Say It Ain't So?

[Tarheel212]

Just heard some of the specifics about next week's state championships.  Still reeling from the no wrestle backs but the latest nuggets of information received just blows my mind.
-  Four fans per participant  (Sorry Grandmaw #1  but Grandmaw #2 is my favorite!)
-  A limit on the number of coaches?  (Draw straws guys  -  some of you don't get to to see the kid that you've trained the last four years hold up his championship medal)
-  Entire tournament to be ran on two mats  (Will it take six hours to complete 1st round?)
-  Will state finals finish before midnight?  (Please go wake up Jr for his long awaited state championship)

I just wonder if this was given any thought?  These kids have dealt with the most adversity of any in recent memory.  Wrestling after graduation for a senior is bad enough  but to set such parameters as this is laughable.  If anyone can explain the above, please provide the reasoning.

Thanks for listening, good luck to all participants, and prepare yourselves for a long day.

[Coach Atwood]

Yes, four tickets per qualifier per team.  That has not changed.

What has changed makes the answer to your second point no, because as of today all state tournaments will be ran on 4 mats.  When asked my opinion on expanding to four mats my response was the number of coaching bands being given.  As a result, the state will grant the number of coaching bands based on the number of qualifiers as they normally do every year.  So, that will not be a problem, or at least it shouldn't be.

In 3A, we will use four mats for the first round and the quarterfinal round.  After that we will go to two mats for the semifinal round then wrestle consolation finals on two mats.  The finals will take place on one mat. 

That being said, the state finals for 3A are scheduled to begin at 5pm.  I'm sure the others will all begin around the same time. 

[Tarheel212]

Just heard the news as well.  They must have heard me fuming last night when I was told 2 mats all day..  Not perfect but much better.

[ncpantherrob]

Coach Atwood, with 1A & 4A both being run at Glenn HS how are they planning on running 4 mats? Are you able to share the format schedule? Thanks.

[Coach Atwood]

Joe told me they were going four mats for the 4A first round followed by four mats for quarters for both divisions (I think 1A quarters then 4A quarters).  After that bitn tournaments will move to two mats (2 mats 4A and 2 mats 1A). Championship finals will be at the same time side by side. 

[ncpantherrob]

That's not too bad. Thanks for the info.

[ncpantherrob]

One more question... Will all 4 mats be in 1 gym?

[JNolan.LN]

One more question... Will all 4 mats be in 1 gym?

No, Glenn had set up for the girls state invitational this past weekend and had 2 mats in the mini gym and 2 in the main gym. Seating shall be interesting after being there with girls invitational and not having a full brackets for 14 weight classes and bringing in a whole other division on top of that. The heat in the gym was real and can only imagine having double + the amount that was in there this past weekend.