Takedown Report

Addition and growth of Kansas high school girls wrestling spurs consequential kinks

TDR Editor’s Notes ; This sounds like challenging opportunities to provide experiences to a wider group of students. Many and if not most of these incoming wrestlers will be very new to the sport. Thus the chance to impact then with lessons of sportsmanship, competition and the rewards from hard work and dedication.
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Doug Kretzer has been answering a lot of questions since April 26. The McPherson High wrestling coach was the driving force behind the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s adoption of girls wrestling at its latest board of directors meeting. Implementation is official, but the work is not done. As coaches come to Kretzer wondering how girls wrestling will affect their programs, he welcomes it.

The biggest question Kretzer gets is, “How do I grow my own program?” Coaches have watched McPherson’s girls program build over the past three years — Kretzer’s squads have won each of the unofficial state tournaments — and they want a piece of the pie. He said it starts with marketing to all girls, not just the ones coaches believe would be good wrestlers. Then, program officials must present a good message of equality with the boys.“You can only recruit them until practice starts,” Kretzer said. “Then they have to want to be there.” But as girls programs continue to gain momentum across Kansas, more logistical challenges could present themselves. The most pressing: How to handle practices. Rest of the story at https://www.kansas.com/sports/varsity-kansas/article230271299.html?mc_cid=44b1067232&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

May 11, 2019 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized