To all tournament organizers:

[Technique]

With all of the wrestlers we have in the IKWF and all of the tournaments we have EVERY week, why aren't there more opportunities for 1st and 2nd year wrestlers to have their own tournaments???

This year, I counted 2... the Lincoln-Way one at the beginning of the season and the Jr. Duke two weeks ago.

If we truly wanted to keep this great sport of ours growing in numbers, we would give our newcomers an appropriate place to compete.

Let's be honest here. How many potential wrestlers have been lost throughout the years due to us bringing these kids to tournaments where they mismatched due to their lack of experience and they end up quitting because they got destroyed???

We as an organization should try to hold at least ONE 1st and 2nd year tournement a month in the Chicagoland area.

Any thoughts on this matter?

[twocool]

There was the Bronco Rookie Rumble for first and second year wrestlers @ Montini. I brought my son to that one and it was a confidence builder. I still think he is becoming a better wrestler faster by taking some lumps along the way. He is second year 9 yr old, and he has faced some pretty tough kids in South Chicago Section, and Chicagoland as whole. I personally would not want him wrestling any more rookies, as the goal is to wrestle elite tournaments. Obviously it depends on the mental makeup of the wrestler and how they handle a tough loss. I must admit the Rookie Rumble came at a good point for him.

[62kilos]

I understand what u are saying but if they quit then they are not wrestlers. Some of the best wrestlers that this nation has produce did not find alot of success from the beginning. I think Joe Williams (olympian) got pinned his first 12 or 16 matches. John Smith (olympian) lost his first 6 matches. The character of a man is built loosing those matches and working hard to improve. The best advice that i can offer is to encourage them to continue to wrestle and it gets better, it always does.

[Kelly Green]

I think most tournaments try and do what we call "competitive bracketing". I think most people would agree that matching up skill level of the kids is in the sports best intrest.

I think it would be wise to write on the weigh-in card "First (or) Second year wrestler" and fill out the record portion on the card. That would help the people doing the bracketing to match up the first and second year kids.


Just an idea...

[ImpactCoach]

I have tossed and turned many nights over this dilema, being the head coach of a brand new club and all my wrestlers being 1st or 2nd year wrestlers. The answer I came up with was this, get my kids the expierence and continue to coach and try to "catch them up" as quickly as possible. We have not wrestled the big stud tourneys like little celtic elite, but we did attend martinez, kids open and wrestle tough comp in the west chicago section. Some things that helped my kids along the way was being aggressive with the tournament bracketing so my kids at least got a good match up....made sure all my kids had at least one solid move they could hit from there feet, bottom, and top....use every match as a learning oppurtunity, and keep a fun and competitive practice. With this formula and a great group of kids we have been a very successful 1st year club and probably will see are numbers grow from 25 to about 60 next year. And this is one line I tell all my kids if they start to worry about expierence if your playing football and you go to tackle a guy do you care if he has been playing for 3 or 4 more years than you or do you just go out there and hit them and bring them down ??? With this said I say good luck to all the rookies out there at there regional tourneys and stick with it because the rewards from this great sport are unlimited