Ask Rob Sherrill: Week 2 Questions

[admin]

We have a new weekly feature here on Illinois Matmen called "Ask Rob Sherrill" where you the wrestling community can ask long-time wrestling journalist and ranking guru Rob Sherrill anything related to Illinois high school wrestling across all three classes.

The questions can cover a team, wrestler, hot topic, rankings, or anything else that comes to mind as long as it relates to high school wrestling.

To participate, simply reply to this thread with your question(s) and Rob will answer the best five questions in a home page article that will run on Thursday.

So, let's hear some questions.

NOTE: If you asked a question last week and it wasn't answered, feel free to post it again this week.

[Truth is Out There]

Please see my questions from last week. I was hopeful that any or all of them could be addressed. I was disappointed when they weren't but I'm still hopeful that I could gain your insight on them this week. Thanks either way.

Edited to add the questions:

Everyone is somewhat aware of all the loopholes being exploited and the outright cheating (as per the rules) that is going on in this sport -- even moreso than some other sports (i.e. "red-shirts", residency, recruiting, illegal perks (including tuition), hydration/body fat). They mostly turn a blind eye to it and keep a tight lip. It's typically regarded primarily as a "victimless crime" (which I don't agree with) but that's the rationale it seems for more people NOT being more upstanding about the rules being skirted/broken --including in many instances, a large segment of our prominent leaders. Does this damage the sport? Does this damage our athletes? I would like your opinion and think it might help.

Second question: why can't a state with as much of a commitment to wrestling as Illinois find a way to implement a USAW training center which is open to ALL Illinois USAW wrestlers? See Minnesota for a direct comparison. Does this have an effect on development? Our depth seems to far surpass that of MN but their top-end talent seems to achieve far better success than we do post HS.

Third: Is the arrow for our sport overall pointed up or down? ...and please let me clarify: the way we define our sport sometimes varies who you speak to. Some may say that our Olympic-level, world-class development recently took a huge step forward but I am mainly targeting my question to the folkstyle segment comprised by HS/NCAA. How important is off-season wrestling in the International styles for the development/recruitment-to-college of a folkstyle wrestler?

Last but not least: If all the kids on the podium (or 99%) are cutting 20+ lbs. to be at their weight class for participation, wouldn't something like matside weigh-ins (which ensures you're within your weight class limit when you step onto the mat) just have the same kids who were cutting the 20+ lbs. still wrestling against each other but just in higher weight classes AND leave those kids who TRULY weigh 106 lbs. only competing against similar-sized opponents? Could this work and wouldn't it be good for the sport?

[checox]

rob, just curious if you wrestled and if you did could you shed some light on your career? thanks buddy!!!

[barzagar]

Give us some individual matchups on the horizon that you are looking forward to, and why.

[mfvedad19]

I noticed there was not very many heavier weights having a lot of honorable mentions up there, but the lighter weights already have over ten HMs to them. Is the drop off of talent in the heavier weights that great? Or do you not scout them as hard? I feel like their are more deserving big guys of HMs than are given.

[tall surprise]

I am interested in becoming an official. What are the steps I need to take to get started? And how long would the process take?

[outofshape]

I am wondering what are the top 5 up and coming coaches and teams in any of the three classes...

[Flashy]

Originally Posted by tall surprise

I am interested in becoming an official. What are the steps I need to take to get started? And how long would the process take?

Go to ihsa.org and they'll have all the answers you need for this one...

[petersenkid2]

Rob - A few questions:
1) How do you decide where to draw the line at how many HM's are listed for a particular weight class? Some weight classes list zero or 1, and some list more than 10.
2) How do you decide what weight class to rank a wrestler, especially when he is competing in more than one weight class from week to week, or not competing at all at the moment? Do you know what weight people certified at?
3) Do you look at Trackwrestling.com or other websites to get a look at past performances, and do offseason performances (USAW Nationals, Super 32, etc..) impact your IHSA rankings?