Just been brainstorming on what Kentucky could do to help promote growth for our sport. I know big school, small school is one suggestion, what other suggestions do you have? One idea I had came up with would be start up cost assistance for new programs.I know that wrestling is one of the few sports that turn a profit at state. Know I don't know the numbers, but if they could take some and put it back into the sport as a program start up cost help, this may help growth. From helping purchase a mat or singlets, if the start up cost was lower for some school, they be be more likely to start a team. Just one idea, what your thoughts? Any other ideas?

This isn't the big scale kind of idea that I think you are looking for, but I think step one has to be to increase interest in the general population. One thing I have seen with family and my son's friends is that they would like to come see him wrestle, but they really don't want to give up a whole day Saturday to go to a tournament. We could get more students and friends to come to single or tri-team duals held during the week, in the evenings. They would have to be local schools for the travel, and I know making weight is an issue during the week for some. But most casual observers and students might come and watch one or two duals and support the team, but they aren't giving up a Saturday and traveling to the host school. This would also increase press coverage, which is step two.

Just been brainstorming on what Kentucky could do to help promote growth for our sport. I know big school, small school is one suggestion, what other suggestions do you have? One idea I had came up with would be start up cost assistance for new programs.I know that wrestling is one of the few sports that turn a profit at state. Know I don't know the numbers, but if they could take some and put it back into the sport as a program start up cost help, this may help growth. From helping purchase a mat or singlets, if the start up cost was lower for some school, they be be more likely to start a team. Just one idea, what your thoughts? Any other ideas?

One thing: repeal Title IX

One thing they do in ohio that I have never seen before is in school duels. The students can leave class early as long as they go to the wrestling match. Im sure it has helped recruit some kids who would of never been exposed to the sport the traditional ways.

One thing they do in ohio that I have never seen before is in school duels. The students can leave class early as long as they go to the wrestling match. Im sure it has helped recruit some kids who would of never been exposed to the sport the traditional ways.

Does Ohio wrestle during school hours?

I know at Glen Este they had about four or five duals that were durring school hours.

This would also increase press coverage, which is step two.

Honestly, it wouldn't. There's too much going on throughout the week as it is. That's why we like covering wrestling on the weekends when there isn't as much going on -- and wrestling isn't have to "fight" with other sports for space. If we covered every weekday match, the story would get buried under everything else.

Boone County and Simon Kenton did it in the late 70’s early 80’ during school, some old guy’s on here might remember. And you are right for some of the students it was the first time they saw wrestling.

This isn't the big scale kind of idea that I think you are looking for, but I think step one has to be to increase interest in the general population. One thing I have seen with family and my son's friends is that they would like to come see him wrestle, but they really don't want to give up a whole day Saturday to go to a tournament. We could get more students and friends to come to single or tri-team duals held during the week, in the evenings. They would have to be local schools for the travel, and I know making weight is an issue during the week for some. But most casual observers and students might come and watch one or two duals and support the team, but they aren't giving up a Saturday and traveling to the host school. This would also increase press coverage, which is step two.

Weekday matches won't increase press coverage, unless you're talking about small weekly papers.

When was the last time you saw the Courier-Journal, Herald-Leader or any Lou/Lex TV station at a Wednesday night dual?

And this is NOT a wrestling thing.

Same goes for weekday swimming, golf, tennis, track and cross country duals. The bad thing is in individual sports, you'll see your opponent plenty of times without a weekday meeting, which frankly, means little.

Midweek basketball, baseball/softball, soccer, volleyball matches get covered because of attendance, interest and implications (district seedings).

And once bowling and archery become bigger -- bowling became an official KHSAA sport in 2010 and archery is on its way with plenty of schools offering coed teams -- it will be the same way, meaning tournaments get covered but weekday duals do not.