TCarmona- The coaches at Colby are wrestling fans, but during the State tourney, we are coaches first. We want what is best for our athletes even if that cramps our style as fans. We love to watch wrestling, but getting to see a few 5A or 6A matches is not a big enough positive to overcome all the negatives of the three classes being together.
Whatever your opinion is about 4A State being in Salina without 5A and 6A, the bottom line is that it will be that way for the next two years and hopefully forever!!
We are also big "fans" of college wrestling. We went to a tourney in Dallas this year that was connected to a college event so our kids could see some college wrestling. We, in Colby, are especially big "fans" of our former Colby High School wrestlers in college. That would be our returning D1 National Runner-up, our returning Juco National Chanpion, and our returning Juco All American.

Salina is an idea. A better idea would be to move the state tournament to Topeka (4-6A). It would be a more central location to the population of the state and arguably has better facilities. I think a large majority of schools would be closer to Topeka than Wichita.

This location would give many Kansas City fans a chance to see the best wrestling in the state and would help build more interest in the Kansas City area. I see no reason why Wichita gets to monopolize the state tourmament every year.

The best idea is 4A in Salina and 5-6A in Topeka.

My thoughts have always been the only way to improve the state wrestling tournaments at Wichita and Hays would be to combine them.

The Wichita meet has been a wonderful presentation to the fan. Coach Williams, wrestling needs the fan or we will lose the sport itself. I think we are leaving the fan out of our thoughts to "improve" wrestling. Moving 4a to Salina is not going to make anything better for the sport of wrestling or the people who watch it.

Gary Ulmer

I like Coach Williams idea,

To think that fans will no longer go to watch the state tourney just because 4A isn't there is crazy. The same people who have watched state before will travel to see state again next year. Anyone selfish enough to not go to a tournament just because three classes aren't there is foolish. And im not entirely sure the Fans, Coaches, or Wrestlers have ever been happy with the way the Wichita Staff and "Security" handles things.

Been to Hays and Wichita. Hays was better by far. More of a family atmosphere and it DOES make a difference. You're crazy if you don't stop and stare at all the red from Hoxie and all the blue from Norton.
In my opinion 4A will be better off on their own.

4A may be better off on their own, but wrestling will not be. The more we spread the state tournament out, the less publicity it will get. Go to any state tournament (any sport) that is for an entire state, and it is much more exciting and receives much more press. I agree that Hays is an outstanding tournament, and I wish all classes could have that.

One thing you all need to learn. Nigel is never wrong!

Reading all of the post, it seems to me that the people complaining the most are the people from Wichita. I wonder why........

T-COACH/DAD
Goodland and Colby would be like a walk in the park for me. You get state there and I'll come!!
All I'm saying is if you don't like being in the same building with 5A and 6A then go it alone. No sweat off our a$$. Now if having 4A in Wichita is a geographical nitemare thats one thing but what I am implying is you don't need to be derogatory about 5A and 6A along the way. I have the same opinion as alot of 4A people I usually watch 5A and 6A because thats where 95% of the people I care to watch are. Very seldom do I look down where 4A is wrestling unless someone brings my attention to a good match.I doubt what Colby or Goodland could even put on such event due to lodging,resturaunt,and facility needs!!! I may be wrong.
Good luck at state and may your wishes come true for next year.

Cody this isn't about being right and wrong its about personal opinion and I'm of the opinion that I don't really care if 5 and 6A are in the same building as 4 because thats not who I am there to watch. As Mr. Church says, I'll glance down at the other mats if some really good wrestler comes up and nothing is really going on down in 4a, its nothing personal.

Take it easy Nigel. I'm just messing with ya.

Now Cody that wasn't very nice calling security at state in Wichita a group of dicks. I have some really good freinds that live here in Wichita from the Hill City area and one of them wanted me to tell you something but I can't print that on here. Family people read all this stuff. You be a good boy and talk nice.

i think dat they should have 4A in Salina, 5A in Topeka, and 6A in Wichita

Well, with four venues to choose from to photograph, I will not make that choice. How about a nice Shocker baseball game that day? It was so nice being able to have all the best in one location. Forced to choose among four seperate tournaments, I'm just not going to. I'll stay home and go to the KCAC basketball playoffs or a baseball game that day. Call me when I can photograph all three classes in one location again. (I'll still do the regular season tournaments I've been doing, so I'm not giving up on you all together, just disappointed in your leadership in this)I don't see how it can possibly be good for wrestling in Kansas from my viewpoint

You know that the kids look forward to coming to wichita, for other reasons. But splitting them up dilutes the tension. When the Downtown arena is finished it will be a great enviorment for wrestling. Also there will be a decline in gate receipts, that go to putting on a great show.Really think the 4-a schools need to figure what will be lost.

4A in Salina will be great because with 6A and 5A being so large, the amount of people in Wichita is amazing. With most of the good 4A schools being closer to Salina than Wichita, more people can then also have the opportunity to come and watch. At Hays, the atmosphere is more friendly and people don't seem as stressed out, simply because the amount of people is less. I believe, granted some schools may have to travel further, the atmosphere will be more like that of Hays, which from experience, is personally a lot better than Wichita. If not the first year because the Bi-Center may not know what to expect, then years to come.

Straightshooter, are you saying that there being more wrestling fans than family is bad? I think having family around is great, but our sport needs fans.

Lemon, I want to know why the Wichita people are complaing so much.

The media coverage is a poor reason to keep it together. State basketball and football are held at numerous sites and the media figures out a way to cover them because they care. The media overall drops the ball when it comes to wrestling coverage. However, the Hays newspaper does a great job with their 3-2-1A State Tourney Preview and coverage after the tourney. Maybe the Salina Journal can do the same for 4A using Hays as a model.

I've been to a few other state wrestling tournaments, and nobody I've seen splits classes up to different locations. Here's a question, is Kansas the only state that splits up their state tournament?

There is nothing like getting the whole state wrestling community together to show case their sport. In my opinion, different locations is a step backwards for Kansas. I just went to the Ohio state tournament, and thats a big wrestling party with a lot of electricity. The kids loved wrestling in front of the big crowd which was greater than 15,000 people. Also each class was entertaining with great wrestling thoughout each class. Big school and small school people show up and have a good time.

The kids go to small tournaments all season. To me, the 4A class tournament in Salina is another small tournament. I would be disappointed if I was a 4A wrestler and didn't go to the big party. Less people to show off your skills too.

Kansas needs to think big to support wrestling, not small.

The scholar