Wash High wrestling saved
Washington School Board voted to not accept the recommendation of its
activities committee to eliminate wrestling, boys and girls tennis and
soccer at Monday night's meeting. The programs will return for another season.
posted by Joe Tuscano at
9:40 PM
11 Comments:
That is nice that all the programs got saved but my question is where are all these supporters when the events are taking place? I was at the Tri-Cada Tourn. at Ringold - The sections at Char. - and the WPIAL at Char-Valley. There wasn't a dozen people from Wash Hi at any of these events. Where was all the people who packed the board meetings? Believe me in the empty gyms today when a boy wrestles you can see or hear all the fans from that school. No students at all. Maybe one or two. Joe I'm sure you see this too.
Showing up at a board meeting for the first in your life doesn't make you a fan. Then you are never seen at the school or gym.
Its good to hear the school is trying to keep the wrestling program going. Its not easy but definitely worth the effort to try to save any schools' program. Hopefully Wash High will get the program going in a positive direction. I've heard ignorant comments about simply dropping programs. Wrestling is an extremely demanding sport and only a small percentage of kids can endure the daily grind no matter what accomplishments they attain. We recognize the successful wrestlers but hats off to all the dedicated wrestlers who don't get to stand on the podium.
Great News
Low attendance has always been an issue with wrestling. There were literally "dozens" in attendance for the AAA team wrestling final at Hershey. They could have wrestled that final under a tent in the parking lot. It is a shame people don't support wrestling more than they do.
Most fans at matches are family members of wrestlers coming out to support their wrestlers. Most student would rather be playing xbox, participating in thier own sports/activities or studying so they have a chance a better future for themselves. I enjoy watching my son wrestle but most people could care less about wrestling. If you haven't wrestled or aren't watching someone you know wrestle its actually extremely boring to watch an entire match. I support the sport so kids who do have the desire and determination have a chance to compete, but if I didn't have a family member competing I'd probably not be attending many matches. Sorry, but between work, studying, family, and activities watching the local wrestling team would severely drop in life's priorities. the team tournament is a joke.
Let do the math for a typical match: 14 wrestlers x 2 teams = 28 x 2 or 3 family members per wrestler comes out to an average attendance of approximately 56 - 84fans per match. Sounds about right to me. Does this concern me? no. This is pretty standard for high school sports; most parents to go support the kids no matter what. Wrestling is no different than any other sport, but its really not as wonderful as some bloggers on here tend to make it out to be..
good for wash high. hopes it grows into a strong program.
You can always move to CM and wrestle; where I'm sure the funding is are bottomless for the wrestling program; they fill the gym to the brim with enthusiastic fans; students camp out in the parking lot the night before the match to get a seat; and everyone holds hands and sings each kids' hometown schools' alma mattar. Life is good. its a little slice of wrestling heaven.
1:37
I agree the team tournament is a joke. Recruiters could care less. They should have wrestled the team tournament at the Red Robin in Hershey so it looked like a packed house. I did notice that Jick Jackson was close to the action...
I think it has to do with the mentality in Western PA. "our cars get 40 rods to the hogshead and that's the ways we like it!" Many of the men in leadership here will watch wrestling slowly die as long as things are being done there way. Why not allow teams to enter 3 non scoring jv'ers at different weights in the section tourney ? That keeps around 40 extra kids and their parents involved for another week. Why not host double duals or more quad meets so as to draw bigger crowds in one event? Why not simply play background music during matches so it doesn't seem like you're watching a match in a sensory depravation tank? When was the last time you saw a pep band at a wrestling match? My college had the dance team perform during a10 min intermission. How about the spotlights or spider lights above the mat? I have actually been to duals that advertised rafflle prizes like TV's to be given away at the end of the match. You bought you ticket at the begining, watched the match and waited to see if you won. In the process a few people became fans How about jv matches? Haven't seen one of those for awhile but I have seen kids that look to be similar sizes sit on opposing benches and not wrestle. The sport can be repopularized but it's going to take some thinking and doing of outside the box ideas.
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