Tuesday July 20, 2010

Day One of Competition is in the bag.  It was not a great day for our American kids, but Max Nowry did wrestle for Bronze.   Be sure to check Gary's articles for complete results and tomorrow's draws.

Our kids have great hearts, no doubt.  Unfortunately, it's just so obvious that we are starved in the Greco world.

The Juniors from Europe and Asia are so well tempered by this time of the season, very little shakes them or gets ‘em out of position.  Our guys are just now completing any kind of transition from the folkstyle season to Greco.  They're just now getting into a rhythm.

The exception is always our USOEC program, but most of those guys compete up one level.  Knowing that I'm preaching to the choir... I just don't get why our High School and University coaches don't emphasize the skills that are natural overlaps from Greco to folkstyle technique.

Think about what I just said.  Maybe that wasn't true under the Greco rules of the 90's.  But, considering today's rules... really... Greco technique and tactic is much more similar to a complete folkstyle match than freestyle is.

OK, sermon's over.  Something new in the schedule this year is that we don't start , each day until 1:00pm.  We wrestle straight through the finals in a single, long session.

Not everyone likes it, but I do.  In past years, many events have had housing very far from the competition venue.  The drain of riding busses three hours every day was much worse than a long session.

In Budapest, we are a three minute walk from the venue.  Still, I think the single session is healthier for athletes, coaches, officials and spectators.

Speaking of Marathon Sessions... I know my colleagues are working some long days in Fargo.  Focus on the positive.  You're getting to be part of the greatest age group event on the planet, today!

Ciao