Because of baseball, track, prom, golf, ACT's, etc it is nearly impossible to make the state tournament THE qualifier for the summer dual teams. We need to have the BEST wrestlers possible at each weight and at the Junior level we need to have wrestlers NOT going both ways unless they are an alternate. The schedule and weigh in requirements make it too brutal to wrestle all 15-20 matches in four days.

Can we move the tournament to June? Heck no! We have tried that and the data clearly shows that May is the way to go. The past four years we have had two in May (300 plus wrestlers) and two in June (80 to 100 less wrestlers).

Should you wrestle the weight at state that you want to wrestle the duals in? Absolultely!

Could we use Southern Plains as a qualifier? For sure but you have to wrestle the weight you want to be on the team at.

What if you are a past Fargo All American? Automatically considered for dual team participation.

Regional training center attendees? If we have six and you make three then you get considered.

So now we have a handful of guys. Winner of state, winner of SP or highest KS placer, regional trainees who didn't compete at state, returning All Americans. If we have multiple guys who want to be on the teams we have wrestle offs at one of the last regional training center events. If you were injured and didn't meet any of the above criteria then you petition the Corp Board who conduct an electronic vote. We get the best guys in the starting line ups, we have the best alternates strategically placed and we use as many guys as possible so that we don't have guys doubling up.

It really shouldn't be that difficult. Heck we have a hard time filling the starting line up! Last year there were next to no alternates so a few wrestlers had to go out every dual.

I do want to grow the state tournament as much or more than anyone but it can't be the end all selection for the dual teams.