wvmat.com

On February 9th, I was sitting in the bleachers digesting my “China One” meal and awaiting for the Independence vs. Huntington & South duals to begin. One of the parents came over to me and said there was a man here “wearing a WVSSAC sweater”. I asked where and then jumped up to go meet this man. Here is what happened and what I learned.

I asked the gentleman if he worked for the WVSSAC and he said he did for 17 years and retired last year. I asked him what they thought about wrestling and he replied that they “loved wrestling”. He then went on and stated that their approach is that all sports matter equally. He said football is treated the same as swimming.

He then clearly said that they (WVSSAC) were just administrators. He said they listen closely to the coaches committee. He said that the coaches committee was their experts.

Let me repeat this. He then clearly said that they (WVSSAC) were just administrators. He said they listen closely to the coaches committee. He said that the coaches committee was their experts.

There is a coaches committee (see below).

Mark Delligatti, Fairmont Sr. AA/A region 1
Bill Whittington, Hedgesville HS AAA region 2
Sterling Beane, Braxton HS AA/A region 2
Rob Archer, Huntington HS AAA region 4
Chad Sarrett, Woodrow Wilson AAA region 3
Jeremy Tincher, Greenbrier West AA/A region 3
Ken Maisel, University AAA region 1
Pat McGillan, Oak Glen AA/A region 1
Jeff Givens, Williamstown. AA/A region 4

On February 17th, I had a one on one discussion with one of the coaches above. He informed me that the coaches meet in MARCH. He shared that last year they forwarded up to the WVSSAC the idea to break out and recognize the “Single A Team Champions” at the state tournament. It is now a reality. I am taking upon myself that it was discussed in March, 2016 and then approved and implemented for the 2016/2017 season.

I WONDER WHAT ELSE COULD BE RECOMMENDED, DISCUSSED IN MARCH AND THEN IMPLEMENTED FOR THE 2017/2018 SEASON?????

Who determines the topics that they discuss????? Only the ideas they come up with?

This same coach shared some of his opinions. He said there should never be a bye at the state tournament. He said that a 5th placer from another region could be selected using established criteria. He said that the regions need to be looked at again. He said that the regions do not have to be the same for all sports (logically thinking).

I SEE NO REASON WHY US WRESTLERS, COACHES, PARENTS AND FANS CANNOT PROVIDE THE COACH’S COMMITTEE OUR IDEAS, THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS.

THE SQUEAKY WHEEL GETS THE GREASE.

Maybe a new course of action would be for us to type up our individual ideas or concerns. Email them to EACH member of the committee above and see what happens.

One message sent to all nine members. If you only contact one member, he might dismiss your idea. He might not get the email. If all nine get the email, then the probability for discussion is increased 9 times.

If 10 (coaches, parents or fans) email the same idea, then the coaches committee should see it as a subject in need of discussion.

What happens if the same idea comes from 25 people? 75 people? 1,000 people?

Now lets be realistic. Any of us could have a face to face conversation with a member of the coaches committee. Five minutes later, one of his wrestlers goes into overtime. Later in the day, one of his wrestlers gets injured. At the end of the day, two of his wrestlers need a ride home. How well might he remember all of the details of your conversation?

PUT IT IN WRITING! MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE COACHES!

To obtain their email addresses, go to
1. WV – Mat Front Page
2. On the far left, click on “Team list with links”.
3. Select the school for the corresponding committee member.
4. All coach’s committee members have their email address provided except for one.

I cannot imagine why committee member would publically publish their contact information, be on a committee and then not welcome input.

YOUR ideas come from your observations of what is happening today in the great sport of wrestling. Share your ideas and concerns now while wrestling in WV still exists.

Hallelujah

Thanks for the info!

Well

This topic quickly deteriorated...

Why did I get moderated? I had a valid point...My point was that the committee is comprised of coaches whom all have a personal interest in the welfare of their team first and foremost. A regional decision should be made more arbitrarily. I wouldn't vote to help your team over mine. Nobody would...Am I wrong?

This is great information. I can see how my last post could have been taken as negative. It wasn't meant to be. It was only to state that we need to offer solutions to those in positions to do something. I do know people have heard and are listening.

mike.carman wrote:This is great information. I can see how my last post could have been taken as negative. It wasn't meant to be. It was only to state that we need to offer solutions to those in positions to do something. I do know people have heard and are listening.

You got moderated! Haha

Current Big Problem: Numerous weight classes with only 4 wrestlers in their prospective region. Nine in AAA this season. This could have been 3 wrestlers, thus 9 byes. Why wait for it to happen and then address the problem? There is zero provision in place to compensate for it.

Solution: Establish criteria to then select from the other three region's 5th place winner. Solution 2: Select the two best 5th placers and have them wrestle a pig tail on the state tournament's Thursday afternoon.

Summary: This is a problem for all of wrestling. All coaches should want this fixed. It doesn't require a "rule change". It requires a new rule to address a potential condition that is knocking on reality's door.

This is a need but mainly an example for this thread's subject. I am not inviting debate or discussion on "byes". I simply plan on typing something up regarding "byes" and emailing it to all nine committee members.

Diamond, I did not get to read your post but I think you have a valid point. I think Bearhugger has a great idea and if we don't try to at least give it a shot then we give the impression that we don't care enough to try.

To Bearhugger and others: The idea of implementing the concept of awarding the highest Single A team finisher a championship award is not a new concept. This was introduced many, many years ago by a collective group of coaches. This shows how long it takes to make changes. There are some changes that need to be made, I realize this, but it is not going to happen overnight. Change is never accepted but in so many cases, its needed. I have seen several ways that you have suggested to improve wrestling in the state of WV. I have agreed with many of your solutions, disagreed on a few as well. I served on the state wrestling committee for several years. Trust me, the committee does not have the 'power' to make changes. As least a few years back we didn't. Let's hope the new powers to be start listening to its coaches and make it better for wrestling in our state.

Oh for pete's sake

coach_stump wrote:To Bearhugger and others: The idea of implementing the concept of awarding the highest Single A team finisher a championship award is not a new concept. This was introduced many, many years ago by a collective group of coaches. This shows how long it takes to make changes. There are some changes that need to be made, I realize this, but it is not going to happen overnight. Change is never accepted but in so many cases, its needed. I have seen several ways that you have suggested to improve wrestling in the state of WV. I have agreed with many of your solutions, disagreed on a few as well. I served on the state wrestling committee for several years. Trust me, the committee does not have the 'power' to make changes. As least a few years back we didn't. Let's hope the new powers to be start listening to its coaches and make it better for wrestling in our state.

I do not know the history on the Single A Championship. However, when there are suggestions made, there needs to be follow up.

It might be possible that the suggestion was made 25 years ago. There was no follow up. The following year, everybody said "we suggested it last year and they never said anything". Now in 2017 it is a reality. In my conversation with a committee coach, I understood it was one of last year's initiatives.

In all practical aspects, the only difference I see is keeping a separate score board for Single A schools. The team scores are already calculated and totaled every year. Buy another trophy for the single A winner. This is something that can be accomplished overnight.

Some needed changes may take a year to implement. Some can be implemented overnight. I do not buy all of this one to ten years to make a change. There needs to be follow up. If something cannot be accomplished, then there needs to be communicated reasons why.

March will be here before we know it.

Bearhugger wrote:March will be here before we know it.

But it will be delayed now, I hope a difference can be made! I am gonna do my part

As a wrestling community, we need to pull together and get a couple of years of initiatives on the table, approved and implemented before next season. Wrestling too a big hit this season. We do not want another.

Great thoughts and ideas relative to the region alignments; state tourney qualifying; tourney procedures; team championships. However, I'd like to see some hard observation and consideration as to what the maximum number of weight ins rule implemented in the last few years has done to our sport. While the overall "equality" direction of the rule is likely still applauded, I see some disturbing by products. Coaches must make hard decisions on how and where to use these weigh ins to best prepare their team for the post season. I think some of the bad results are:

*Team vs team duels are about gone (I can only think of one or two that have continued).
We need more interest in our sport, new fans, etc...to ask green fans, new parents, new athletes to come sit in a gym for hours and hours is not a good experience...but come out for an approximate 2 hrs duel on a week night and get home at a decent time is a good experience. Give each team a "free" weigh in or two to keep these rivalries alive, build new rivalries, introduce students and parents in an exciting, yet small time investment way.

* Smaller tournaments are struggling and larger ones are getting larger. The rule that anything entered with over 4 teams is equal to two weigh ins is not realistic...if it's one day and you weigh in once, it should count as only one weigh in.

The season is now over.

Hopefully many folks can share their ideas and contact the coaches committee.

Thanks