Do they weigh-in for this event, because I thought there was a definite size difference too in most classes? A number of them were taller but they did not appeared to any thinner either.
Randy, you brought up some interesting points. Missouri definitely beat us on their feet. Is this just a one year aberration or is it going to be a trend for a while? I read in another thread that Cody Bell said we might have been a little out of condition, since we only practiced twice. Is that normal in preparing for this event? That does not seem to be enough practices to me.
Also Randy I am interested in what you and others might think that we need to do on this side of the State line to narrow the gap (if this is more than a one year difference). I am a little concerned now that Kevin Klemm is no longer in the area, because I know many champions were developed from his program.
Do you think that they are currently a little more serious on the Missouri side of the metropolitan area about wrestling? The reason I ask that is from my own experience which is limited to Kids wrestling. I see they have this youth team the Competitors that is very good and takes it very seriously. They travel a lot to compete at national kids events. I have my son enrolled in Purler Wrestling Academy runned by Tony Purler a former NCAA Division I champion. It is expensive but I would say that about 90% of the kids are from Missouri. His year around weekly camps are all located on the Missouri side but the Rockhurst high school one is close to Kansas. I also think he would run a weekly Kansas site if he could work with an interested high school and coach. I am starting to see some of our Metro Kansas side kids clubs wrestle against more Missouri wrestlers at local meets. I think that will help. That Competitors club has been pretty dominant at those meets.
I think somehow too we need to start getting more Johnson County and Wyandotte County kids into the sport. We have some great football and track athletes in this area. I think a lot of these kids could also be great wrestlers. Does anyone else agree with this thought? I have been of the opinion for the last couple of years that there should be more athletes participating in the sport at the Kids level on the Kansas side of the Metro. If you agree with me on this why do you think they are not participating and what could be done to change that?
