ODH

What about transferring to a school for better academics?
This is a big issue for me. The kids from my small town go to a regional school that is underfunded and a long bus ride away.

The next town over has a good school and I know of two families who are maintaining residences in that town to send their kids to school there.

I have three kids ages 1,5, and 8 and will probably have to move in a few years becasue of the school situation.
Oh yeah, the regional does not have a wrestling team. I have already told my wife that if my sons want to wrestle we will move.

ODH

I believe promoting athletics with the hope for an athletic scholarship is a huge fallacy. There just is not that much money out there for athletic scholarships, especially for minor sports like wrestling.
There are many benefits for participating in and excelling in athletics besides scholarships.

ccbig

You are right, the numbers of scholarships for wrestlers is limited. I was referring mostly to athletic scholarships in general.

I transfered my sons to a school that had much better academic program because their previous school was so weak academically. Their new school has a combined wrestling program with another school that is going through a coaching change.

My first choices for my son's were to find a good academic program.

I am working with other coaches and parents to help keep the school wrestling program on a competitive path.

I think the best bet for kids is to have both things- strong academics and competitive sports but I also am a strong believer in strong arts and music programs.

The main point of what I was trying to say is I think all parents want the best opportunities for their children.

The schools themselves need to understand this. Schools need to be competitive in all or many of the aspects I described to attract students or the schools will suffer as students move on to other schools that offer what parents want for their children. Limiting parents the freedom to do what they think is best for their children is fundamentally wrong.

said_aouita

The difference is being a big fish in a small pond may lead only to a partial scholoraship, or even having to walk on the first year.
Compared to wrestling for a national powerhouse, which means you face the best competition and can get noticed by more NCAA DI coaches, which may lead to a full scholarship.

Plus, I've deen district qualifiers who were nothing more then a big fish in a small pond. They changed schools to one that has a stronger program/better coaching and they become state champions in one years time.




I do not understand the thinking of its OK to transfer for academics, but not athletics. Being successful in either of the two can help pay for a college education!

Ground&Pound

I see your point.

But, you are viewing athletics as nothing more than a way to get a kid a scholarship.

I'm saying that this should not be the focus or purpose having school sports to begin with.

If everyone leaves their small pond to join a national powerhouse, the entire sport will suffer.

We just held regional qualifier for PA states. Of the 14 weightclasses, 12 different schools had champions.

There really isn't just 1 or 2 powerhouse in the area. There are a few dozen very strong programs that consistantly produce college wrestlers. We also have the toughest "illegal" transfer enforcement in the state.

Like I said before, transfering a kid may benefit that kid for that year, but in the long run it weakens the sport as a whole.

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iltff

I competed through high school and college and learned a lot more life skills through wrestling than any class I ever took. I never transferred beacuse I lived in an area with a great wrestling program, but wouldn't fault a kid/family for wanting to be in an enviornment to learn from and train with the best. Wrestling is more than just winning and losing...You can say that some kids transfer just to "win," but I submit that kids transfer to put themself in a better situation to succeed.

Jbell134

Andrew Gasber from St.Edwards transfered and he had to sit out this year (his junior) due to OHSAA rules