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Post by Team ND on Jul 24, 2002 12:56:00 GMT -5
There was a lot of talk about who "didn't" compete in junior nationals this year including four former all-americans, but let's give credit to all that did including the new All-Americans we have in Greco this year. North Dakota wrestling seems to be a rebound thanks to some dedicated wrestlers and coaches.
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Post by Blair Kelley on Jul 25, 2002 2:11:23 GMT -5
I agree that we need to congratulate the All-Americans that we had this year. Great job, we appreciate your hard work and dedication and congratulations as to reaching your All-American status. The topic that we as coaches are concerned is that we have potential and former all-americans staying home. Why??? Are they afraid that they are going to get beat? That is part of wrestling. Are they afraid that they won't win a match? That is part of the learning process. I look at Travis Lang. He didn't all-american for two years in a row but he kept coming back and finally placed after two years of hard work. That is what it takes. We as a state can't have kids come to nationals for one style and leave because they don't do well in another. That to me is being a coward. If kids are going to come to camp and commit to wrestling both styles, they should. If the tournament was in Missouri, like it used to be, they couldn't leave and go home. Our state had been spoiled and our wrestlers have taken advantage of the fact that they feel they can leave because they do badly in one style. This is about experience and making yourself better, not always being a national champ. So sometimes the experience is better than the final result. The chance you are going to take is going to be better than not wrestling at all. We have had a very successful tournament and hope for even better in the future. But, if you are going to commit to something (anyone from Team ND) please stick to your guns and show people in the state what you are made of instead of going home early.
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Post by Whizzer on Jul 25, 2002 16:58:31 GMT -5
I appreciate the efforts and participation of each and every coach and wrestler that is representing the State of North Dakota in Fargo for National Cadets and Juniors. In the cases of Piper, Sabot and Silbernagel I would like to think that most people would not consider these kids to be cowards because they are not wrestling. I have no idea why Piper and Sabot are not in the tournament but I can gurantee you it isn't because either of them are afraid of compettition. To suggest such a thing is just plain silly. In Silbernagel's case with the injuries he has incurred and the amount of healing his body has gone through from the wrestling and non-wrestling injuries I'll leave it to him to explain to me, and I will ask him, why he didn't compete. I know this, you do not motivate or empower anybody to do anything in the sport of wrestling by calling them cowards and inferring that they are afraid. Elliot's and Eric's record speaks for itself. I would line both of them up to take on anyone in the nation at anytime. Before you try to "call them out" by questioning their dedication to the sport or by challenging them on the level of their courage why don't you ask them whats up. You might find you owe them both an apology!
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Post by Whizzer on Jul 25, 2002 18:00:26 GMT -5
I want to make reference to Joey Neigum as the 4th All-American that is not wrestling in Fargo this weekend. I could not remember who the fourth one was in my last post and I do not want anyone to think that he is a "coward". Joey Neigum wrestled Travis Lang in 7 folkstyle matches this past year. He never went up or down to avoid Lang but met him face up every time and battled his rear end off. This alone shows that Joey is not a coward. His motives for wrestling or not do not deserve to be questioned in such a manner.
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Post by Blair Kelley on Jul 25, 2002 22:48:05 GMT -5
Dear whizzer,
If you would have read my entry correctly I didn't call any of the four all-americans who stayed home cowards. Maybe you should pay attention a little closer. I am calling the people who commit to wrestling both styles and then go home because they don't feel like wrestling the other style cowards. Maybe this is a strong word to use but I don't think you are on the coaching end of this sad occurrence. We have enough trouble filling our weight classes the way it is. If we have guys leaving that sends a message to our younger wrestlers that it is ok to bail out on your team. I don't feel I owe anyone an apology, the guys that left early owe their team and coaches an apology for making a commitment and backing out.
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Post by Whizzer on Jul 26, 2002 13:47:16 GMT -5
Blair,
Perhaps it is you who should read your post and decipher what it meant and who it was in reference to. Since when do coaches publically (the internet is a public forum) air out problems with kids. Your original post could have referred to the 4 All-Americans who stayed home (as I read it) but certainly refers to the kids, of whom I am aware, that are not wrestling in the freestyle portion of the tournament. At least 2 of those kids are underclassmen and will be for some years to come. Where do you think those kids and their parents stand with you now that you have called them cowards. In the case of one of those parents who I spoke with yesterday whose son your post certainly was in reference to, I can tell you that you, and any others who may have put you up to posting that these kids are cowards, have some bridges that you need to start mending now! Put it another way, Blair, even if it was true that the kids who didn't wrestle or who left the tournament were afraid of something, isn't it your job as a coach to "coach and teach" these kids through whatever obstacles they might face. I am sure that is what their parents are trusting you to do. When you and the rest of the Team ND Staff get together and discuss why former All-Americans are not wrestling and why quality kids are leaving the tournament early my first suggestion would be to keep "family matters" inside the family and not on the internet.
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Post by WOW on Jul 26, 2002 18:00:21 GMT -5
you must be pretty thick headed to sit and rip on blair. his first post may get you confused and he straightened it out in the second but i was there and saw him this weekend and the other wrestlers workin there asses off. Lang and Levi just left. bot h potential placers and left there team hanging. like blair said we need more than we have and with people just heading out i can see why he is pissed off. I would also like to say Good job to the ones who did stay and worked hard even though they had former placers and total studs to wrestle, whizzer did you see melmer leave last year because he had to wrestler Harry Lester NO he stayed just like these guys should have.
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Post by Shawn Voigt on Jul 27, 2002 1:18:42 GMT -5
I don't know if this will come out right but here it goes. I think I understand where Blair is coming from, with all the time and effort put forth as a coach you want to put the best team possible on the mat. O'ya we are from North Dakota so there isn't large number of wrestlers contending for the team. They are doing the best with the kids that want to wrestle. As a coach you want to win as much as the kids do, so when your best kids go home or don't even give it a shot for some reason or another it gets frustating. Here are a few questions
Why doesn't Team North Dakota stay together at Nationals?
Is there any fund raising done to help send our kids to nationals?
How much recruiting does the coaching staff do for the national team?
How about a freestlye / Greco clinic at the High School state tourny to get more kids interested?
I am in the middle of trying to build our freestyle club and it is not an easy task. There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. I wish the national coaching staff the best of luck.
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Post by Justin_DeCoteau on Jul 27, 2002 12:27:25 GMT -5
In response to the mentioned above........I do, agree with Blair on some of the issues that he has stated, in saying that if kids are going to make comittments they should stick by them, unless some undetermined circumstances should arise. You have to remember, these kids are representing Team North Dakota, but I can also understand the so-called "Burnout." I was not there and did not witness what went on, but put the situation like this, if these kids were at the state wrestling tournament and lost a match, before making it to the finals, would they just get up and leave? Would their coach let them just go home without a reasonable explanation? I really don't know, and like I said, I really don't know what happened in Fargo. To answer some of your questions Shawn.....due to the number of wrestlers that we have in our state there is no recruiting going on, they welcome all who want to wrestle and better themselves...the fund raising issue has been talked about and I believe is in motion, but if you have any concerns regarding this issue, maybe you should attend a state meeting or contact our state director, Gene Krebs....One of the reasons Team North Dakota doesn't stay together at nationals is that the parents most likely have to pay for the rooms also, among the other expenses that they are paying for, therefor most kids stay either with their parents or relatives in Fargo....About the clinic at the state tournament, I am not really sure where you would find time to have this clinic, most teams would rather have their wrestlers relax and get their minds ready for the next round of wrestling and things like that, but hey, that is just my opinion!
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Post by Whizzer on Jul 27, 2002 18:14:28 GMT -5
My point, and my only point, is that a coach should not be calling kids out on the carpet in a public forum. I have known Blair for years and I am not questioning his disapointment over the kids who left. I am not questioning that Blair is a good coach. I am not questioning Blair's committment to the ND Team. He has proven himself over and over. My kids can wrestle for him anytime! I simply do not think anything is accomplished by publically saying that kids are cowards.
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Post by Scott Knowlen on Jul 28, 2002 16:45:21 GMT -5
I would like to express some brief thoughts in a positive manner that will hopefully bring an end to any negativity surrounding the Team ND's Cadet & Junior National efforts this past week. I don't wish to address every tangent that has branched off of the original posting. Let me start with repeating myself with what I told our wrestlers at Team Camp--we as a coaching staff are proud of all at camp and those who have competed at Nationals, you all have earned our respect. Secondly, to those same hardworking young men--you should all be proud of yourselve for the improvement you have all shown from Day 1 to the end of your competition. Thirdly, a special congratulations to all six of the All-Americans (Sheri Hilliard in the girls division also earned AA status). Finally, to all who wresters, parents and coaching staff who helped with putting together our very successful 2002 National efforts--thank you! Let's keep working together to help our state continue to show the rest of the wrestling community that we have some of the hardest working, most successful young people in the nation!
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Post by Blair Kelley on Jul 28, 2002 18:57:41 GMT -5
I guess I do need to clear up some things that I said that I do believe in hindsight were wrong. I was extremely frustrated and disappointed at the fact that every year we have kids that do one portion of the tournament and then leave before freestyle. I think I just logged on to the grappler at the wrong time. Had I taken some time to think about what I said, it would have come out differently. I have a great deal of respect for anyone who has the guts to train and compete in the sport of wrestling. I think we all know what it takes to become a champion in the world's greatest sport. I think my sentiment was in the right place, I just expressed it the wrong way. I love North Dakota. I love wrestling. To me, the two of them go hand in hand. I just want us to be recognized as one of the best states in the nation. I would like to express my apologies to any of the wrestlers that I may have offended. I just hope that some day Team North Dakota will back where we belong, on top!!
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Post by Shawn Voigt on Jul 29, 2002 1:15:48 GMT -5
First of all to all the coaches, wrestlers and parents involved with the national team all your work is greatly under appreciated, GOOD JOB in representing North Dakota. I would personally like to congratulate Brandon Kok (lone Cougar Wrestling representative) on a great effort.
Ok I am kind of green to the USA wrestling. When is the state meeting? How many meetings? How can I help out?
Cougar Wrestling only had one wrestler particapating on the national team this year, I will try and increase that next year.
I believe the Grappler is a great place to things out in the open and let the wrestling community know what is going on.
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Post by Whizzer on Jul 29, 2002 15:35:24 GMT -5
I appreciate Blair Kelley's most recent post regarding his regret over earlier comments he made on the Grappler. It takes a big human being to admit to a mistake and especially to do so in the same forum you made it. Blair's recent post expressing his regret goes a long way to demonstrate what kind of a quality person he is. Plain and simple it shows his honesty, integrity. I too, have said things in the heat of battle that I am glad people have given me a break for and forgotten. This also proves why any of our kids would be fortunate to wrestler for Blair either at Horizon Middle School or in summer USA Wrestling.
Blair, you are a stand-up guy and a great asset to Bismarck Wrestling and ND USA Wrestling!
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Post by Aaron Silbernagel on Jul 29, 2002 23:10:22 GMT -5
Just wanted to clear a few things up. My lack of attendance at the recent tournament was due to a long time goal which I have failed to achieve the past 3 yrs. I have been weighed down by injurie after injurie wich has hindered my ability at state each year. I did not wrestle this tournament because I want to save myself for this year. I have some nagging injuries that need time and rehab. As for the subject of fear of failure and chickening out if you guys rember from 97 to just last year I have been a fair freestyle and greco wrestler and am not or ever will be afraid to wrestle freestlye and Greco, they 're my favorites. ;D
Just something to think about were is one of the worlds largest wrestling tournaments held. thats right Fargo and hardly any one in this state knows about it. We should almost have live coverage of our ND wrestlers and our all americans couldn't even get there names on the news. Come state tournament time for basketball and you can watch every game on tv or here it on the radio but we hold a tournament this size and have trouble finding out how are team is doing.
p.s. Blair I know you weren't trying to call me out or call me a coward I knew what you ment.
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