If a freshmen walks in to practice in late december or january and ask to join the wrestling team do you say yes or do you tell the kid come back next year?

We welcome kids in no matter what time yr.

If he is a transfer in beginning of January yes. If he is a freshman that has been there all year and just decided to come out no. I would tell him to come to off season and summer and look forward to his Sophomore year.

We welcome kids in no matter what time yr.

If that is the case, we would have kids miss the hardest part of the year on purpose.

I would tell him he could participate in conditioning, but nothing more. This time of the year is spent getting the wrestlers ready for the post season, not teaching the basics.

I agree with Jacketcoach...only transfers that can be on the mat and certify weight by the end of January deadline if not previously on a team in Kentucky.

Any other kid would have heard about the opportunity to wrestle from me personally, one my wrestlers, or by way of the announcements. It would set a bad precendent for kids to come out whenver they want...and it could delay attendance if kids think they can join whenever they want. I want a kid on the mat that is there at practice day one, no matter how competitive the weight class. I never thought of it, but a kid could wait to see if "a spot" is open. That kid won't perform in the clutch...don't need him.

I would welcome any kid and any grade. I think an explanation of what is going on may be in order so they know practice won't be basic but more advanced and conditioning will only get tougher. The longer they have to wait to get on the mat the further they get behind. Being part of a new program I have encouraged my wrestlers to get their friends out and participate and I encourage them to wrestle throughout the summer. The best way to gain experience is to participate.

Every situation is different. Is he a transfer or a freshmen that's been around? Is he a good kid or some punk that the administration is asking you to fix? Does he come from a wrestling family and know what's going on or is he absolutely lost? Is he a troubled kid that could use a little discipline to get his life straight or some kid who just wants to add something to his college applications? Is he an athlete or someone looking for a hobby? Our staff discusses every situation independently. To compare two kids in entirely different situations isn't fair to either of them.

But come on what are the chances of this happening?

Lots of variables but most teams I know of say come back next year.

Rules:

Depends on the rules of the program before the season. If a coach has established a last day to join the wrestling team, then its up the coach.

# of Kids:

But realistically if you have a full room of kids, maybe even 2 - 3 kids deep at each weight (i know its crazy but some teams do have full Varsity, JV and Freshman programs), then I tell him to come back next year. Maybe tell him he can be the Team Equipment Manager or help with stats, to get a feel for the sport and then if he shows initiative and the coach feels so inclined let him practice with the team.

But hey if theres no rules on the timing of coming out and your open at the kids weight let him join the team. But if your not open at that weight and you've wrestled 75-85% of your competition, I would have to be loyal to my boy thats been there all year.

Oops, just noticed it said for Coaches only, Im not a Coach, just bored at work. But if I were a Coach, see above!

I would take a freshman anytime of the year, the most important thing is mat time and gaining love for the sport. Now if he was on the team last year thats a differents story.

I would agree each situation is different. I know that if a HWT had come to me two weeks ago and asked to join the team I would've taken him in a second since we don't have one.

Wrestling is a unique sport because for the daily physical toll and sacrifice . What other sport in high school uses a scale,is true one on one competition, and uses complete body condition. There are no luke warm wrestlers, to get a wrestler to wrestle for 4 years the have to have a love for the sport. In most schools, there isnt love for the sport and there athletes like basketball, football or even soccer players. Programs need to take freshmen as soon as they get the courage to walk on the mat no matter what time of the year. PS my practices are more intense at the end of the year than the beginning. ie less instruction more drill , live drill , situation wrestling, and more wrestling type condition.

I run into this a lot. I allow them to come out if there is no one in the weight class they currently weigh, transfer, cut from basketball team(this happened to me last year and kid turned out

To be very good) discipline issues or recovering from a football injury.

I do not allow them to come out if they are lazy and waited to come out

I would assume that you run into a transfer situation quite often. Are they most likely in the offseason?

A coach should have a cut off. So that the kid that put in the time, sweat and tears dont get screwed. A coach with any loyalty to his team wouldnt have this problem.

I'll let him come out, but make him wrestle JV. He's a freshman. I get to train him for the next 3 years.

If the kid just moved in for the Spring semester you let him on the team and compete for a varsity spot. However if he comes out in like the 3rd or 4th week of January you let him on the team but just to practice. The following year he can compete for a spot like everyone else. If he comes out late you can't really focus on his development so to speak. That time is for the development of the wrestlers who are going to compete at the qualifiers for the state tournament.

I had a sophmore who decided to change his life and came out the second week in Dec, because he wanted dsome discipline in life. He was a super athlete. He actually learned a couple of moves and won a varsity tournament 3 weeks later. That season , he placed 3rd in the state tournament and won it the following 2 years and actually was MOW his senior year. I wasnt his coach then but if we didnt take this kid back then because he didnt come out by a "certain time" this kid might not have graduated high school. Thats the beauty of sport especially ours. Take a kid in at any point of the season, see where he fits, see what kind of commitment he has, maybe get him ready for spring and summer wrestling. Im sure there will be some bumps in the road but if the kid isnt a fool, then Im sure it will be a positive