University of Washington Wrestling

[Sammybrk]

About 250 of us have Emailed the Husky Athletic Director, Jennifer Cohen, about the possibilities of talking about starting up wrestling at the University again. There actually is a University Wrestling Club with student wrestlers. Just a step. We would just like to talk to her. Never know.

 

[CumberlandHawk]

It certainly cant hurt to try. Usually great things are accomplished by people who step outside the norm and take risks. Go get'em and God's blessing.

 

[wyldhawk9]

Wonder if it makes any difference to UW if they were adding both men's and women's wrestling teams...I saw a tweet about 2 weeks ago from Kyle Dake asking folks to weigh in on which universities it would make the most sense to add women's wrestling and Washington was one of them. Good luck!

 

[AFHawk86]

Tom recently said one of the top priorities to grow wrestling should be adding a wrestling program to a top university (assumes by he meant a Texas or SEC school), along with make by it more exciting to watch.

Speaking of exciting to watch...yesterday it was tough to enjoy a large number of matches (not speaking exclusively of Hawks matches). There were too many wrestlers just hanging out and the refs didn't make them wrestle. Refs completely swallowed the whistles for calling stalling going out of bounds and the wrestlers picked up on it quickly. The most exciting match of the day was Nickal-Martin. That match was fun regardless of who won.

 

[ICWestfan]

I read that article, it was in regards to team Nationals which Tom is not a fan of. He mentioned expansion by adding men and women teams at colleges in states with high participation numbers. Specifically he named UT, Cal-Berk, Florida, and U Washington.

Good luck and I would love to see the NCAA add women's wrestling.

 

[Ihawkd9times]

I'm all for Washington, Texas, Colorado, usc or ucla, Florida or fsu, Kansas or ksu adding programs.

 

[Old_wrestling_fan]

Tom recently said one of the top priorities to grow wrestling should be adding a wrestling program to a top university (assumes by he meant a Texas or SEC school), along with make by it more exciting to watch.

Speaking of exciting to watch...yesterday it was tough to enjoy a large number of matches (not speaking exclusively of Hawks matches). There were too many wrestlers just hanging out and the refs didn't make them wrestle. Refs completely swallowed the whistles for calling stalling going out of bounds and the wrestlers picked up on it quickly. The most exciting match of the day was Nickal-Martin. That match was fun regardless of who won.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result. In the case of relying on officials to call stalling, etc, people...it just isn't going to happen. If it was, we would have seen it by now.

I completely agree that 3-2 snoozefests will be the death of wrestling, but that problem, IMO, will never be solved by refereeing. It HAS to be rule changes that motivate the wrestlers to take risks all on their own.

 

[cidhawkeye]

Or perhaps realizing that stalling won't be called at conference and nationals and doing something about it. Let me know the dates of Big Tens next year and I will go post the first 'not calling stalling' complaint after day one. Force the issue, give them no choice. More Power 5 wrestling programs, yes!

 

[Azchief32]

USC would be a great place to start IMO. Well monied private school in a hotbed state. Texas would be good because it would grow the high school sport down there which would be a sleeping giant ten years after a program got started.

 

[AFHawk86]

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result. In the case of relying on officials to call stalling, etc, people...it just isn't going to happen. If it was, we would have seen it by now.

I completely agree that 3-2 snoozefests will be the death of wrestling, but that problem, IMO, will never be solved by refereeing. It HAS to be rule changes that motivate the wrestlers to take risks all on their own.

We are in agreement. I didn't intend for my post to primarily focus on refs not calling stalling, but on the nuance that many wrestlers (probably a majority) were comfortable waiting for their opponent to take action and then react. The referee calls (or lack thereof) made them too comfortable. The Hawk section was "dead" for most of the day as a result.

 

[CumberlandHawk]

I'm all for Washington, Texas, Colorado, usc or ucla, Florida or fsu, Kansas or ksu adding programs.

USC, UCLA, and Washington would really put wrestling in a big market. We need that.

 

[whejoe]

About 250 of us have Emailed the Husky Athletic Director, Jennifer Cohen, about the possibilities of talking about starting up wrestling at the University again. There actually is a University Wrestling Club with student wrestlers. Just a step. We would just like to talk to her. Never know.

I hope you keep emailing the Washington AD! Don't stop with just one email. Good luck and this would be great for wrestling.

 

[GG121AND2]

Washington should be a logical choice for adding two programs: high HS participation numbers among both sexes (one of the few states with a sanctioned girls state championship) and alma mater of Larry Owings. However, they have refused to consider past addition proposals. Perhaps that will change. What they most lack is an Art Martori or Greg Hatcher with the drive and funds to make it happen.

Look at the bright side, for the past few years men's and women's programs have been added at tuition-driven NAIA, NCAA Division III and NJCAA schools.

 

[Ohio2NC]

Conference affiliation is major factor, and one of the issues that will make it very difficult at an SEC school.

Places like Washington, and Clemson have strong support and would seem like good candidates for reinstating the sport.

Regional schools whose sports programs don't really generate revenue, but that are located in states with strong HS wrestling numbers seem logical as well. Having a partner women's program at these schools would help, so to maintain Gender equity numbers. This could, but doesn't have to be women's wrestling. Soccer would seem like a good partner.

 

[Sammybrk]

I hope you keep emailing the Washington AD! Don't stop with just one email. Good luck and this would be great for wrestling.

Just received reply from Athletic Director Jennifer Cohen, "we do not have plans to do so". A reporter for the Seattle Times told me yesterday that, It will never happen .

 

[Grip220]

 

[jvclark]

I read the book Boys in the Boat recently. For those of you who haven't it is great. But it's about the Washington Men's rowing team that came out of nowhere to be the best in the country and ultimately win the 1936 Olympics.

Rowing was an east coast sport for essentially ever and out of nowhere comes Washington. Well maybe the UW athletic director can think that way here too! Wrestling doesn't have to be dominated by Midwest and east coast teams, right?

I know, I know, different sport and different times, but why not??

Good luck guys go for it!!

 

[whejoe]

I read the book Boys in the Boat recently. For those of you who haven't it is great. But it's about the Washington Men's rowing team that came out of nowhere to be the best in the country and ultimately win the 1936 Olympics.

Rowing was an east coast sport for essentially ever and out of nowhere comes Washington. Well maybe the UW athletic director can think that way here too! Wrestling doesn't have to be dominated by Midwest and east coast teams, right?

I know, I know, different sport and different times, but why not??

Good luck guys go for it!!

Thanks for sharing. That book is always listed as a suggestion when I'm on Amazon and I'll have to check it out.

 

[natchrlman]

Washington should be a logical choice for adding two programs: high HS participation numbers among both sexes (one of the few states with a sanctioned girls state championship) and alma mater of Larry Owings. However, they have refused to consider past addition proposals. Perhaps that will change. What they most lack is an Art Martori or Greg Hatcher with the drive and funds to make it happen.

Look at the bright side, for the past few years men's and women's programs have been added at tuition-driven NAIA, NCAA Division III and NJCAA schools.

Texas has girls wrestling too

 

[SandBuff]

High school wrestling is popular in Colorado and the OTC is here. I would love for CU to add wrestling.

 

[GG121AND2]

Thanks for sharing. That book is always listed as a suggestion when I'm on Amazon and I'll have to check it out.

Read it, it is a great book.

 

[GG121AND2]

Texas has girls wrestling too

I know, and the Wayland Baptist story has been a good one, but Texas girls high school wrestling has primarily been driven by the fear of lawsuits, not a commitment to the future of women's wrestling.

 

[pumpdog20]

USC would be a great place to start IMO. Well monied private school in a hotbed state. Texas would be good because it would grow the high school sport down there which would be a sleeping giant ten years after a program got started.

They have a club team that I follow on the FB. I donated a little for their efforts, even though I felt dirty since I'm an ND football fan.

 

[natchrlman]

yea GG1and2 ....I heard a story about a transgender kid in Texas...she is a girl transitioning to a boy and wants to wrestle in the boys division but the rules require you to wrestle as the gender on your birth certificate...she was a state champ and there was alot of uproar...kind of a sad story and unusual....but as far as having the female wrestlers being able to compete in their own division....thats really the best way to go

 

[SPGroth]

Thanks for sharing. That book is always listed as a suggestion when I'm on Amazon and I'll have to check it out.

I am not a book reader, but was on a two week long business trip to China. Read that book. It was very good.

 

[woodsiding]

I've heard that Iowa State is going to try to have a team again soon too.

 

[texswing]

I know, and the Wayland Baptist story has been a good one, but Texas girls high school wrestling has primarily been driven by the fear of lawsuits, not a commitment to the future of women's wrestling.

I'll disagree with your last statement. Girls wrestling is growing (numbers wise) quicker than boys here. A lot of the HS teams have even hired girls specific coaches for their teams. Andre Metzger is pushing girls wrestling with his club team big time. I know there is a groundswell to get more college wrestling here and UT would be the obvious target but I am wondering if we should try starting with D2, juco, etc teams first and work up to the D1 schools? I do know if UT added it, all the schools in Texas would the next day.