Topic ID: 11673 | 40 Posts
Registration is now open for the Team Kentucky Youth Trials to be held at Woodford County Middle School on March 14. Top 2 in each weight class will represent Kentucky at Heartland National Duals in Iowa.
This will be the 2nd year that Kentucky has sent a youth team and it was an immeasurable experience for all those that attended last year.
Details are in the attached flyer. Pre-register on track and pay in-person the morning of the tournament.
Flyer updated
Yes it was a great experience for the kids. I suggest to tryout for this. If your son or daughter makes the team it will be an experience they will never forget and give them a chance to work with some great coaches.
We had a blast last year. I got to coach the 2nd team and meet a lot of great kids from around the state and their parents. It was an eye opening trip of how far we've came and how far we still need to go. We took a beating but had some kids really win some big matches and build lasting friendships on the mat. Looking forward to this again!
I just noticed that this tournament is scheduled the same weekend of AAU SPRING NATIONALS in Kingsport Tennessee. I know there are about 30-40 wrestlers from Kentucky that wrestle in this every year including several kids on Team Kentucky last year. Is there any way this tournament can be wrestled on a weekend where their isn't a conflict with a National tournament that our kids like to attend?
I just noticed that this tournament is scheduled the same weekend of AAU SPRING NATIONALS in Kingsport Tennessee. I know there are about 30-40 wrestlers from Kentucky that wrestle in this every year including several kids on Team Kentucky last year. Is there any way this tournament can be wrestled on a weekend where their isn't a conflict with a National tournament that our kids like to attend?
If they can not change it that would be tough. I know Noah will be upset if he doesn't get the chance to wrestle for team Kentucky because of a scheduling conflict.
Why not try a different tournament that's about the same distance. The NCAA National Championship is the following week on March 19-21 in St. Louis and USAW TOA is holding a tournament on Sunday the 22nd. So you can take your wrestlers to the NCAAs and let them see what they're working toward and then let them wrestle on Sunday.
For us in eastern Ky Kingsport is 2 hours away and St Louis is 7 hours away. Why I would love to take Blue to the NCAA we can't make it that weekend.
We take about 20 kids from NKY. 6-10 of those also want to try out for Team KY. 5 were on the team last year
Agreed Gameface, The Kingsport TN tourney is a great competition tourney, and more reasonable drive for KY wrestlers. I'd love a St. Louis tourney I have family down there but it would seem a waste if 20-30 potential Team KY wrestlers weren't able to try out because they were at tourney where there has already been many plans made by those families before the date set for Team KY try outs. Hope there will be a resolve to this situation I know we will be in Kingsport TN for that AAU tourney!
We are trying to arrange to move Team KY youth trials to Sunday, March 22. I will not be able to confirm for sure until school is back in session. Will post and send out confirmation ASAP.
If your child has a legitimate chance at making the team I find it unfortunate that one would decide the AAU tourney over the Team KY trial. The experience these boys get wrestling at the Heatland Duals is a much better experience then what they will get at the AAU tourney. Win or lose they will get 8 matches against some solid competition. The boys and parents, for that matter, will meet other wrestling families from around the state and build lasting relationships. States that are known for having a strong wrestling program have kids and families that see it as an honor to be a part of their state team. If we, as a state, expect to develop a highly regarded state program then we must begin thinking that way too. This will allow Team KY to field the best team possible.
REscalers, you are right about experience that they will get and the competition is by all means spectacular! I think some of the parents are looking at it as the ability to get their kids on the mat with some more competition before we even hit into Heartland Duals. Most of these kids have seen the same opponents all season long and going into Heartland without seeing some unfamilar competition is like being blind sided. We have some great wrestlers but only a handful get to see what other states have to offer so any mat time wether it be an AAU, USA, or National tourney could be viewed as getting them ready for what is ahead. I don't any of the parents look at it as it's not important to be at the Team KY trials I just think they are trying to get all in that they can and hope to have the trials on a day where there may be no competition to attend.
I can't believe that we would consider moving Team KY trials for 5 kids. If there are kids that are interested in wrestling for the team and can't make I believe there is a way to work it out. If the tournament is moved to the same weekend that NCAA's are happening there will be at least 10 that wrestled for the team last year and the extras I was bringing for this year won't be there so maybe we should move it to another date. No date is perfect for everyone. As an organization we need to do what makes sense. I have been to the AAU nationals it isn't like Tulsa or Cliff Keen events. There is a tournament like that almost every weekend. Indy Nationals and Liberty Nationals are this weekend I would like to go to those but instead I will be at KY Youth State.
Bowlbear1 there are plenty of opportunities to go to national tournaments before Heartland. Dominate the Dells and Cliff Keen just off the top of my head. It is crazy we have a seeding meeting for middle school state and it is hard to get head to heads because Northern KY wrestles a lot in Ohio, Eastern KY wrestles their whole season in WV and now all the sudden we need to see some out of state competition before we wrestle National Duals.
Bowlbear1--- there are competitions available every weekend so I find that attempt to justify insincere. We have gone to Dominate in the Dells in Wisconsin in the past and had to cancel those plans this year because it falls on the same weekend as team trials. I then found one the following weekend in St. Louis and made plans for that one. I am certain, without a doubt, anyone else in the same situation can do the same.
So that I understand this correctly, the weekend of March 21-22 does not work because of the NCAA Finals. And I f that was the date proposed and Union County already purchased tickets and booked the hotels, then I would be one that would say let's find another date. This tournament is a good tournament t and there's more than 5 kids affected by the choice of this date. Sure we can chose not to go, but like your NCAA finals, if theirs a plausible solution that works for everyone, then why not try. I was apart of the teams last year along with coach Lee and our kids.i made the same connections that you guys did. I took the B Team and we had a great time even though we took beatings. I do my part for the youth State and Middle School hauling mats, podiums, etc. so Jason please don't dismiss our "5 kids" or the watered down AAU tournament. All we want to do is see if there's other dates availble. Thank you Coach Yost and Jason Moore for considering these "5 kids"
Let me be clear. At no point did I dismiss your kids. There was a date set for this tournament and it didn't work for you because it is the same weekend you go to a national tournament. Kids may have other reasons they can't make it. My point earlier was we shouldn't move it for a small group but there should be an opportunity to earn a spot. Also if the decided to move it the week of NCAA'S we won't be there if there is a way to earn a spot then my kids would take that opportunity. If not I will take my own 6th grade and under team and will have to use kids from the middle school team KY to compete.
Gameface---- you're assuming a lot there. How do you know that plans for the NCAA's weren't made after the date of the team trials was announced. I can't speak for anyone else but knowing my situation, that's exactly what happened. Like I said in my early post, we had planned on going to Wisconsin and wrestle in the Dominate in the Dells tournament like we had in the past. When the date was announced we changed our plans. Not ask everyone else to change their plans to accommodate our previously made plans. How do we know that others haven't done the same and made plans after the date was announced.
I like a system that ensures the best kids make the team. If that means a 2nd "wrestle-off" or tournament, then maybe that is what we should consider doing. With that stated, I applause Coach Yost and anyone else who helped secure a gym for this tournament. I hope we can make it work out for everybody!
Guess I though we were talking about wrestling here and not basketball?? As I don't really have any wrestler that is personally attending the Team Ky tryouts I was simply trying to state an outside perspective who understands that not all parents can travel up to 7hrs. for some of the "other" great tourney's you mentioned REscalera. JBrown1405, my comment was that we do need to support Team KY (wrestling that is) and I think it's great that there are already coaches and parents that have planned, registered, and booked to attend the Kingsport tourney ( I do believe it will be more than 5 wrestlers also) which would be one that would be a "fair distance" for most KY wrestlers to travel to as well as other great tourney's like you mentioned in Wisconsin. Never did I say at any point that it had to be moved, I'm very glad to see that there was a quick response about possibly changing it or adding another date if there were going to be many other wrestlers that would be attending WRESTLING EVENTS during the origional date.
Not one person mentioned anything about basketball. We are going to the real mens NCAA wrestling championship
Jbrown1405, it was menat as a joke as we are in KY and basketball is such a main focus as to where wrestling gets put on the back burner. Wrestling is such a tough sport (not saying basketball isn't) but It was kinda meant as let's not forget, these kids need any and all mat time they can get and we are already limited on getting that. It's not a sport where you have a team that you can lay blame on if you don't win. Guess I should have inserted an "lol" seems as if not to many can pick out the joke here lately.
I just notice that Team Ky tryouts will be the same weekend as AAU Spring Naional Tournament, this is very disheartning both for coaches and wrestlers. Many of the wrestlers participate in both as they both are a well earned and hard to achieve Goal for youth. I would hope that the powers that be think about this, the warriors should be able to participate in both these tournaments as they did last year, not choose between one or the other, we want the best competitoin and wresters to represent Ky in both, this eliminates much of the competition in one or the other. Thanks for hopefully listening. I really hope my son wrestlers can participate in both again this year. Thanks again.
Sincerley, Coach and Father
Mark Rodriguez
I know several kids who will not be attending Team Ky tryouts as they will travel to Kingsport for the AAU event.
After looking at several options we have decided to stay with the orignal date Mar 14 for the youth team trials. This obviously may not be the most convenient for some wrestlers who have went to other tournaments in the past. We want to take the best team that we can to these tournaments and have came up with an option for wrestlers that desire to travel to another tournament that week. There are 2 Ways you can still be eligible to challenge for a spot on the youth team 1. You were on team KY last year. Or 2. If you choose to attend another tournament and you weren't on the team last year you must place at that tournament to be eligible to challenge. If you can't make it to the team trials you must contact Coach Yost at [email protected], Coach Moore at [email protected], or Coach Brown at [email protected]
That sounds great. I know that I will have several boys that wrestled for team KY last year that are excited about being able to compete for a spot. We always look forward to the 3 day weekend in Kingsport not only to wrestle but to travel together and create lasting wrestling friendships as a team from Kentucky.
We want to take the best team that we can to these tournament
As a state does this mean that we are going to keep the youth kids on the youth team and make a run at it?
If we build from the bottom our team will grow a lot faster. It may hurt the middle school team this year but will help in the long run.
I want to send the 8th graders to high school with the best team KY experience as possible. They have worked hard to get where they are and we should want to provide them with the best chance they have to win and sometimes it is having a younger wrestler on the team. This decision is left up to each wrestler if they qualify for both age groups. Our youth team would be better if they stayed down this year. If they wrestle with the middle school they are getting more experience and making room for another youth to get experience at the national level. The more kids we have competing at this level the better prepared we will be when they are older.
Gavin and I have talked and he has made the decision to wrestle with the middle school because he believes that this is the next step to achieve his goals. This will also help get ready for Super 32 and all middle school preseason tournaments that he wrestles in. I have a feeling his teammates that can do either may feel the same way. We should still have quite a few that will really help the youth team. We have at least 12-14 kids with national tournament experience and look to add a few more this year.
Any youth kids wanting to attend can get some great mat time prior to this event at the KWOA Spring Classic on March 7 at Central Hardin. Check out the KWOA website (www.kyofficials.com) for more information.
I believe exposing as many of our youth wrestlers to this level of competition is the best way to grow KY wrestling. Not by filling spots with one of the 6th graders who won middle school state so that our youth team can make a run at it. Yes, it will hurt our middle school team. More importantly though, it will hurt the development of our program by taking that spot away from another one of our youth wrestlers. I feel it is important that we expose as many of our wrestlers as possible to the level of wrestling they will encounter at a tournament like the Heartland Duals. It's equally important though that we help them keep things in perspective and help them understand that, at this moment in their young wrestling career, this is a great learning experience for them as well as for us as parents. We all get to see just where our young wrestlers and how far they need to go. My hope is that this experience will ignite a fire in them that they will carry throughout the year. I say throughout the year because it wasn't too long ago that my son realized there is no offseason when it comes to wrestling. It is a year round sport. I agree that the best way to grow is from the bottom up. So let's expose as many of our youth as possible and watch them grow.
My son performed well Sunday and I have registered him for the Youth Trials. I do have a few questions though, if someone can help me with these I would appreciate it.
He wrestled at 52 pounds Sunday. When I put in his track # it placed him in the 55. Is this correct or should I have changed it? Kinda new to the trials and track wrestling. Thanks
I think that is a great compromise to have the origional date and then offer up placers of the other tourney to have an opportunity to challenge. More mat time for all which is what I think is the best in the end! Great job at coming to a decision that will be benificial to all the kids Jbrown1405 and all the other higher ups. Working together to get the best competitive team to represent Team KY is great to see.
Last day for registration for Team Kentucky Youth trials this Saturday!! Flyer is in first post on this thread. Link to track wrestling registration on flyer.
This is for 6th grade and below only.