Just because "I pay taxes" does not give a person the right to dictate how things at every school in Kansas are run. The appropriate thing for Cokely to have done would be to contact his sons coach and no one else. doug47, those typical government employees you seem to have low opinions of are the ones teaching, coaching, encouraging, and helping your kid. Whoever the AD is at GE I am sure he is no exception to that. The forum on this thread resembles more of a fox news comment section rather than a place to promote wrestling, which is the intended purpose if I read the guidlines right. Please get back to that and quit trying to bash on anyone who did not allow you or your friends to get your way in one high school wrestling tournament.

Why shouldn"t Will be able to contact a school Ad,principle, coach or anyone else to speak his mind about the tournament. this is America, it's his right to do that here. As long as he was non threatening or obnoxious, he had every right to contact them. Last time I checked we still have freedom of speach.

To all...what I feel to be exhausting is the 2+ pages of derogatory posts in regards to what was a great day of wrestling. Now, I'm not going to sit here and defend or attack what Will is upset about because I wasn't there and had nothing to do with the seeding meetings. I will say that it is uncalled for, and to be honest quite immature, to name-call and to assume one's intelligence to be rather low by implying they're not smart enough to change a tire on a van. Let's be adult. If you disagree with something, that's fine...you have the right. But there's definitely a different way to go about it...from both sides. With that being said, I don't think anyone can deny Will's passion for the sport. Also, to comment on another earlier post...and I can't recall by who...Mr. Fergola has all the right to be a part of the process as he is a part of the team that coordinates the event. Which brings me to most important part of my post...the event itself. Only one poster complimented the tournament...thanks Mr. Harris...everything else has been negative aside from congrats to a few wrestlers on wins. I myself, didn't help coordinate or plan the event as I was only working Track matside, but I think there needs to be recognition for the efforts of all who helped and the atmosphere we had. 7 mats going, everything moved along at a quick pace(I'm sure there were hiccups as all tournaments have them), great competiotion from 5 states and I truly believe the kids...who, by the way are THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, loved it. There aren't many events where kids get to walk thru a tunnel with the music rocking and wrestle under a single mat light. It truly is awesome for the kids. I am sure there are few tournaments out there that do a better job...but I know for a fact that most are inferior. I may be biased being a parent of a former Blazer wrestler as well as a current one, but we have to be doing something right to continue to attract teams from out of state and bring in the top notch competiotion that they do. I guess all I can say is that if you have such issues with the tournament, find another tournament to attend on the first weekend in December each year and hopefully they will have the type of competition you find here. Hopefully that isn't what transpires as it's teams like SJA and their quality program that makes this 1-day tournament what it is. I know it's early, but I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you matside.

Keith Heniss

What school do you teach or administrate at?

Lots of good teachers, lots of good administrators, lots of good coaches, but WAY TOO MANY idiots in those positions as well. I like to refer to them as over educated to the point that they believe they are above us common folk that have the good ole education from Teacher Real Life.

And who said anyone was "dictating" how things are run? It is pretty obvious that there was some common sense left out of the equation in some seeding. I guess people are supposed to turn the other cheek........

I'm going to post a quote that really riles up Kool Aid drinkers like you:

"All it takes for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing"

Doesn't matter if it is something as "unimportant" as a seeding for a tournament, or as "unimportant" as getting off your a$$ to go and vote for the guy that wants to restore America to its roots of hardwork, and earning what you get, instead of staying home and letting the moocher crowd vote themselves another 4 years of coddling........

Damn I missed H.S. wrestling...And this is just the 1st tournament!!!!!!

No sense leaving out the last part of the story...

Kent,

“you as a parent (which is your role in this instance) are not included in all of the communication that is ongoing in regards to us setting this tournament up. “

Then why even send me this email? I am a lowly tax payer who without my dollars you would not have a job. Without my kids your existence would not be needed. I find that comment to be MOST pompous and arrogant on your part. I am almost 50 so I am not going to be called to the principal’s office for STATING MY OPINION as well as pointing out the FACTS. You are wasting everyone’s time with this email.

I am a wrestling advocate and I believe things should be done the CORRECT way. I am honest and upstanding. I have a track record, professionally and in support of wrestling that speaks for itself. I do NOT have to buy in to your communication protocol. You and all of your employees have public accessible emails and phones. Matt and Richard have both called me and that is why I have their numbers. In fact, if you knew the background to my last conversation with Richard you will understand EXACTLY why I would feel he was setting my son up.

See my comments below (inserted in CAPS.) I have wasted enough of my time and everyone else’s on this issue. Give me three swats and call it good.

Will Cokeley
Tax Payer
Tuition payer
Parent
But not good enough to have an opinion in Kent Glaser’s eyes.


From: Kent Glaser [mailto:GlaserK@usd231.com]
Sent: Monday, December 03, 2012 3:00 PM
To: William Cokeley
Cc: coachfergola@gmail.com; Andy Tylicki; kleibham@sjakeepingfaith.org; mhuppe@sjakeepingfaith.org; mmedina@sjakeepingfaith.org; Tim Brady; Matt Yeamans
Subject: Re: Fwd: Seeding & Team Scoring

Will,

You are receiving this email from me (Athletic Director and Associate Principal of Gardner Edgerton High School), because I am disappointed in how your have directed your comments, interjected your opinion, etc. in a manner and a scene that we were not going to respond to. SO WHY AM I GETTING THIS EMAIL? I purposefully and directly informed our tournament management not to respond to your calls, texts, email and other "blog" postings. We will take the high road here and not comment in these public formats. Your doing so is a disappointment. TO YOU. For several reasons I made this directive to our personnel. First you are not a coach or administrator for St James Academy. Second we were in the middle of setting up a tournament and that is not the time for my staff to take the time to respond (and now that we are finished here is my response). Thirdly, this should go through the proper channels. I would have taken a call or email (and so would my staff) from Coach Medina (HE TRIED TO CALL), Mark Huppe, or any other administrative team member from St. James. BECAUSE EDUCATORS ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE TO PARENTS??

Why, you may ask? Because you as a parent (which is your role in this instance YOUR OPINON) are not included in all of the communication that is ongoing in regards to us setting this tournament up. WHY CAN THERE BE NO TRANSPARENCY? WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU MUST TAKE THIS ELITIST APPROACH? In fact, many of the claims you make below are misleading and you are not fully enveloped within that communication format. NOT TRUE. All 16 coaches were fully aware and as a collective group supportive of the seeding committee. NOT TRUE!!! CALL EVERY COACH BECAUSE I HAVE TALKED TO MANY OF THEM AND THIS IS NOT TRUE. We had in place a format for coaches to make change requests prior to the tournament start. NOT TRUE. The criteria was specifically laid out. AND NOT FOLLOWED. Your opinion on how we set up the criteria and manage the tournament is not relevant. THEN WHY ARE YOU SENDING ME THIS LETTER?? Again, this is done with communication via our tournament management and with the teams we have involved. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE! THIS SITUATION WAS BROUGHT UP AND NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT. THE CRITERIA WAS LAID OUT AND NOT COMPLIED TO. IT IS NOT JUST MY OPNINION BUT THE FACTS. HAVE YOU EVER MANAGED A WRESTLING TOURNAMENT? DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT?

I completely understand that you are friends or acquaintances of Matt Yeamans and Richard Fergola. Your texts, voicemail, blog postings, etc. were ill timed and were not suited for a response by my staff as we prepared to run a tournament. REALLY? Lastly, your misguided delusion that this is personal, is more of an attack on myself and Gardner Edgerton High School. I DO NOT AGREE WITH YOU. If you for one minute believe that we would host an event for KIDS and purposely inflict personal vendettas you are sorely mistaken. I DO BELIEVE THAT RICHARD FERGOLA WOULD ABSOLUTELY DO THIS.

We will as normal reflect upon OUR tournament and how we run it for the kids and teams involved. If you would like input I would suggest you do so via Coach Medina or Mark Huppe. I can tell you that if you were a parent in the Gardner Edgerton High School scene and I discovered that you were making comments to these affects and contacting another schools tournament management you would be in my office and we would be discussing this personally. NO WE WOULDN’T. I WOULD NEVER HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH ANYONE WHO STARTED OUT HIS LETTER IN SUCH A DISRESPECTFUL TONE. In this instance you are not and I will leave my only communication with you as this email and copy the appropriate St James personnel that I have full respect for. I will also give St James administration a personal call so that they too know that the conduct of one St James' parent was viewed as unprofessional and irresponsible. I ALREADY MADE THE CALL. I DO NOT AGREE WITH YOU AND YOU HAVE NOT EVEN ASKED TO HAVE MY SIDE OF THE STORY.

In regards to you communicating further with Matt Yeamans, Richard Fergola, or any other tournament staff member of the Gardner Edgerton Wresting Invitational Tournament please know that they will not respond to you in reference to our wrestling tournament. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. BOTH OF THEM HAVE BEEN ERASED FROM MY PHONE.
In regards to your "Wrestling Forum" public posts below, it is certainly not within the frame work that I believe helps our sports and our kids. Unprofessional. Definitely not congruent with the standards of the KSHSAA (of which both St James and Gardner Edgerton are members) or the NFHS (of which this was a sanctioned event that I personally processed). In fact, page 49 of the KSHSAA manual states ALL ACTIONS are to be FOR, NOT AGAINST, POSITIVE, NOT NEGATIVE or DISRESPECTFUL! And it also states that one should "Exercise self-control and reflect positively upon yourself, team and school." I believe that your comments do not meet those standards. I BELIEVE THEY WERE IN ORDER. I HAVE STATED FACTS.

Lastly, of the 16 teams we had involved in this tournament (representing 5 states) you are the only negative connotation that I have found. OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVEN’T TALKED TO ALL OF THE HEAD COACHES AND PARENTS INVOLVED WITH THE TOURNAMENT. IS THE GOOD FAR GREATER THAN THE BAD. YES. IT IS ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE A TOURNAMENT WITH TOUGH COMPETITION. We received many great comments and will solicit our returning teams for THEIR suggestions. I am not interested in yours, primarily because of your unprofessional blog posts and personal opinions that do not reflect the collective voice of those associated with OUR tournament. YOUR OPINON AND I REALLY DON’T CARE WHAT YOU THINK. YOU DIDN’T EVEN GIVE ME THE RESPECT TO ASK ME WHAT THE BACKGROUND IS. If you feel you need a voice you could certainly discuss with your own schools coaching staff and/or administration. There are other ways of handling concerns and would expect that you do so appropriately in the future. WE HAVE TRIED TO POINT OUT THE ISSUES FOR FIVE YEARS. MANY, MANY OF US IN THE WRESTLING COMMUNITY KNEW THAT THE SEEDING WAS GOING TO BE DONE IMPROPERLY. WE TRIED PROACTIVELY TO POINT THIS OUT IN A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY. AT THIS POINT IT IS TIME TO VOTE WITH OUR FEET.

Wow. Somebody needs to give that dude a lesson in how to write concisely. Two paragraphs max is all that rant was 'worth'. I quit reading before I was even a fourth of the way done with it. It reminded me of watching paint dry.

Doug47,
I am not a teacher or administrator, but am a product of a home where my father was a teacher and coach. I work in and have experience "Teacher Real World". To say anyone is overeducated is an oxymoron. You seem to think that those of us that went to college have not had any "real world" experience. The fact is, in addition to getting an education, we have also experienced everything that life has thrown at us. You and Mr. Cokely have demonstrated you don't know how to respectfully disagree with someone and have gone so far as smear the names of educators who, I would wager, are good people. In this thread Mr. Heniss summed it up best by asking all involved to get back to positive things and move on. Please.

You have no idea about half the stuff you're talking about and should probably stop commenting on here.

Thank you to the organizers for letting Bill Peterman set up a booth for the Kansas College Wrestling Fund at the tournament.
Bill reported good things about the the tournament.

So anyone catch the Wrestling Finals on Metro Sports? Feedback?

Great job! Thank you for broadcasting the finals.