JIM PETERS: Coaches association to hold team wrestling tournament

Feeling down about the end of the team state tournament, my wrestling friend?

No need to be so glum, chum.

The Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association has come up with a plan that may feed your need. Beginning next season, the IHSWCA will coordinate a dual meet tournament that will bring together 24 top teams, divided by enrollment into three classes of eight.

"I'm a big believer in one class, but any time you can get the best teams in the state together and compete, it's a good thing," Merrillville coach David Maldonado said. "Will it be a true state champion? Not technically, but it'll be a good gauge of where you're at. It can only help as far as wrestling in general."

A detailed scoring system that awards points for postseason performance will determine a team's standing for the following year. If you want specifics on sectional multipliers and wild cards, go to the message board link for the subject on the Indiana Mat web site. It was an impressive endeavor from a knowledgeable group of folks dedicated to the best interests of their sport.

"I haven't taken the time to digest it to see how it affects us, but it seems like a nice format," Crown Point coach Scott Vlink said.

Vlink, however, stopped short of endorsing the event, which will be the first of its kind not under the Indiana High School Athletic Association's umbrella. He doesn't advocate the tournament being held around the Christmas break, as is tentatively planned.

"I feel very strongly that kids should have a normal Christmas, being able to celebrate like any other person who chooses to celebrate," Vlink said.

Nor does he care for the idea of the participating teams getting an IHSAA waiver for the additional competition.

"I don't favor a freebie," Vlink said. "You give 24 teams special status, I don't think that's fair to the other 360. That could cause hard feelings."

No host site/sites have been indicated, but travel expenses during tight financial times for schools could also be a factor.

Having powerhouse C.P. in the same sectional is the reason Hanover Central coach Nick Petrov didn't mind seeing the team tournament discontinued by the IHSAA.

"I felt we competed well with the big schools, but it was really a moot point to us," Petrov said. "It was all big schools except when you got away from populated areas. If we'd have had a class tournament the last eight years, I can't tell you we would've won, but we would've been a player every time."

Like Vlink, Petrov sees a challenge in fitting the tourney in over the Christmas holiday. He'd prefer it to be after individual state, assuring the interest of kids whose individual seasons have ended.

Chosen schools are not obligated to participate, though Petrov believes Hanover probably would. I suspect most, if not all, would do so as well.

"People can say it's not really a state championship," he said. "But I'm sure if we won something like that, we'd be proud of the accomplishment."

This column solely represents the writer's opinion. Reach him at jim.peters@nwi.com.