I am not one to post on this board, but here is one topic I am very passionate about. My feelings on shortening the kids folkstyle season are strong. There are a few reasons that I feel this way.

1. The ability for or youth to first be fans of the sport. How will our children ever know what it is like to strive to be or what it takes to be the best wrestlers possible if they are not able to see it in action. I feel that we are limiting our athletes by not allowing them to watch the regional and state high school tournaments and especially the collegiate national tournaments. Kansas will be lucky enough to be hosting the NAIA national tournament the next few years but what happens following that

2. What are our goals as a state with wrestling. Is it to have the highest number of participants? Is it to be the best state in the country? Until we find a consensus on what our goals are then we can't move on. If our goal is to become the best state in the country, then the emphasis on year round wrestling and participation in the Freestyle and Greco styles is how that happens. As a collective group of goal setting driven individuals, too often i see the state championship being held as the Holy Grail. Maybe I had a jaded view because I failed at my goal as an athlete. I also feel like the lessons that were taught in a foreign place wearing my states colors were hard to match anywhere. A wrestling mantra has always been, if you haven't been beaten you're not wrestling tough enough competition.

3. I feel like there is a genuine dislike or hatred for summer wrestling styles. I spent this last weekend in Hutchison at the State Freestyle and Greco tournaments. What a great tournament! I have been blessed with the opportunity to be a part of the Cadet and Junior teams for the state of Kansas for the last two years. I have been able to share the love I have for this sport, and to watch it grow from the positive interactions with athletes from all over Kansas. Lines from clubs and cities are blurred during the summers WE ARE TEAM KANSAS. you would be hard pressed to find athletes that didn't enjoy/learn a ton at the tournament this weekend. You could tell from the smiles galore. It was also a great opportunity to finally wrestle in a predominately stress free environment. Less weight cutting. More matches. Great match ups. I met new athletes that I better get familiar with, cause they are the ones that will be looking down at me from the top of the podiums next folkstyle season.

I am aware that I have just written a book, but I divided it into chapters so that might help, ha. I am a Kansas transplant via Colorado. This state is now my home and I am proud to be a Kansan. I want to see our hard work displayed nationwide for all to see. This will have to be a collective effort, and chasing the illusive Stop Signs of Fargo, North Dakota should be the goal, not kids state titles. I'm sure I will be bashed and trolled for my opinions, but this topic I feel is important enough to share my thoughts and opinions.

Jacob Beck
Bonner Springs