Comments on Gable Blog: Thoughts to the Coaches

my son has loved wrestling since he joined in 9th ...

2005-06-23T06:18:00.000-07:00

my son has loved wrestling since he joined in 9th grade. He is now in the USAF. Unfortunately they do not have a wrestling program where he is stationed. He would love to continue wrestling. They have tried to organize a group but it fell through because of lack of interest. There are many good athletes in the military who don't attend the academies; where are their opportunities? My younger son is still in high school and also wrestles. I have been very active in promoting our team in our community. During the season, Alumni night has become very important to me. I have struggled to put together a history of our team from missing records. In my oppinion it is very important to acknowledge all alumni. It has been great fun to meet some of the founding memebers of our schools wrestling team. The reations recieved from alumni have been wonderful. I just hope we can continue this tradition and keep it growing.

Y'know, the first thing people can do is maintain ...

2005-06-18T16:53:00.000-07:00

Y'know, the first thing people can do is maintain kids programs. Go to the YMCA or the rec department, ask about it, if they have it get involved and make donations, help at tournaments, help organize matches with other teams. That kind of foundation is critical for high school wrestling, and when the competition and skill is there in high school, that leads to a strong support base in a state. And when there's a strong state support base, people in that state want to see it at the college level.

That doesn't guarantee it'll be there, but it helps create the interest.

Otherwise, I'd say the international style rules need to be stabilized, simplified, and designed to promote as much wide-open action as possible. The rules have gotten increasingly byzantine in my lifetime, and I've gone from seeing shoot-outs with the Smiths and the Brands' and the late 80's teams to seeing wrestlers on the mat not even sure how the scoring went as the ref blows the whistle yet again. Let 'em loose, or you're going to get less conditioned athletes just doing what they need to win the match, and not really showing great wrestling technique.

I'm female. I do not wrestle, however, wrestling i...

2005-06-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

I'm female. I do not wrestle, however, wrestling is very important to my family . . .and was a large part of my growing up. I struggly however, to find ways in which i can be of use to the wrestling community to fight for a sport that i've seen influence so many lives, and positively reinforce values in student athletes. As a wrestling fan, supporter, and lover . . .what can i do to keep wrestling around for when I have my own children, and they have their children?