Please...let's think before acting

[Rob Sherrill]

The talk of expanding from two to three classes seems to be gaining momentum, on the Illinois Matmen message boards and elsewhere, faster than a speeding locomotive.

In the past week, about 70 per cent of Illinois High School Association (IHSA) member school representatives responding to an IHSA survey voted in favor of expanding wrestling from two to three classes, which would appear to provide some official endorsement of the idea.

But let’s remember that only 414 schools – about 54 per cent of the IHSA’s overall membership of 765 – responded to the survey to begin with. That puts the percentage of schools from the total membership that have actually endorsed the idea at just about 18 per cent. Doesn't look like such an overwhelming mandate now, does it?

I’ve made a couple of posts in the past week on this issue. The more I look at the way three classes would be constructed under the format the IHSA has set forth, the more I’m opposed to the idea.

Before we consider such a drastic revision to our wrestling way of life – and it would be as drastic as it gets – we need to ask ourselves three questions: First, is the two-class wrestling system in Illinois broken to begin with? If so, how? And if so, is a third class the solution?

I don’t think the two-class system is broken. In fact, I think it’s just about perfect – the best setup that any state in the nation has.

The IHSA already has laid out a blueprint for a three-class system. It would put the bottom half of the membership, in terms of “official” enrollment, in Class A, with the next quarter in Class AA and the top quarter in Class AAA.

That would leave us with between 160 and 165 schools in each of the top two classes, AAA and AA, with about 90 schools in Class A.

So what we’ve essentially done is split the current Class AA in half. The Class A ceiling would drop from its current 724 to 603, leaving Byron as the largest Class A school under the new format.

And make no mistake…this is the format we’d be stuck with. No exceptions. The IHSA is a one-size-fits-all organization when it comes to adminstering sports. We think we’re different, but the IHSA doesn’t share that view. Wrestling is just one of the 30-odd sports over which the association has oversight. I know. I’ve been on the front lines helping to fight some of those battles on behalf of wrestling in the past.

Since the number of schools isn’t increasing significantly, the IHSA could simply dictate, instead of the current 24-man bracket for Class AA, two 12-man brackets for Classes AAA and AA. The travel and scheduling hassles this would create would be devastating, particularly for the downstate Class AAA schools.

Two 12-man brackets also would be likely because, from a wrestling standpoint, the Assembly Hall is at capacity. Any additional wrestling – meaning more than 36 wrestlers at a weight qualifying for the state tournament – would require a three-day state tournament. Good luck selling that to your friendly neighborhood administrator…or to the University of Illinois.

No additional wrestlers…but up to 84 additional medals, which would increase by perhaps one-third the length of the finals for awards presentation. That’s why Michigan’s state finals are more than four hours long…wrestling and awards presentation for wrestlers in four classes.

All this likely won’t solve the question we should be asking: How do we increase interest in high school wrestling in Illinois?

The answer, folks, is to bring more schools into the sport. And three classes…not these three classes, at least...won’t do it.

Here’s why.

Class AAA includes a total of 191 schools. Of those that are not all-girls schools, only six don’t already have wrestling programs. Of those six, four are in the Chicago Public League and a fifth is a Chicago charter school. The other: Benet Academy, located in Lisle.

Of the 191 Class AA schools that are not all-girls schools, only 21 don’t already have wrestling programs – and 11 of those are Chicago charter or specialty schools that are unlikely program candidates, with another two in the Chicago Public League.

That means that, in terms of new programs, Classes AAA and AA are virtually tapped out. The fans of programs in those classes already are attending the state meet in the same numbers they’ll be attending this year, five years from now, or 20 years from now.

The growth potential, folks, is at the other end of the spectrum.

There are 218 high schools in Illinois with enrollments of 300 or less. Only 14 – less than 10 per cent – host wrestling programs. Another 18 are secondary schools to co-op programs that bring the combined enrollment of the host schools, in most cases, to 500 or more.

Specifically:

300 or less – 218 total schools, 32 involved in wrestling
301-400 – 53 schools, 18 involved in wrestling
401-500 – 47 schools, 21 involved in wrestling
501-600 – 53 schools, 35 involved in wrestling
601-724 – 47 schools, 29 involved in wrestling

Go to any state tournament in any sport. It’s the small schools that shut down the town and bring the fans to the games.

Those are the fans we need to bring to our sport. Will a Class A that’s essentially been ignored by the new format - reduced from a limit of a little over 700 to a little over 600 - accomplish that?

Not going to happen.

The 35,000 folks who have come to the Assembly Hall every year since the institution of the two-class system are going to come whether we have one class, two classes, three classes or 10. Where’s the new blood going to come from? How do we get those thousands of potential new fans interested and involved – first in their own communities, then at a state level?

I don’t know the answer. But it took us 34 years to get to where we stand now. We can certainly afford to take a step back and consider some real solutions…instead of engaging in a knee-jerk reaction that could ruin the nation’s best state tournament.

I hope that’s how we proceed.

[Paul89]

1. it's time for those administrators who did not respond to the survey to let their voice be heard - one way or another - the percentages don't support the change, but if schools are unwilling to take the time to get involved then they brought this one by their inaction.

2. never once did i believe the move to 3 classes was about growing the sport and increasing participation. that would be nice, but anyone could see that this new plan wasn't about that.

3. three classes work in some states - that's fine for them. the 2 class system works fine in Illinois. just leave it alone.
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[agdfan]

Mr. Sherrill,

As always, I respect your vast knowledge of our sport and truly value your opinion. While I am happy with the 2 class system, the argument on these boards seems to resort back to diluted competition and a "real" state champion more often than not and I am absolutely not in favor of a 1 class system as described by many. I appreciate your acknowledgment of the problems facing small school wrestling programs. It is not "medals for everyone" (as some have suggested) that we strive for, but simply the survival of these programs. The conference Aledo is in does not even acknowledge wrestling as a sport as Aledo is the only conference school that offers it. We are not alone in this and although the number of programs in Class AA is at an all time high, they are at an all time low in the Class A schools, with more very small schools dropping their programs every year. The solution? I don't have one either, and quite frankly, IHSA won't care what we, the wrestling community, have to say or recommend. The small school programs will continue to struggle until eventually they dissolve and the 1 class supporters will prevail as there won't be enough wrestling programs to support 2 classes. Good in the long run for Illinois wrestling? I don't think so.
Sincerely,
Gail Rush

[wrestle42]

Each year before the wrestling season starts we know how many schools we will have wrestling. Take that number and devide it in half. 50/50 split by number of students attending school. 2 class system and a 50/50 split. 2008 Series: Total @ 407, Class A @ 113, Class AA 294. Make it 203 in class A and 204 in class AA.

[3D'S]

Originally Posted by wrestle42

Each year before the wrestling season starts we know how many schools we will have wrestling. Take that number and devide it in half. 50/50 split by number of students attending school. 2 class system and a 50/50 split. 2008 Series: Total @ 407, Class A @ 113, Class AA 294. Make it 203 in class A and 204 in class AA.

I have always though the same as you 42. Why can't it be an even amount of schools for a two class sytem?

Rob said that 414 schools responded to the IHSA survey. If there are only 407 schools that have a wrestling program (which 42 mentioned), maybe the schools that don't have wrestling chose not to respond at all because it "does not apply". So it may be possible that it is a 70% endorsemnet of the 3 class system by the schools that matter. Therefore I dont think that Rob can assume that only 18% endorse the idea.

[Jaguar]

In spite of all my arguments in favor of a three class system, I do not support the system that is being proposed by the IHSA. Although I could live with splitting the current Class AA in half, none of it makes sense to me if the number of wrestlers who qualify for state remains the same, even with the increase in classes. That plan counters the benefits I see that a three class system might provide. It ultimately is not about the number of medals that are given out in my opinion; it is about the exposure of more wrestlers, parents and fans to the post season festivities and about the opportunity for more of Illinois' talent to have an opportunity to shine. That will not happen with the proposed plan. However, I do see Gail's point about the smallest class of schools. Gail, do you think that lowering the threshold for the smallest class would spur on the creation of new programs in that class?

[Rob Sherrill]

I've read the responses here. To date, I have yet to see a reason in favor of three classes that makes sense. Read the rationalizations. "Yeah, it wouldn't help Class A, but..." People seem to think Class AA needs to be fixed. I don't think that's the case at all. Class AA already has all the gold. It can survive just fine on its own. But all I seem to be reading here is that some people want to make the rich richer.

What exactly is the "problem" crying to be "fixed" by a third class? Not enough state placewinners? Not enough interest? The Class AA fan base is, and always will be, the size it is now. That is, until we someday have a Lincoln-Way and Plainfield school to match every direction on the compass, which adds only a handful more schools at the top.

I've been to state tournaments in close to a dozen states. Please believe me when I tell you we don't know how good we have it now. I truly believe Class AA in Illinois is the elite state tournament class in the United States, and that that's something to take pride in and to enjoy. Let's not kill the goose that lays high school wrestling's golden eggs in our state.

[Nilly]

Maybe I didn't read everything the right way. On the IHSA website, it says Dual Team State competition. Is it possible the IHSA is going to stick with 2 classes for individual and a third class for team competition?
Just a thought.

I feel the strongest part of Mr. Sherrill's argument is the small schools need to step it up accross our state. I've been to many out of state tournaments and have found the small schools in Wisconsin and Iowa are what make those states great. I agree Illinois is lagging behind when it comes to the small schools not having wrestling. We need to somehow get programs up and running in many of our small non-participating towns.

I disagree that there needs to be a 50/50 split. That is not right at all. If you are going to 50/50 split, then are you going to add Class A qualifiers? One would think you would have to. In no way am I an expert, but how can a school like Morrison or Riverdale compete with a school that has 1200 students? It doesn't appear to be equitable to do a 50/50 split. The small school programs would get destroyed and further the problem of keeping small school wrestling programs alive and successful.

[AA Coach]

The problem is loss of programs because they can no longer compete with the giant Juggernaut Catholic Schools. The small AA public schools are hard pressed to get a qualifier let alone a state placer. The other sports... football, etc at their schools are thriving under the new IHSA class split. Teams are making the playoffs who never had before each year. if you are a high school athlete attending one of these schools does wresling look life a good option. It is hard enough to wrestle... then add the lowering chances of experiencing success. Wrestling has to offer something for the average kid or our sport will dry up.

[Paul89]

Originally Posted by AA Coach

The problem is loss of programs because they can no longer compete with the giant Juggernaut Catholic Schools. The small AA public schools are hard pressed to get a qualifier let alone a state placer. The other sports... football, etc at their schools are thriving under the new IHSA class split. Teams are making the playoffs who never had before each year. if you are a high school athlete attending one of these schools does wresling look life a good option. It is hard enough to wrestle... then add the lowering chances of experiencing success. Wrestling has to offer something for the average kid or our sport will dry up.

Coach,

You can't lay this all at the feet of the "juggernaut catholic schools" - and I suppose you weren't, but some small AA public schools can't past the west auroras, glenbard norths, sandburgs, OPRFs, Grants, etal. I am aware of the "inequities" between catholic and public schools, but that's just way too convenient and excuse.

take a look at the successful schools (public and private) and see the feeder programs ... not just wrestling, but football, basketball, baseball ... is the coaching/athlete develoment as good as it could be to help grow the program? The IHSA isn't goint to do anything to help schools grow their programs.

for the record, I support a more equitable split between A and AA that would give some of the smaller AA public school kids (and even some of the smaller catholic school kids) a shot at qualifying and placing.
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