Comparing A with AA

[eazymoney]

After watching the Princeton tournament I came to realize that the main difference between A and AA is besides the amount of kids in the school and the pool they have to draw from but amount of wrestling the class A kids do on their own time. I know Clark wrestled both styles out at Fargo and Clark beats the number 2 ranked AA kid, and milks loses by 1 to the number 1 ranked kid in AA. The main reason is that these guys go out and find the type of competion in the off season as the AA kids do. Just becasue your class A doesn't mean you can't go to Fargo or find a wrestling clinic to attend all summer. Sure you might have to make a decent drive to do this but is 3 hours in a car worth you geting better and being able to compete with the big boys. I know its harder for the small schools to do this but this is what it takes. These guys aren't good just becaue they have more kids in their school. Their good because they work harder than the average person even when the average person thinks they are doing as much as they can.

[old105]

I grew up in a small town, and I now live in the suburbs. In my opinion, athletes in A schools are more likely to be multi-sport competitors(or involved in things outside of sports). I love to see multi-sport athletes and coaches that support athletes that want to do things besides concentrate on one sport. I believe many of the Dakota stars play football.

Being in Chicagoland(and reading the AA board), I hear all about national tournaments, wrestling clubs, etc. For an athlete that wants to do that, I have no problem with it. I just wish the young people would take advantage of the other opportunities that are out there.

[Slaphappy]

I agree with the comment that many small school athletes play 1 or more sports, while many play up to three. I think that it is a very good way to learn many good lessons in life, succeding and failing in individual and team aspects. You can relate many things in life to lessons learned on a wrestling mat, as well as on a football field, baseball field, or on a track. But the fact of the matter is, they are all athletes, big and strong, short and weak, they put forth the efoort that will help all of these young men in the long run. Props to all wrestlers, no matter what school, and what city, work hard and be proud of everythiing you acomplish, whether that be a state medal, or finishing with a .500 record. You are all rolemodels whether you realize it or not, act like it and continue to give Illinois a great name in the sport of wrestling.