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2024 State Tournament Predictions Report
- Thread starter bucksman
- Start date
Does anyone know where to find Mat assignments???? I thought they used on the brackets in the program?? Are they posted anywhere?
Just an observation after 40+ years of observing.
How is it that so many underclass state placers fail to place again as Seniors? Sure, some were flukes and others may have had had a highly favorable draw the year they placed. Some also went up in weight and shouldn't have. Injuries, sure. Coaching changes, occasionally. Burned out? Perhaps a few. But it seems almost impossible to me that a kid would "get worse" going into his Senior year, especially when you have to think most would now believe they could win the dam thing. I never placed, but I can honestly say that I certainly got better each year. Anyway, it seems to happen way more frequently than it should. I just don't get it...
How is it that so many underclass state placers fail to place again as Seniors? Sure, some were flukes and others may have had had a highly favorable draw the year they placed. Some also went up in weight and shouldn't have. Injuries, sure. Coaching changes, occasionally. Burned out? Perhaps a few. But it seems almost impossible to me that a kid would "get worse" going into his Senior year, especially when you have to think most would now believe they could win the dam thing. I never placed, but I can honestly say that I certainly got better each year. Anyway, it seems to happen way more frequently than it should. I just don't get it...
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I cannot say how pervasive this is - but I can share that both of my sons attended college courses off the high school campus during their Senior year. Their classes ended on campus at 5:00 p.m. 3 days a week ... meaning they could only practice with the wrestling team 2 days a week. Both boys thought long and hard before deciding with the understanding that this would greatly affect their Senior year wrestling performance regardless of what they did to "stay in shape" on those missed practice days. There was no way to compensate for missing that much practice time on the mat.Just an observation after 40+ years of observing.
How is it that so many underclass state placers fail to place again as Seniors? Sure, some were flukes and others may have had had a highly favorable draw the year they placed. Some also went up in weight and shouldn't have. Injuries, sure. Coaching changes, occasionally. Burned out? Perhaps a few. But it seems almost impossible to me that a kid would "get worse" going into his Senior year, especially when you have to think most would now believe they could win the dam thing. I never placed, but I can honestly say that I certainly got better each year. Anyway, it seems to happen way more frequently than it should. I just don't get it...
ToledoWrestling133
New member
I think it's a alot of different things. Take for example my high school who has their first (and 2nd to boot) finalist ever , both juniors and not at 106.
We never had a biddy program that was well established until these guys were in it. We are seeing the fruits of that 10+ years after. They are beating alot of seniors ect. I think wrestling has been a growing sport and with that the changes come.
add in that seniors are deciding about college ect and unless your a top recruit sometimes wrestling is not #1 anymore or it may take a backseat to the future.
The other factor is just how the weights fall and competition . This hasn't changed but call a spade a spade, when you have 2 returning placers in one weight and the next you have 2 placers and 2 former Champs. Sometimes you get lucky and fall into an easier bracket.
I'm not as educated these days on the wrestlers but it does seem to be an underclassmen year from the few brackets I've watched.
We never had a biddy program that was well established until these guys were in it. We are seeing the fruits of that 10+ years after. They are beating alot of seniors ect. I think wrestling has been a growing sport and with that the changes come.
add in that seniors are deciding about college ect and unless your a top recruit sometimes wrestling is not #1 anymore or it may take a backseat to the future.
The other factor is just how the weights fall and competition . This hasn't changed but call a spade a spade, when you have 2 returning placers in one weight and the next you have 2 placers and 2 former Champs. Sometimes you get lucky and fall into an easier bracket.
I'm not as educated these days on the wrestlers but it does seem to be an underclassmen year from the few brackets I've watched.
I think its normally just the personal motivation to improve. Possibly driven by the amount of work they know that they have put in and now see how much more work is required to have a shot at a final. Some kids are driven to strive for the top when they get a taste, some are satisfied at placing and know they dont have the desire to put the work in required to improve coupled with other things becoming priority over wrestling as they get older...girlfriends, academics, having fun, etc. I dont necessarily call that burn-out, i call that life-choices.
Yup, this probably covers most of it. Most of the guys I knew well "bloomed late," so they were always driven to improve and take that next step. That's why I have a hard time understanding it. Then again, I'm old and life post-wrestling also skews things in favor of working hard to improve as well. I'll bet a lot of them look back with some regret though. What could have been...I think its normally just the personal motivation to improve. Possibly driven by the amount of work they know that they have put in and now see how much more work is required to have a shot at a final. Some kids are driven to strive for the top when they get a taste, some are satisfied at placing and know they dont have the desire to put the work in required to improve coupled with other things becoming priority over wrestling as they get older...girlfriends, academics, having fun, etc. I dont necessarily call that burn-out, i call that life-choices.