The Kansas Kids Parade of Champions is something I look forward to every year. I run to the stands to video tape it and each year, my eyes well up watching the kids run out and I feel so happy for all of them to experience it. The highs are so high and the lows so low during the season that some of those kids that run out of the tunnel in the Expocentre never thought they would be there!

I've had some thoughts about the parade though, and most are just from a parent in the stands. In no way do I want to discredit anyone though that helps put on the parade because every year I think it's pretty amazing. I can't imagine the time that the Buckley's or Ned or others that I've missed, have put into this to make it special for everyone. For that I thank you.

Rather my observations are this:

I love that this last year, you had the 3rd/4th and 4/5 run out to half dimmed lights to the music. In years passed I remember it with all the lights on, and then other years with all the lights off with the spot lights. With all the lights on, as a parent videotaping, it's great because I can videotape wrestlers running out and shake hands with their opponents. Plus I can videotape others we know. With the lights completely off, I barely found our wrestlers to videotape the shaking of hands and actually followed another wrestler thinking it was one of ours. This last year, with the lights dimmed halfway and spotlights still going, I was still able to get my boy and his teammates. Great improvement for those videotaping. I think the having the lights dimmed for 3/4 and 5/6 gave the kids a lot of excitement while still allowing all the parents to capture it.

Now the finals, the lights completely off with the spotlight is the way to go. I know it has motivated lots of wrestlers to someday run out onto the mats in that manner. On the plus side, parents can still find their kid if the spotlights scan them while running in, and for sure parents will get there kids on video as they are being introduced.

Music:

I know that's another animal in itself, but I love that you brought back "eye of the tiger" for the finals. There could be others but you got to go with old faithful! My second favorite, "we will rock you" by queen. My son saw the finalists run out to that song and willed himself to be in the finals the next year just to hear that song! Lol. The beat is great for firing up kids. My long shot, that I play at our practices to fire up the kids, AC/DC "Thunderstruck.". Go to Flowrestling and search the iowa vs iowa state dual. You will see how it fires everyone up.

I can't wait till Ned leads the wave with the spotlights following it! I am excited to see all the upsets and great matches that our Kids State Championships have every year. Above all, I want to thank everyone who puts all the time and effort that you do to make this a great experience for everyone involved!

See you at "THE SHOW!"