improve wrestling in ohio - 64 qualifiers

How many Divisions?

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Its time to go to One Division in Ohio.
3 Divisions waters it down.
We don't have a true State Champion. We have 3. Who is the best in the State?
We have 3 State-Runner ups. it makes no sense.

Let's have 64 State Qualifiers. More opportunities.

Each wrestler has the same opportunity to train.
In Football and Basketball, large schools have a huge advantage. More kids to choose from. Only 5 spots in Basketball.

In Track and Swimming, does the size of your school affect your speed? No.

Numbers are way down in Ohio.
Many Sectionals have 4 to 6 in a bracket. its a joke.



We have 2 Models available:

I prefer, One Division.
64 in a bracket at State.
2 day State Tournament.
Top 16 in each District Advance.
Top 8 in each Sectional Advance.
Sectionals would all be triple the size.
They should be bigger than most league tournaments.
Currently Sectionals are smaller than many leagues.
Many Sectionals are easier than league tournaments.


64 man State is do-able.
Compare to most National Tournaments.
Most Nationals have 6 divisions. One for each age group starting at Kindergarten.
Most are done in One-Day. Think TOC.

California and New Jersey do One-Division.
Why can't we?

Its an Individual Sport. Its a Merit Based Sport.
It is watered down in Ohio.

improve wrestling in ohio


Either

Model 1:
64 State Qualifiers
One Division
64 in a Bracket
16 State Placers
More opportunities for kids to go to State.
It would fix the True 4th problem at District.
It would make Sectionals Bigger and Better.
Same Columbus atmosphere.

or

Model 2:
64 State Qualifiers
Two Divisions
32 in a Bracket
16 State Placers
More opportunities for kids to go to State.
It would fix the True 4th problem at District.
It would make Sectionals Bigger and Better.
Same Columbus atmosphere.
 
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Sectionals are watered down for sure, Districts and the State Tournament are competitive. I'd like to see each Division go to a two Regional Qualifier, take top 16 for a 32 man bracket at State. Good Luck to all this weekend !!!
 
Sectionals are watered down for sure, Districts and the State Tournament are competitive. I'd like to see each Division go to a two Regional Qualifier, take top 16 for a 32 man bracket at State. Good Luck to all this weekend !!!
D3 is not competitive. D2 has some pretty weak classes too. PA is two classes and their State is phenomenal competition. My top 3 suggestions for Ohio:
1). Go to 2 divisions;
2). Eliminate JH wrestling distinction and let them wrestle HS like NY (this fills the lower weight classes, solves the problem with bad JH coaching, allows kids higher quality partners and practices and eliminates BAD middle school wrestling);
3). State tournament in February so we are not behind the 8 ball in freestyle every year.
Thank you.
 
Personally, I agree that one division state championship would be better for pure fans of the sport, but if your argument is that participation numbers are down, this won't fix it, in fact, I think just the opposite. As far as college recruiting, a state title (not only in Ohio) doesn't mean what it once did. It's an amazing honor that very few will achieve and should totally be celebrated, but it's not the indicator of next-level success that might have been in say the 80's. With so many national exposure tournaments, and multiple rankings, and social media, it's easy to know where a top-tier wrestler stands relative to recruiting. Look at any Big 10 roster and you'll see several multiple-time state champs who will never crack the lineup.

What's nice about the 3 divisions, is that it gives the second-tier guys exposure, accolades and the experience to wrestle on the big stage, but I would agree that Ohio isn't a big enough state population-wise to have 3 divisions. 2 divisions are probably reasonable, but it would be an uphill battle to go backwards IMHO.
 
If you go to the State Tournament this weekend, are you going to watch the best in the State? No..

The best will be spread out. You won't see all of them.

They will be at different locations and different tournaments.
 
If you go to the State Tournament this weekend, are you going to watch the best in the State? No..

The best will be spread out. You won't see all of them.

They will be at different locations and different tournaments.

I'm going to watch whoever I want on trackwrestling.com from any of the 3 sites.

Edit: And if it were all at the same place, I can't physically watch all of the matches that I want to anyway because many take place at the exact same time. This is true for any and all tournaments for me at least.
 
I seen it posted before, but there should be a way for a 'quality' B teamer to fill the open slots in sectionals. That would help motivate kids behind a stud to stick it out. Which would help with participation & full sectional brackets. The discussion for season length should be put before fewer divisions. The state duals are fun / exciting, but most of the time go per chalk & could be eliminated to shorten the season.
 
I like the shorter season idea but there is a difference in D1 and D3. More kids means more athletes. Sectionals are a bit watered down now so I like the idea of going to two sectionals per district.
 
In every debate about this. I have yet to ever see a truly high level coach or wrestler whine about the “purity”. It’s almost always wrestling dads. Same with the 2 piece as well actually.

It’s always wrestling dads who quit wrestling in hs or didn’t wrestle in college either. The wannabe tuff guys.

If people really want the purity so much... don’t whine for it at a regional level tournament like state. Nut up. and go national at Fargo or Super32.

Giving smaller programs and their kids an opportunity to have local results and accomplishments only helps the sport. If you want fuller brackets at sectionals.. do crap to help the smaller and lesser programs.. and not make everything JUST about state, celebrating relative success is what gets kids to stay and come back.

Also, not every kid can afford to join the club system... and most kids aren’t in districts like Fairfield, Harrison, Mason where access to good coaching is made accessible to average joe kid.

The sport should try its best to have a robust local grassroots scene.. along with the club national scene. Right now it’s headed towards latter because people care more bout da purity than health of the sport
 
Its time to go to One Division in Ohio.
3 Divisions waters it down.
We don't have a true State Champion. We have 3. Who is the best in the State?
We have 3 State-Runner ups. it makes no sense.

School size makes no difference in Individual Sports.

Each wrestler has the same opportunity to train.
In Football and Basketball, large schools have a huge advantage. More kids to choose from. Only 5 spots in Basketball.

In Track and Swimming, does the size of your school affect your speed? No.

Numbers are way down in Ohio.
Many Sectionals have 4 to 6 in a bracket. its a joke.



Here's the Plan:

One Division.
64 in a bracket at State.
2 day State Tournament.
Top 16 in each District Advance.
Top 8 in each Sectional Advance.
Sectionals would all be triple the size.
They should be bigger than most league tournaments.
Currently Sectionals are smaller than many leagues.
Many Sectionals are easier than league tournaments.


64 man State is do-able.
Compare to most National Tournaments.
Most Nationals have 6 divisions. One for each age group starting at Kindergarten.
Most are done in One-Day. Think TOC.

California and New Jersey do One-Division.
Why can't we?

Its and Individual Sport. Its a Merit Based Sport.
It is watered down in Ohio.

Fix Wrestling in Ohio.

How many state titles did YOU win? Your son(s)? What division?
 
I would really like to see a tournament of champions take the top 3 from each weight class from this weekend and invite them to a OAC style all state tournament. 2-3 are basically the same with only one loss. Just my thought. I am sure I am not the first to bring this up
 
I can assure you that impugning the MS coaches who have dedicated 6-8 months of their lives every year to preparing our sons and daughters for HS wrestling is not a good way to sell your argument. Many of those MS coaches are young men getting the experience they need to coach a HS someday. They are being groomed by the HS head coach. If your school has a piss poor MS program, you need to look at your HS head coach.
 
I can assure you that impugning the MS coaches who have dedicated 6-8 months of their lives every year to preparing our sons and daughters for HS wrestling is not a good way to sell your argument. Many of those MS coaches are young men getting the experience they need to coach a HS someday. They are being groomed by the HS head coach. If your school has a piss poor MS program, you need to look at your HS head coach.
This.
 
Its time to go to One Division in Ohio.
3 Divisions waters it down.
We don't have a true State Champion. We have 3. Who is the best in the State?
We have 3 State-Runner ups. it makes no sense.

School size makes no difference in Individual Sports.

Each wrestler has the same opportunity to train.
In Football and Basketball, large schools have a huge advantage. More kids to choose from. Only 5 spots in Basketball.

In Track and Swimming, does the size of your school affect your speed? No.

Numbers are way down in Ohio.
Many Sectionals have 4 to 6 in a bracket. its a joke.



Here's the Plan:

One Division.
64 in a bracket at State.
2 day State Tournament.
Top 16 in each District Advance.
Top 8 in each Sectional Advance.
Sectionals would all be triple the size.
They should be bigger than most league tournaments.
Currently Sectionals are smaller than many leagues.
Many Sectionals are easier than league tournaments.


64 man State is do-able.
Compare to most National Tournaments.
Most Nationals have 6 divisions. One for each age group starting at Kindergarten.
Most are done in One-Day. Think TOC.

California and New Jersey do One-Division.
Why can't we?

Its and Individual Sport. Its a Merit Based Sport.
It is watered down in Ohio.

Fix Wrestling in Ohio.
? Most of those d3 schools would love it!! Not!
Yeah it's watered down ?
Lets have one Ncaa d1 wrestling tournament no division!
 
Its time to go to One Division in Ohio.
3 Divisions waters it down.
We don't have a true State Champion. We have 3. Who is the best in the State?
We have 3 State-Runner ups. it makes no sense.

School size makes no difference in Individual Sports.

Each wrestler has the same opportunity to train.
In Football and Basketball, large schools have a huge advantage. More kids to choose from. Only 5 spots in Basketball.

In Track and Swimming, does the size of your school affect your speed? No.

Numbers are way down in Ohio.
Many Sectionals have 4 to 6 in a bracket. its a joke.



Here's the Plan:

One Division.
64 in a bracket at State.
2 day State Tournament.
Top 16 in each District Advance.
Top 8 in each Sectional Advance.
Sectionals would all be triple the size.
They should be bigger than most league tournaments.
Currently Sectionals are smaller than many leagues.
Many Sectionals are easier than league tournaments.


64 man State is do-able.
Compare to most National Tournaments.
Most Nationals have 6 divisions. One for each age group starting at Kindergarten.
Most are done in One-Day. Think TOC.

California and New Jersey do One-Division.
Why can't we?

Its and Individual Sport. Its a Merit Based Sport.
It is watered down in Ohio.

Fix Wrestling in Ohio.





What an ignorant post.
 
In every debate about this. I have yet to ever see a truly high level coach or wrestler whine about the “purity”. It’s almost always wrestling dads. Same with the 2 piece as well actually.

It’s always wrestling dads who quit wrestling in hs or didn’t wrestle in college either. The wannabe tuff guys.

If people really want the purity so much... don’t whine for it at a regional level tournament like state. Nut up. and go national at Fargo or Super32.

Giving smaller programs and their kids an opportunity to have local results and accomplishments only helps the sport. If you want fuller brackets at sectionals.. do crap to help the smaller and lesser programs.. and not make everything JUST about state, celebrating relative success is what gets kids to stay and come back.

Also, not every kid can afford to join the club system... and most kids aren’t in districts like Fairfield, Harrison, Mason where access to good coaching is made accessible to average joe kid.

The sport should try its best to have a robust local grassroots scene.. along with the club national scene. Right now it’s headed towards latter because people care more bout da purity than health of the sport
State Duals,I believe helps promote numbers. Good for the sport, wrestler not talented enough to make it to state can be an important link by earning points for his team or fight like H*ll to stay off his back to help the team.
I would like season to be a little shorter so kids can get to their spring sports.
 
State Duals,I believe helps promote numbers. Good for the sport, wrestler not talented enough to make it to state can be an important link by earning points for his team or fight like H*ll to stay off his back to help the team.
I would like season to be a little shorter so kids can get to their spring sports.
I believe in state duals as well. Dual meets are becoming underrated as ways to promote sport and numbers. Ohio’s season is for sure too long.

What I’m sick of, is this wannabe tuff guy attitude, that I almost always only see from wrestling dads who (never wrestled, quit in hs,or mediocre in hs) say moronic things like “if a kid, who knows absolutely nothing about wrestling doesn’t join cause of a singlet, he ain’t tuff enough anyway”. Or crap like this about “purity”.

If one is so obsessed with “purity” of competition.. whining about it for state tournaments, which are regional tournaments by definition.. They should swim in the big boy pool and go to Fargo or Super32.
 
I believe in state duals as well. Dual meets are becoming underrated as ways to promote sport and numbers. Ohio’s season is for sure too long.

What I’m sick of, is this wannabe tuff guy attitude, that I almost always only see from wrestling dads who (never wrestled, quit in hs,or mediocre in hs) say moronic things like “if a kid, who knows absolutely nothing about wrestling doesn’t join cause of a singlet, he ain’t tuff enough anyway”. Or crap like this about “purity”.

If one is so obsessed with “purity” of competition.. whining about it for state tournaments, which are regional tournaments by definition.. They should swim in the big boy pool and go to Fargo or Super32.

I completely agree. 1 division will chase kids away from the sport. We do not do one division in any other sport, why reduce numbers in wrestling as well. Heck, while we are at it, if we really want an overall champion lets throw the girls in as well. If you have ever wrestled, or had a kid wrestle at the state tournament you start to understand how special it is. The environment, the wrestling, the taking over of Columbus, the whole dang experience. If you are one of these "live through my kid dads" and want to see your son as the best, then get your to the national tourneys but dont change what Ohio has in place because from my point of view it is incredible.
 
I completely agree. 1 division will chase kids away from the sport. We do not do one division in any other sport, why reduce numbers in wrestling as well. Heck, while we are at it, if we really want an overall champion lets throw the girls in as well. If you have ever wrestled, or had a kid wrestle at the state tournament you start to understand how special it is. The environment, the wrestling, the taking over of Columbus, the whole dang experience. If you are one of these "live through my kid dads" and want to see your son as the best, then get your to the national tourneys but dont change what Ohio has in place because from my point of view it is incredible.
Agreed.
 
Its time to go to One Division in Ohio.
3 Divisions waters it down.
We don't have a true State Champion. We have 3. Who is the best in the State?
We have 3 State-Runner ups. it makes no sense.

School size makes no difference in Individual Sports.

Each wrestler has the same opportunity to train.
In Football and Basketball, large schools have a huge advantage. More kids to choose from. Only 5 spots in Basketball.

In Track and Swimming, does the size of your school affect your speed? No.

Numbers are way down in Ohio.
Many Sectionals have 4 to 6 in a bracket. its a joke.



Here's the Plan:

One Division.
64 in a bracket at State.
2 day State Tournament.
Top 16 in each District Advance.
Top 8 in each Sectional Advance.
Sectionals would all be triple the size.
They should be bigger than most league tournaments.
Currently Sectionals are smaller than many leagues.
Many Sectionals are easier than league tournaments.


64 man State is do-able.
Compare to most National Tournaments.
Most Nationals have 6 divisions. One for each age group starting at Kindergarten.
Most are done in One-Day. Think TOC.

California and New Jersey do One-Division.
Why can't we?

Its and Individual Sport. Its a Merit Based Sport.
It is watered down in Ohio.

Fix Wrestling in Ohio.

Weight classes? We dont no stinking watered down weight classes! All 1 tournament. ONE weight. All 24 genders....No age limit!!!

LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMBLE!!!
 
Except that their tournaments are set up terribly. At each level you have to make the semi finals to advance. There are no wrestle backs. If you lose in the semis you wrestle for 3rd. No consi semis. You lose first round of state and you're eliminated
Yea, that is lousy. I simply like how Indiana has one division, with a semi-state round between regionals and state. Majority of the largest high schools in Indiana compete in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, which usually ends up nearly as competitive as the state finals itself.
 
I completely agree. 1 division will chase kids away from the sport. We do not do one division in any other sport, why reduce numbers in wrestling as well. Heck, while we are at it, if we really want an overall champion lets throw the girls in as well. If you have ever wrestled, or had a kid wrestle at the state tournament you start to understand how special it is. The environment, the wrestling, the taking over of Columbus, the whole dang experience. If you are one of these "live through my kid dads" and want to see your son as the best, then get your to the national tourneys but dont change what Ohio has in place because from my point of view it is incredible.


You are incorrect.

We only have one Division in Ice Hockey, Gymnastics, Field Hockey.
 
I completely agree. 1 division will chase kids away from the sport. We do not do one division in any other sport, why reduce numbers in wrestling as well. Heck, while we are at it, if we really want an overall champion lets throw the girls in as well. If you have ever wrestled, or had a kid wrestle at the state tournament you start to understand how special it is. The environment, the wrestling, the taking over of Columbus, the whole dang experience. If you are one of these "live through my kid dads" and want to see your son as the best, then get your to the national tourneys but dont change what Ohio has in place because from my point of view it is incredible.

Wouldnt it be more incredible if you had a 64 kid bracket in Columbus??!!!! March Madness.
One Division doesn’t change the regular season.
And yes, several sports have only one Division.
and California has only one Division.
 
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