New Numbers in 2024-2025

[bcw]

A little birdy told me that there is a non-zero percent chance that this is moot because SPG's sport programs may be on the chopping block. There is enough smoke that some of the wrestlers are looking around for backup plans.

This is asinine.

Do you that Chad Lensman, the Graham Superintendent, is a former Graham wrestler and has a son coming through the lower ranks? Not a chance this happens on his watch.

 

[Playoffs???]

I would love to go to 4 divisions but with one caveat: Each division have their own state tournament outside of C-Bus (let’s call it “Divisional State,” or simply “Divisionals” for short), then have the top 8 (or 12) qualify for a combined division state tournament at the Schott. 32 or 48 man brackets. I’d like 48-man brackets because it would be the same number of competitors as we have now. Make it happen people.

Clearly the system is never going to be perfect, but I can't see the value here. Would be no different than how OAC does "Divisional State" for grade school and Jr. High. They position/market it as a look to the future for when you get out of the OAC ages and how high school could look for the up and comers, but I feel like those participants have dropped off. Many of the top wrestlers do not compete at Divisional (some do, but definitely not all) They would rather spend their time training or going to national level tournaments versus Divisional. OAC is not dumb however, and they make placement at said Divisional one of the top 3 or 5 seeding criteria for the state tournament if you care about that sort of thing. OHSAA would probably love this idea though, more revenue opportunity.

Don't get me wrong, I'm with you in theory as I would love to see who the state champ is out of all three divisions, much like how California, NJ, and I think a few other states have only one division for wrestling, but that will never happen in Ohio.

 

[kbiz]

Clearly the system is never going to be perfect, but I can't see the value here. Would be no different than how OAC does "Divisional State" for grade school and Jr. High. They position/market it as a look to the future for when you get out of the OAC ages and how high school could look for the up and comers, but I feel like those participants have dropped off. Many of the top wrestlers do not compete at Divisional (some do, but definitely not all) They would rather spend their time training or going to national level tournaments versus Divisional. OAC is not dumb however, and they make placement at said Divisional one of the top 3 or 5 seeding criteria for the state tournament if you care about that sort of thing. OHSAA would probably love this idea though, more revenue opportunity.

Don't get me wrong, I'm with you in theory as I would love to see who the state champ is out of all three divisions, much like how California, NJ, and I think a few other states have only one division for wrestling, but that will never happen in Ohio.

I wonder why you think it could never happen in Ohio? Who is the man behind the curtain pulling all the strings?

 

[OnceAViking]

This is asinine.

Do you that Chad Lensman, the Graham Superintendent, is a former Graham wrestler and has a son coming through the lower ranks? Not a chance this happens on his watch.

Because the SPG superintendent used to wrestle, SPG parents are paranoid for worrying that sports at SPG will go “pay to play” (best case scenario) or cut extracurriculars (worst case)? What’s Chad going to do, cut the band and theater departments and allocate that money to wrestling?

I never said wrestling was going to be cut, I said that a number of SPG parents think there is a very real chance wrestling (along with other extracurriculars) will be cut (or become pay to play). Maybe this is fearmongering by the Board to get the next Levy passed, but that hasn’t been communicated to the constituents in the school district.

 

[Playoffs???]

I wonder why you think it could never happen in Ohio? Who is the man behind the curtain pulling all the strings?

Only thing I know for certain is that man is not me. Joking aside, I just think that is too drastic of a change for old heads to comprehend let alone make happen. All my humble opinions of course.......

 

[bcw]

Because the SPG superintendent used to wrestle, SPG parents are paranoid for worrying that sports at SPG will go “pay to play” (best case scenario) or cut extracurriculars (worst case)? What’s Chad going to do, cut the band and theater departments and allocate that money to wrestling?

I never said wrestling was going to be cut, I said that a number of SPG parents think there is a very real chance wrestling (along with other extracurriculars) will be cut (or become pay to play). Maybe this is fearmongering by the Board to get the next Levy passed, but that hasn’t been communicated to the constituents in the school district.

I’m just telling you the chance is zero. Cutting sports is a blip on the bottom line. The only thing that a school can do to save real $ is cut staff. It’s typically 75ish percent of a districts budget.

 

[Buckeye454]

Because the SPG superintendent used to wrestle, SPG parents are paranoid for worrying that sports at SPG will go “pay to play” (best case scenario) or cut extracurriculars (worst case)? What’s Chad going to do, cut the band and theater departments and allocate that money to wrestling?

I never said wrestling was going to be cut, I said that a number of SPG parents think there is a very real chance wrestling (along with other extracurriculars) will be cut (or become pay to play). Maybe this is fearmongering by the Board to get the next Levy passed, but that hasn’t been communicated to the constituents in the school district.

Something tells me that a parent considering up and moving their family so their kid could wrestle isn't sweating pay to play too bad...

 

[bcw]

I do think Graham Local has significant funding issues. I know it is off topic, but what is the problem? It feels like this has been going on for years now.

 

[bucksman]

the chances of a TOC are slim and none.

There are three states of consequence that are single class (CA, NJ, and IN). The other states of consequence have multiple classes.
KY and HI are the only other states I can think of with wrestling that are single class.

Outside of the New England regional, there is no TOC type concept out there from any state athletic association. Attempts at a TOC in states that are classed have been tried by groups outside of the governing body, and they have received next to no traction in terms of being relevant or lasting in a meaningful fashion.

 

[SPGT]

Because the SPG superintendent used to wrestle, SPG parents are paranoid for worrying that sports at SPG will go “pay to play” (best case scenario) or cut extracurriculars (worst case)? What’s Chad going to do, cut the band and theater departments and allocate that money to wrestling?

I never said wrestling was going to be cut, I said that a number of SPG parents think there is a very real chance wrestling (along with other extracurriculars) will be cut (or become pay to play). Maybe this is fearmongering by the Board to get the next Levy passed, but that hasn’t been communicated to the constituents in the school district.

All graham sports have been pay to play for at least the last 6 years, and wrestling is self funded anyway! Your Birdie is full of

 

[Boro Fan]

I have been receiving quite a few Emails and PMs asking me about my projections on the new divisional alignment. This is obviously just a guess, but after crunching the numbers, here is what I got....

D1: 359 and up
D2: 358 thru 197
D3: 196 and below

 

[Rankman55]

With predicted numbers who would be moving divisions

 

[Boro Fan]

With predicted numbers who would be moving divisions

Based on MY PROJECTIONS... (I listed schools in order of enrollment figure)

Moving to D1 from D2
Whitehall-Yearling
Aiken
Mount Healthy
Vandalia Butler
Sandusky
New Philadelphia
Louisville
Hamilton Township
Trotwood-Madison
Mansfield Senior


Moving to D2 from D1
Columbus West
Dover
Akron Ellet
LaSalle
Maple Heights
Ashtabula Lakeside
Chardon
Hamilton Ross


Moving to D2 from D3
Horizon Science
Ottawa-Glandorf
Elyria Catholic
Kettering Alter
Valley View
Bethel-Tate
Brookville
Conneaut
Westfall
Perry
Heath
Otsego


Moving to D3 from D2
Fostoria
Galion
Roger Bacon
Cincinnati Taft
Morgan
St. Clairsville
Graham
Bidwell River Valley
Poland Seminary
Buckeye Local
Willard
Girard
River View
Shaw


I BOLDED a few of the more notable possible movers.