I get the impression that most of you out there are interested in Nebraska high school wrestling because you have a kid currently participating or because you coach or you referee. I’m curious to know how many of you follow Nebraska wrestling just for the love of the sport.

A lot of people criticize me and don’t understand why I would waste my time going to a wrestling meet when I don’t have a kid participating anymore. Sometimes I ask myself that question. I go to high school football games as well, however usually by myself because nobody else wants to go.

I think there would be more interest by the public if tournaments were better organized for the benefit of the fan. By that I mean, better information, better advertising, and sticking to tournament schedules. The schedule for finals should always be posted ahead of time and stuck to because nobody wants to kill an entire Saturday.

I rather suspect that most of the spectators are just parents or other family members supporting their kids. That’s unfortunate because I think it could be so much more.

Are there really any true fans out there? Please speak up? I think it would be great to hear from some of you who never post. It seems like most of the people who speak on this forum have a kid who is currently wrestling.

I'm only here to moderate Rocker!!!!!!

I love the sport. I had a son graduate last year, but still have attended several tournaments this year and won't miss Conference, Districts and State. Then again, my son is only 1 year out of school, so maybe it's different for me now and you might think I'll slowly fade away. I have a 7th grader that loves the sport too. In 2 more years, he'll be wrestling HS level, so I'll be back for at least 4 more years.

Putting on my "marketing hat": ALL day tournaments are a killer for the spectator. I also don't believe I've ever seen a tournament (other than State) start on time. We've got to do a better job of managing and sticking to schedules.

I also believe most people don't understand wrestling. I wonder if some type of education would help. Maybe a guide to referee signals, definition of terms, quick overview of rules/basics in the front of a tournament program. An explanation of team scores and overtime rules. In all of my years, I think I saw this once.

Palmer's Invite bracket/packet used to have some great stuff in it. Kudo's Coach Glause.

I'm a true fan

Poker legend Doyle Brunson once said, "If you can't come in through the front door, find a window." My window was through the media, and I am arguably the only member (if not only, definitely one of the vast minority) of the working press in the state of Nebraska who came to enjoy the sport through my work covering it.

I was blessed to have a number of coaches explain the sport's rules, moves, strategy and situations to me. People like John McGary at Tri County, Jeff Kupfer at Papillion-LaVista, John Murtaugh at Wayne (now in Harlan, Iowa), Dale Bonge at Albion, Paul Sok in Winside, Randy Kliment in Creighton, Tom McCann at Kearney, Doug Denson at Millard South and so many more have been wonderful sources of information that have helped me understand the sport coming from a non-wrestling perspective.

I started NWI a decade ago this year (wow...time flies) because of a passion that I held (and still hold) for the sport and saw a need for more (and better) coverage of the sport than the major media in this state was giving at the time (and, sadly, hasn't improve much on in the past 10 years). I had to shut NWI down a few years ago for personal reasons, but my interest in the sport hasn't diminished one iota. I still love going to tournaments, get the opportunity to cover them for my newspaper (and the Norfolk Daily News) and enjoy doing nothing but talking about the kids' results for three days for five radio stations across the state.

Through this window, I've had the opportunity to talk with thousands of people and had the chance to experience so many awesome things, all because of the people who make this sport so special. I don't know if I could ever try to do something like we did with NWI again (although the thought crosses my mind frequently, particularly when I'm on the road), but I know that I have gained so much, personally as well as professionally, because of the people who are involved in this sport that I doubt I could have ever experienced anywhere else.

I mean...after all that AND going to not one, but TWO Sammy Hagar concerts with Red Rocker...how can you possibly top that??? (Note to Rocker: ever wonder what became of the "bartender" at the Sioux City show??? LOL)

Patriot152, I go to high school wrestling meets because my son (a senior) wrestles. I have a seven year old that wrestles, so after this year I will probably be off the high school radar screen for a while. Wrestling meets always start late and run long. The wrestling when it occurs, is great, the down time is a killer.
NWI, I can't believe there is a Sammy Hagar fan here. I used to work in a body shop in Fontana, California (Hagars home town). Saw him twice in San Bernardino during his solo years. A great performer, I love "Red". "Rock Candy" was not bad either, don't remember the name of that early band.

Montrose

IMO Sammy Hagar stinks- he single handedly ruined Van Halen

A Pet Peeve: The tournament is already behind and they announce "we're going to take a break". Argh!

LCMatGurl: You are a fan. No doubt.

I graduated 11 years ago and have 2 little boys that I hope will someday take the interest. I help out with the home tournament every year and go to all our home meets. Love the sport.

LCMatgurl has been involved on here for quite some time, haven't seen her much yet this year til now.

I have a hunch that there are a bunch of people that follow that aren't directly involved. I know I did until getting involved this season.

Wrestling > Basketball to the 100000000000000000 power.

As the screen name implies I was a coach and now sit in the stands to watch my sons wrestle. So I do still have a direct involvment and I still coach middle school. I have coached many other sports as well (small town teacher). I do enjoy football, but probably would not go to a game unless I have a direct interest in someone playing. However wrestling is the one sport where I could walk into the gym, sit down, watch it all day and not knowing a single soul and still enjoy it. As far as spectator I think the dual tournaments have helped with that because you can watch your team (again some direct interest) and not have to wait 30-45 minutes just to have 2 or 3 wrestlers from your team then wrestle at the same time. Dual tournies don't prepare wrestlers very well for districts and state though.

quote:

Originally posted by rasslin'dad:
IMO Sammy Hagar stinks- he single handedly ruined Van Halen

Rasslin'dad, to the contrary. Sammy Hagar made Van Halen relevent for another ten years.

I started watching wrestling when I was a junior in High School and started dating a wrestler. Not just an ordinary wrestler but a really great, rated 1st in the State, wrestler. That is all it took for me, I was hooked. Became a mat maid for the wrestling team, learned all that scorekeeping stuff that goes along with keeping stats. From the seeding meetings, which were a real hoot, to writing the Brackets, me and my fellow mat maids did it all. We raised money to be able to go to State, and I watched my boyfriend get 3rd, it was a blast. I followed my wrestler to college, where he just missed going to nationals by one place. We got married and had our 3 boys. 2 of them we had close together, the last one 8 years later. The older boys, as we call them, started wrestling at 8 and 10. The youngest was drug to all the tournaments from the time he was born. When the youngest was 4 he lined himself up against the bleechers to be paired up to wrestle. I said, you don't want to wrestle already do you? I thought he was too young. He said yep, I want to wrestle now, and so he did. He was the kind of wrestler that the coaches all wanted to coach. He didn't like to lose, and so he didn't lose very much.

The older boys never did make it to State. Not for lack of trying but a change to Class B for one year, and shoulder surgery, it just didn't turn out. We didn't go to Lincoln, because our boys didn't qualify. But State finals Saturday, I would make my plans to watch PBS. I was so excited when someone from out West would win, especially Mitchell.

After thousands of miles and hundreds of matches, countless "vacations", (which you really can't call vacations) no one likes to diet and work their butt off on a vacation, High School was finally here for the youngest one. First match his freshman year he pinned the defending State Champion, we knew all that hard work was starting to pay off. 4 District Championships, a 4th, 5th, and 2 State Championships and a Team State Championship later, the picture was complete.

I am still going to wrestling matches, and will support all these kids that grew up wrestling with mine. I really don't think anyone that truly loves wrestling will ever quit supporting their local wrestlers. Our yougest is now wrestling in college, and we hope he is as successful at this next level. Now a new generation has begun, and we have 2 little grandsons that will one day wrestle, I hope..... Can't wait to sit on some more hard bleechers and cheer on our wrestlers.

Debo,

Great story! I have always been an urban guy; from Portland, Los Angeles and of course now Omaha. I love hearing about the enthusiasm that exists in the smaller towns of western Nebraska and elsewhere. One reason I continue going to the state tournament each year is because of the excitment you guys (small town folks) bring to the Quest each year. Go Mitchell!

My interest in Huskermat started waaaaaay back when it was on Network 54. Man you want to talk about some interesting conversations! Here’s a link if you want to go to the “Wayback” machine and have a look!

My interest started as a coach then continued to grow as Huskermat grew and HB asked me to be a Moderator here. I got out of the coaching ranks 2 years ago but still love the sport and really enjoy the discussions and friends I have made here over the last 8 years (hard to believe it’s been that long)! Have no plans for changing anything as I truly love the sport and the life lessons it taught me and I hope I passed on to those wrestlers I came into contact with along with all the dads, moms and other supporters over the years here at Huskermat.

Didn’t want to hijack the thread but also wanted to toss in my 2 cents worth on the Sammy discussion! My responses in red (what other color would you expect!)

quote:

Originally posted by TK:
I'm only here to moderate Rocker!!!!!!

The good Lord knows I need all the moderation I can get!!!

quote:

Originally posted by NWI:
I mean...after all that AND going to not one, but TWO Sammy Hagar concerts with Red Rocker...how can you possibly top that??? (Note to Rocker: ever wonder what became of the "bartender" at the Sioux City show??? LOL)

I think the “bartender” is still trying to figure out what happened! How can you top it? Sheesh, how about another couple shows???

quote:

Originally posted by MaxCat:
NWI, I can't believe there is a Sammy Hagar fan here. I used to work in a body shop in Fontana, California (Hagars home town). Saw him twice in San Bernardino during his solo years. A great performer, I love "Red". "Rock Candy" was not bad either, don't remember the name of that early band.

Well what can I say here? Obviously somebody new to the board! There are a lot more than just NWI and I as far as Sammy Hagar fans here! We introduced “hawk” to Sammy at Stir Cove a few years ago and he’s been hooked since! Even sent pictures from Cabo Wabo Cantina in Mexico!

quote:

Originally posted by MaxCat:

quote:

Originally posted by rasslin'dad:
IMO Sammy Hagar stinks- he single handedly ruined Van Halen

Rasslin'dad, to the contrary. Sammy Hagar made Van Halen relevent for another ten years.

Gotta agree with MaxCat on this one!

I wrestled in high school, never was any good, but I still wrestled. Fast forward 20 years, my only son brings home a flyer for Westside Wrestling club. He tried basketball the year before but I could see that it just didn't interest him. So I told him that we'd give it a try, countless hours at practices and tournaments. Watching him improve every year. Some of the early matches were painful to watch!! After probably 8 or 9 years(I've lost track of when he started), this is his last year of wrestling. I've made MANY good friends sitting in wrestling clubs watching practice and then on the edge of the mats rooting him on, never was much good at sitting in the bleachers!
But he broke his hand a couple of weeks ago and brought an end to his wrestling season. Never made it to state, made it to the heartbreak rounds in Districts B-2 the last 2 years. But I always thought of his teammates as my boys also. Everyone of them is a good kid and I just loved watching them all succeed and grow into good young men.
I'll still go to districts to watch, to many good matches going on to NOT go. Next year I'll catch a few tournaments when I got some free time, 9 years worth of "honey-do's" will keep me busy.

At High Plains we look at it as being a part of a family. You cheer with every wrestler and you cry with every wrestler. Once you become part of that family you are in it for life. I think this is the way to make a program grow and gain support. Nobody in it for themselves but a whole group striving for the same goals. I've cried more tears for other kids than I have for my own. Its in your blood people, plain and simple. Once a wrestling fan always a wrestling fan, oops I think I said that before in another thread.

Rocker,

Just wasted 10-15 minutes at work looking at the "wayback" stuff...ahhhh, memories. Had a good laugh over one of the threads, which came back to me unexpectedly this season...will have to fill you in on that in Omaha.

I'd like to think that my screenname is a sufficient answer for this question.

I've been involved with wrestling since birth. Wrestled in HS, coached and officiated during college. Took some time off for grad school and now am back in the Good Life. I was just glad I could satisfy my addiction through Huskermat while I was out of state!