when the grievence comity is hand picked by whom? Certinly not a non biost consisting of the head ref tournament director and some of the other close friends now who wouldn't want that to be your hanging JURY sounds like a dam good time. Its bull a slap on the hand got way outta line. hell if this was going to be the punishment he shoulda just charged the mat and freaked out same punishment right might as well make it worth it.



JON TORWBRIDGE
4251 PARKVIEW AVE.
KANSAS CITY KANSAS 66104
913-314-4529

It is sad but true.There is some refs you can not talk to,some you cant rase your voice to,Than there is some that you can just aboout do anything to.

Just like cops or any one in power.They do what they want,not what is right.

There is many many good refs out there.But if you get on there bad side[just like most any one]look out.

Not sure of the facts here,but I do think as in any time of the year,it should not be in one mans hands.I like you think the greiveience comity should be not on a friends pick.

This is quite absurd! Cody Reynolds is one of the most "cool" under pressure and I cannot fathom the idea of his ejection! I know of one ref....(great in his days that absolutely takes complete defense when asking to discuss his judgement/baseline ruling) why wasn't or couldn't it have been in order --- for it to be a "teachabe moment" instead of a questionable ejection?

Perhaps this ref. needs to retire /or/ the officiating sport of wrestling is not for his ego.....If it's one of the ref's that I may be thinking about he is a good ref. but once you ? any of his calls he "has your number & will definitely make his judgements skewed for the other wrestler once you get on their "bad side." Just as in KSHSAA officiating umpires --- should be evaluated after every match by the head coach for that particular team----this could include both + feedback and improvement feedback. Just my .02.

I saw a coach get an offical warning for standing there with his fist in the air. Was he looking for a stalling call??? YES!
Who has not done that??
I think they called it a demonsterous act???
Never heard of it!

I don't know the circumstances either. But I doubt the ref is doing it for the "power." Maybe he's trying to give back to wrestling and doing his best with people screaming in his face all day. I know I had to" argue" a call during Districts. If you want to call it an argument. I requested a meeting, before leaving the mat, with the head ref so we could talk about it. Believe me, our "talk" was difficult with others yelling and screaming their thoughts. I tried to be a professional about it but at the same time explain, per the rules, what I saw was called incorrectly. We worked it out and wrestled from there.

Got home and watched the D1 finals and found my self acting like I was coaching matside. On a questionable call, my boy commented that if it was a kids match, you'd have someone standing in the middle of the mat screaming like a madman. I think to many of our kids coaches are setting a bad precedent with their behavior matside. You don't see that behavior at the top level but for some reason it's ok with kids wrestling. From what I've learned, sometimes those that yell the loudest or act the toughest are the most weak!.

In the end it's still kids wrestling and I hope we conduct ourselves in a way that the kids will look up to us.

I think the level of the ref is alot different and there is a review committiee that reviews the matches and critiques the refs like in the NFL and other major sports.
There is no critiques or oversite or follow up at this level. But there is the almighty stop sign called MY JUDGEMENT!

Jon,
I am not going to debate the facts of the situation that lead to convening of the grievance committee. But I do want you to know that Mr. Reynolds was offered a fair appeal as described and allowed by the District 1 standing rules.

From the District 1 Standing rules:
11. District 1 qualifying tournament grievance committees:
Sub-District Tournament
Tournament Director
Sub-District Director
Tournament’s Head Official

District Tournament
Tournament Director
Both Sub-District Directors
District Director
Tournament’s Head Official

The deck was not stacked one way or the other in this case. I would like to say that I have tremendous respect for Mr. Reynolds. He genuinely cares about the kids in his club and about the sport we love. The thousands of hours a year, at great personal expense, that Mr. Reynolds volunteers is an asset to USAWA-KS and District 1 more specifically. While I wish this situation did not happen on Saturday...it was a teachable moment for "all" involved.

Mark Stanley

You were making a good argument for Mr. Reynolds right up to this point, "Let me saw first that I've been thrown out of a few tournaments".

To say I was treated fair, is far from the truth! Not one person took in consideration what was on the line! My club (brand new this year) can't believe what happened and the way it happened. My kids parents are bewildered as to what could have provoked such a response from a ref, and I recieved my first warning from a ref and my first discharge from a tournament in 10 seconds. We started our club THIS year! I have acted as the head coach/part time club pres/fund raiser organizer/ and dad. I've put my heart and soul into trying to make this a success.Everyone from our organization has! I'm heart broken that I can't help these boys achieve there dreams.I write these words with mixed emotions. I never missed a practice or a tournament.I gave 100% of myself to this sport over the last year. What I have given over the last year does not deserve to be taken away by a ref that was having a bad day. After I left our meeting I found out that this particular ref(on mat 3) had a fight with another coach( and several arguments over the day) ON THE MAT. He said and I quote," Why do you have to be such as A##." The coach responded by saying shut the F up. This was a heated discussion that of course took place at the table.No one was thrown out. I was told " i'm afraid your a victim of circumstance."Beacuse I didn't approach the table with my concerns. Yet later I found out that it was a judgement call and I couldn't call the ref over for a judgement call. I can only call him over for a rules question. The individuals who sealed my fait even said they were in agreement that there was no raised voices or curse words used when I addressed the ref.SO everyone who reads this post can be the judge.One more thing was also pointed out.I was not a coach involved with the match beacuse I was not mat side ( 2 other coaches were) so that should make me a by stander just like any other coach. How many of you have voiced your opinion while watching a match and got thrown out of a tournament! Very few I bet. I was singled out by a pissed off ref who took his anger out on me. " You know what really happened ref and so does every other coach who saw what happened Saturday. You should be ASHAMED of yourself."

I wish my boys the best of luck this weekend! As someone once said to me,"The cream will rise to the top." So I have faith they will do just fine without me mat side. Besides Champions are made during the week not on the weekends!

it's unfortunate that this happened, but there is a chance for learning here. spend more time figuring that out, than trying to sort out saturday's events. the damage is done, nothing will change between now and then. make sure the kids on your club know they should settle in on the mat. i know it's easier said than done, but that's a start on learning something from this.

Mark you know as well as I the only people who have takin a hard lesson are the team wrestlers and on coaches son! Whats the Coaches lesson here Whatever you do do not a approch a ref with a reasonable question in a reasonable tone or else! ALL I'M SAYING IS THE PUNISHMENT SHOULD FIT THE CRIME AND CURRENTLY THIS POOR BASTERD IS GETTING A RAW DEAL ONLY BECAUSE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS COMING WEEKEND!

wow. and I thought it was bad when I had a ref come up to me at our districts and tell me that he had thrown a coach out for cursing him on the mat and that the coach was allowed to stay. I had a wrestler thrown out for cursing his opponent (rightfully so and if the ref hadn't done it i would have) then an hour later an opposing wrestler turns during a break in the match and starts screaming at me and doesn't even get an unsportsmanlike against him. there is no consistency at all. CBR's dad, it is to bad that this has happened to you and your wrestlers. Tell your asst. coaches that if they run into a bind at state to look me up. I would be glad to help out in any way I can.

Jerry Dale
Team Xtreme

Hotrodder is right on the money here.
The only thing that I want to point out here is why does all of the sudden everything have to change because we are in the weeks of the qualifying tournaments? I think the refs need to step up their game and know that emotions will be high and instead of coming down harder on everyone they may want to be a little more understanding of the situations. Maybe add an extra ref or two to float and keep the refs fresher and keep the head ref available to move from mat to mat and assist the other refs.
And who holds the refs accountable? How can we hold the refs accountable?
If the refs are going to step up and hold people more accountable of the rules then how can we do that of them?
Isn’t it stated in the rules that ALL refs should dress in the exact same attire and have their refs’ numbers visible? Where was that this weekend? Do we send the ref away from the mat and start a timer and if he cannot report back to the mat ready to officiate then he forfeits his pay???
What about asking a ref for his name? I’ve done this and got a warning! That’s a total crock! Every year we have to vote on who we chose to be in state events. They don’t wear their numbers or give their names so it’s hard to hold them accountable through that process.
What about the use of profanity by a ref? A ref telling a coach to shut the hell up or to stop his bit@#ing and complaining?
I know good refs are hard to find, and the pay isn’t the best, and we don’t want to chase the good ones away…. Blah blah! But not only are the paid to be there and over see the rules of the match they are paid to be impartial. Some of these refs walk onto a mat with a chip on their shoulder because they see a coach in the corner that is as knowledgeable as they are and know that they are going to have to be prepared to do the job they are being paid for cause that coach will hold them accountable. So instantly they are defensive and if and when it comes time to explain a call or confront that coach they are quick to wave them off or say it was a judgment call so they don’t have to explain themselves.
I would like Ned or someone walk me through how to handle a ref using profanity or something like this before we see it this weekend because we saw plenty of it last weekend.

Yep, the numbers don't lie 4 ejections all season, then 7 more since qualifying tournaments started.

Here is the only thing I am going to say the officials are doing wrong. They are letting some kids and coaches get away with poor behavior throughout the year, and then don't want to put up with it at the end of the year. Like my daddy alwasy said it is easier to be an a-hole and ease up than to be easy and then have to be an a-hole.

Consisteny is the key....Do it the same way the whole year.

Jerry, don't threaten those poor kids like that!!!!!!! It is bad enough that their coach got tossed, now you threaten to coach them in his place!!!

While we're talking about this, it's pretty easy to figure out which wrestler was ejected when we post their team, age and weight. Either we might as well post their names or not post the age and weight.

Most of the refs do a good job of taking care of situations like this. Some do not. Without having been there, but hearing witnesses tell the story, this is obviously a situation where the coach needs to be reinstated.
We ran into a few refs that were pretty trigger happy at Ottawa on Sunday. While never raising my voice, and asking why, when two 6u kids were flopping around, with my kid having a chicken wing in, my kid was given a penalty point for running it illegally, I was given a warning for "questioning his interpretation of a rule" or something like that. I could only smile and walk away.


One other point that I VERY gingerly tried to make with a ref that has a burr under his saddle for us is this: when you are awarding points, you need to verbalize it. Each ref awards points for takedowns/control differently, so when my kid is awarded a 2 point reversal, by the referee holding up two fingers, and not by saying "2!!!", my kid has no idea to unlock his hands, and the bottom kid has no idea to give up his defense and belly down before he gives up back points. I was told "if you kid has been in the practice room, he should know". Again, I could only smile and walk away....After the fact, I wanted to go and give him a copy of the NCAA D1 finals matches DVD, and have him listen to those refs scream things like "We're neutral guys" or "ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE" on back counting. Apparently, the D1 guys should NOT know, but 6u kids SHOULD.......

I have always told our kids for years that if a ref makes a call that makes them lose the match, well they shouldn't have put themselves into that position that a judgement call ends their day.

I still think that is a good way to think of it.

But with that being said thee are so many 1-2 point matches this time of year that does throw a curve ball into that thought process. We all have been on both sides of the coin with a judgement cal.

This is a horrible thing to happen to a coach/father at this time of the year. Lets all hope that the appeal process works and that many years of USW support and great service is taken in consideration over one call made in the heat of the moment.

I would think there is something to be learned by this incident, but to deny a coach/father from being able to watch his kid(s) at state seem to be extreme for a (I assume) a first time offense.

Just my opinion