Kids don't want to watch Jason Nolf...

[GG121AND2]

or Thomas Gilman wrestle. Given the quality of this year's Hawkeye home schedule I was expecting to break the Wrestling for Life record for giving away tickets to major wrestling events in a year. Instead, the 2016/2017 season ranks only 4th in our 8-year history.of seriously working to get kids to see top quality wrestling. The biggest reason I hear for turning down tickets is the participation of the club/team in a youth event. That response makes me happy. Sometimes, however, I sense a lack of commitment on the part of the coaches to grow the sport.

Reversing a three-year trend, we also had no one (except Sandy Stevens) help us get tickets to other wrestling events into the hands of youngsters.

Hawkeye Report friends, you have been among our strongest supporters. What do I need to do to reverse this trend?

 

[Jaybird319]

It's hard to compete against youth season. There's a tournament every Fri, Sat and Sun nowadays. Especially by Jan and Feb a lot of kids are meh at best of times. Most have been wrestling since Oct/Nov.

I would focus more on the first half of the dual season. Even when Iowa is wrestling less then prime teams. Probably focus on 6th-9th as primary target group. State of Iowa split seasons for MS would coincide with this line of thought. IMO, sending groups of 1st-4th graders isn't going to growing the sport. It's cool for the experience, nothing wrong w that

Most youths don't know wrestlers outside of the Hawks, frankly most don't care. It's about the experience of going to Carver in their eyes.

 

[lionlover]

or Thomas Gilman wrestle. Given the quality of this year's Hawkeye home schedule I was expecting to break the Wrestling for Life record for giving away tickets to major wrestling events in a year. Instead, the 2016/2017 season ranks only 4th in our 8-year history.of seriously working to get kids to see top quality wrestling. The biggest reason I hear for turning down tickets is the participation of the club/team in a youth event. That response makes me happy. Sometimes, however, I sense a lack of commitment on the part of the coaches to grow the sport.

Reversing a three-year trend, we also had no one (except Sandy Stevens) help us get tickets to other wrestling events into the hands of youngsters.

Hawkeye Report friends, you have been among our strongest supporters. What do I need to do to reverse this trend?

I applaud your services and organization!

 

[GG121AND2]

It's hard to compete against youth season. There's a tournament every Fri, Sat and Sun nowadays. Especially by Jan and Feb a lot of kids are meh at best of times. Most have been wrestling since Oct/Nov.

I would focus more on the first half of the dual season. Even when Iowa is wrestling less then prime teams. Probably focus on 6th-9th as primary target group. State of Iowa split seasons for MS would coincide with this line of thought. IMO, sending groups of 1st-4th graders isn't going to growing the sport. It's cool for the experience, nothing wrong w that

Most youths don't know wrestlers outside of the Hawks, frankly most don't care. It's about the experience of going to Carver in their eyes.

Middle school kids are already our primary audience.

 

[CumberlandHawk]

Sadly a lot of our middle school wrestlers dont know who the big names are. Computers seem to take up a lot of their time. I've tried to encourage them to watch wrestling online but they dont seem too interested.

 

[Jaybird319]

Split season has severely impinged wrestling in Iowa. It's just devasting to the sport, nothing good has come from this philosophy.

Is there a email list/newsletter that people/coaches/clubs could subscribe or follow? To be better informed on upcoming available events and/or donations. Are college wrestling departments involve w Wrestling for Life? Just spit balling here

 

[CumberlandHawk]

Split season has severely impinged wrestling in Iowa. It's just devasting to the sport, nothing good has come from this philosophy.

Is there a email list/newsletter that people/coaches/clubs could subscribe or follow? To be better informed on upcoming available events and/or donations. Are college wrestling departments involve w Wrestling for Life? Just spit balling here

I would respectfully disagree on split seasons. We get some extra kids from basketball because of it. Will they continue? Probably not, but they do get the experience and become educated on the sport. We are also in small town Iowa so kids for any sport are hard to come by. There are always opportunities for the kids that want to wrestle full time.

 

[Jaybird319]

I can see the argument for a particaption numbers point of view, that's why it's here.

My point was growing the sport long term. How many of those MS kids are marking it to high school? Not much by the way forfeits are trending.

MS season is down to 7-9 weeks of practice. Hard to see reward/growth from such a short season. Would a kids being willing to attend a tournament if they haven't practice in 2 or 3 months? Or while they are in basketball? I don't see it, not the kids we are talking about. Once again this is meant for 0-2 years experience, not the hardcore wrestler.

 

[GG121AND2]

Although we try to encourage all kids younger than high school, we spend a lot of time and effort on middle school athletes. Youngsters that begin competing at 5 or 6 years old have highly (perhaps too much so) motivated parents who are encouraging and supporting their children. For many students, middle school is the first time they get to try the sport. In many, if not most, cases they start out far behind their team mates who have training and competition experience. This may be their only opportunity to learn wrestling's life lessons. We want them to make the most of that chance.

 

[artradley]

Split season has severely impinged wrestling in Iowa. It's just devasting to the sport, nothing good has come from this philosophy.

Is there a email list/newsletter that people/coaches/clubs could subscribe or follow? To be better informed on upcoming available events and/or donations. Are college wrestling departments involve w Wrestling for Life? Just spit balling here

What is a split season?

 

[Jaybird319]

Splits boys winter sports duration between basketball and wrestling. The reasons given are to help smaller schools fill roosters and to give kids opportunities to play both.

Wrestling is first half of the split. Usually starting periods are 3rd/4th weeks of Oct ending 2nd/3rd weeks of Dec.

Basketball is started before Xmas break (2nd/3rd weeks of Dec) and continues until late Feb.

I wish Iowa would flip the seasons around for obivious macro and micro wrestling reasons. For a "wrestling" state Iowa did a poor job of advancing wrestling in this situation. As I've stated often we are seeing continued declining results of such moves in Iowa high school wrestling.

 

[artradley]

Splits boys winter sports duration between basketball and wrestling. The reasons given are to help smaller schools fill roosters and to give kids opportunities to play both.

Wrestling is first half of the split. Usually starting periods are 3rd/4th weeks of Oct ending 2nd/3rd weeks of Dec.

Basketball is started before Xmas break (2nd/3rd weeks of Dec) and continues until late Feb.

I wish Iowa would flip the seasons around for obivious macro and micro wrestling reasons. For a "wrestling" state Iowa did a poor job of advancing wrestling in this situation. As I've stated often we are seeing continued declining results of such moves in Iowa high school wrestling.

Wait. What? Wrestling in Iowa is over by Christmas?

 

[GG121AND2]

Middle school seasons vary in Iowa. Kids in the Quad Cities wrestle October/November and kids in IC/CR wrestle January/February.

 

[artradley]

Middle school seasons vary in Iowa. Kids in the Quad Cities wrestle October/November and kids in IC/CR wrestle January/February.

Well that seems like a plan for failure.

 

[CumberlandHawk]

SW Iowa is Jan/Feb. This lines up with AAU districts.