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PA HS Wrestling thread

A question for those opposed to the wrestling transfers. Do you think the kids who transfer to BECA or other wrestling powers are better off for doing so? Do they develop more as wrestlers or increase their chances of getting a scholarship by being at these schools? If they do, it seems hard to tell them they are not allowed to do something that is in the kid's best interest.
If they are transferring for athletic purposes, it is against the PIAA bylaws. BECA, NDGP, BM, FC, … should just go national prep.
 
A question for those opposed to the wrestling transfers. Do you think the kids who transfer to BECA or other wrestling powers are better off for doing so? Do they develop more as wrestlers or increase their chances of getting a scholarship by being at these schools? If they do, it seems hard to tell them they are not allowed to do something that is in the kid's best interest.
I think you've read this board before to get a litmus test of what this post will get you....

That said when I coached I hated transfers. Hated transfers.

As a parent in MD seeing how clubs do everything here from youth on up I get it.

As a father I moved my home to give my son more chances. My daughters sports bball and soccer are ran by clubs so it didn't hurt moving 10 miles. But my son will have more opportunities by moving when it comes to HS exposure and coaches in football and wrestling. It's that simple.

A grad of our HS won a superbowl ring this year and probably after next season a grad will be a 1st rnd pick in the NFL.

This is a bigger discussion but I will never fault a parent seeking a better situation for their family. I fault the system that doesn't deal with it fairly.
 
A grad of our HS won a superbowl ring this year and probably after next season a grad will be a 1st rnd pick in the NFL.
Speaking of local opportunities: aren't you now not far from where a certain Olympic gold medalist grew up? (Though he did attend the local prep powerhouse.)
 
I think you've read this board before to get a litmus test of what this post will get you....

That said when I coached I hated transfers. Hated transfers.

As a parent in MD seeing how clubs do everything here from youth on up I get it.

As a father I moved my home to give my son more chances. My daughters sports bball and soccer are ran by clubs so it didn't hurt moving 10 miles. But my son will have more opportunities by moving when it comes to HS exposure and coaches in football and wrestling. It's that simple.

A grad of our HS won a superbowl ring this year and probably after next season a grad will be a 1st rnd pick in the NFL.

This is a bigger discussion but I will never fault a parent seeking a better situation for their family. I fault the system that doesn't deal with it fairly.
In Pennsylvania they allow adults with no skin on the table to phuck with kids even when the dad sells a house, purchases a new house in a different district and moves his entire family.
I am guessing Maryland has a less petty governing system in place.
 
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Speaking of local opportunities: aren't you now not far from where a certain Olympic gold medalist grew up? (Though he did attend the local prep powerhouse.)
Have a client in same neighborhood as him. But he went to olney. We play them in youth football and baseball.

Even in this rich as area....they are considered rich and us the farmers
 
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Looking at the D11 MS districts, Becca not in the top 17 in their District in MS but then dominates the state when they get all transfers. How do they allow this to keep happening.
It's a private school in a very talented area. A family doesn't have to move to send kids to school. I live in the Slate Belt area ; Bangor, Pen Argyl School Districts. BECA and NDGP are about an half an hour from the center of our area. A few years ago Pius was the option families wanting to send kids to private school(for athletic or discipline/education reasons😉).
Nate Desmond lives in Wind Gap, BECA is probably 20 minutes from the center of Wind Gap.
 
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Bethlehem Catholic & NDGP notoriously have terrible MS Teams then in the summer everyone transfers. The very intelligent and know it all, D11 chair, acts like he doesn’t know and allows it.

i would of loved to see if Central PA would of made an all’star team when Bison Legend was around. Ian could of coached and recruit like they do.
 
Bethlehem Catholic & NDGP notoriously have terrible MS Teams then in the summer everyone transfers. The very intelligent and know it all, D11 chair, acts like he doesn’t know and allows it.

i would of loved to see if Central PA would of made an all’star team when Bison Legend was around. Ian could of coached and recruit like they do.
I'm not familiar with the overall talent nor proximity of the area and how feasible it would be to recruit in a more rural area. A private school can do it much easier than a public school. I'm not sure if people realize how small of an area the hub of District 11 is. Easton touches Nazareth, Nazareth touches Northampton, Hellertown(Saucon) borders Bethlehem School district(Freedom, Liberty). Notre Dame GP is located on the outskirts of Easton District near Nazareth and Bethlehem Twp. border.
BECA is probably only about 5-7 miles from Notre Dame but closer to the inner city of Bethlehem and Hellertown. Most of the local school districts have to provide busing to the private schools. I would think most of the kids attending those private schools travel no more than 15 -20 miles to get to school.
Would a school in Central PA have the logistics to do what is done in District 11.
 
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I'm not familiar with the overall talent nor proximity of the area and how feasible it would be to recruit in a more rural area. A private school can do it much easier than a public school. I'm not sure if people realize how small of an area the hub of District 11 is. Easton touches Nazareth, Nazareth touches Northampton, Hellertown(Saucon) borders Bethlehem School district. Notre Dame GP is located on the outskirts of Easton District near Nazareth and Bethlehem Twp. border.
BECA is probably only about 5-7 miles from Notre Dame but closer to the inner city of Bethlehem and Hellertown. Most of the local school districts have to provide busing to the private schools. I would think most of the kids attending those private schools travel no more than 15 -20 miles to get to school.
Would a school in Central PA have the logistics to do what is done in District 11.
D6 has 2 Catholic schools with wrestling: St. Joe's in Boalsburg and Bishop McCort in Johnstown. St. Joe's couldn't sustain success for more than 1 cycle, drawing primarily from 3 schools with strong programs and well-regarded coaches (tough sell). McCort hasn't limited itself to commuters, and we'll see how long they can sustain their program.

Private school recruiting isn't happening in D4 -- no Catholic schools offer athletics, and the only Christian school that does is microscopic (wrestling + hoops for 22 HS boys enrollment).

Both D6 and D4 are both geographically massive. D4 is 2.5 hrs end-to-end and very dispersed.
 
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D6 has 2 Catholic schools with wrestling: St. Joe's in Boalsburg and Bishop McCort in Johnstown. St. Joe's couldn't sustain success for more than 1 cycle, drawing primarily from 3 schools with strong programs and well-regarded coaches (tough sell). McCort hasn't limited itself to commuters, and we'll see how long they can sustain their program.

Private school recruiting isn't happening in D4 -- no Catholic schools offer athletics, and the only Christian school that does is microscopic (wrestling + hoops for 22 HS boys enrollment).

Both D6 and D4 are both geographically massive. D4 is 2.5 hrs end-to-end and very dispersed.
Lourdes and Norry Christian do well at girls BBall and Meadowbrook could sustain a wrestling tournament team with local talent but continuously fielding a whole dual team probably a hard pull.
 
What area is Faith Academy? I thought they were D11 too. They are Getting all the wrestlers who aren’t good enough to make Malvern is what they were saying at Areas this weekend.
 
I'm not familiar with the overall talent nor proximity of the area and how feasible it would be to recruit in a more rural area. A private school can do it much easier than a public school. I'm not sure if people realize how small of an area the hub of District 11 is. Easton touches Nazareth, Nazareth touches Northampton, Hellertown(Saucon) borders Bethlehem School district(Freedom, Liberty). Notre Dame GP is located on the outskirts of Easton District near Nazareth and Bethlehem Twp. border.
BECA is probably only about 5-7 miles from Notre Dame but closer to the inner city of Bethlehem and Hellertown. Most of the local school districts have to provide busing to the private schools. I would think most of the kids attending those private schools travel no more than 15 -20 miles to get to school.
Would a school in Central PA have the logistics to do what is done in District 11.
No they wouldn't. The Allentown area is just stacked one town to the next with great wrestlers and great wrestling schools from the past. Whitehall used to be tough every year there's another school out towards new tripoli but can't remember the name of that school they used to be tough
 
I have no issues if the family moves to a new district. Idgaf if its for sports or they like the pizza better there. This is America, people are allowed to buy a house wherever they wish. The mailbox in the middle of nowhere or the staying with an aunt is a problem and easily exposed.
It's the private schools pulling from 5-6 school districts, then wrestling AA that chaps my a$$.
 
Honestly question- Can PIAA wrestling programs just pull out and go prep. Or does the entire school have to with their other programs? Reason I am asking, I don’t think Becca or NDGP could with their other programs.
I would think these programs have thought about it and would like the flexibility with their schedule, not locked into pointless conference matches and limited to 22 competition points. Sem and MP seem to have it right and have perks with being able to wrestle anytime & anywhere.
I could be wrong but I would think if they could pull out and go prep they all would have. I heard Sem is grandfathered in to that some programs PIAA and some Prep. The Prep league keeps getting better and better with Sem, Blair, MP, Lake Highland etc.
Make things easy would be All Private schools go AAA, end of story. Faith Academy will stay in AA and pound everyone for the next decade. I don’t see Mcort going up after what their district did to them. I am sure they want to do some pay backs.
 
I'm not familiar with the overall talent nor proximity of the area and how feasible it would be to recruit in a more rural area. A private school can do it much easier than a public school. I'm not sure if people realize how small of an area the hub of District 11 is. Easton touches Nazareth, Nazareth touches Northampton, Hellertown(Saucon) borders Bethlehem School district(Freedom, Liberty). Notre Dame GP is located on the outskirts of Easton District near Nazareth and Bethlehem Twp. border.
BECA is probably only about 5-7 miles from Notre Dame but closer to the inner city of Bethlehem and Hellertown. Most of the local school districts have to provide busing to the private schools. I would think most of the kids attending those private schools travel no more than 15 -20 miles to get to school.
Would a school in Central PA have the logistics to do what is done in District 11.
Just to clarify, Easton School District touches Nazareth School District but City of Easton does not touch Nazareth Borough. Easton High School is actually in Palmer Twp. and closest to NDGP. Nazareth School District touches Northampton School District however the boroughs do not touch each other. Not saying your intent was wrong just to give clarity its the school districts that touch each other not the municipalities.
 
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Parkland ??
Probably Northwestern Lehigh School District. Northern Lehigh School District is Slatington area. Both are AA. Parkland is further south and has students from North Whitehall Twp., South Whitehall Twp., and Upper Macungie. Its possible a very select few of their students have a New Tripoli mailing address but not very likely.
 
Just to clarify, Easton School District touches Nazareth School District but City of Easton does not touch Nazareth Borough. Easton High School is actually in Palmer Twp. and closest to NDGP. Nazareth School District touches Northampton School District however the boroughs do not touch each other. Not saying your intent was wrong just to give clarity its the school districts that touch each other not the municipalities.
I just was generalizing on school district maps. Your explanation is more finite. I just don't think some of the posters realize what the area is about.
 
I have no issues if the family moves to a new district. Idgaf if its for sports or they like the pizza better there. This is America, people are allowed to buy a house wherever they wish. The mailbox in the middle of nowhere or the staying with an aunt is a problem and easily exposed.
It's the private schools pulling from 5-6 school districts, then wrestling AA that chaps my a$$.
I personally think the private schools should compete in their own brackets for team duals.
As for the state individual tournament, Why not have 2 awards for each AA and AAA.
One champ for highest placing public team and one for private school with highest place. Don't separate or deprived the individuals from the largest stage and best tournament in the nation.
 
Ridge moves on as well. Interesting note in that one. West Perry 113 kid didn't have either leg below his knees. He beat a ranked kid from Ridge 6-0, easily controlled that match.
West Perry had a very strong team this year, outside shot at two finalists (113 and 215) and outside shot at other medals (120 and 126 and 138 and 152). Every kid went to West Perry their entire lives, very cool to see that in today's wrestling.
 
I personally think the private schools should compete in their own brackets for team duals.
As for the state individual tournament, Why not have 2 awards for each AA and AAA.
One champ for highest placing public team and one for private school with highest place. Don't separate or deprived the individuals from the largest stage and best tournament in the nation.
Id like to see a separate AA, AAA and Private/Parichial Schools tourney for team championships. For individual tourney I’d keep it at AA and AAA but all private school kids are automatically placed in AAA field no matter size of the school. Call it the cost of doing business (recruiting)…
 
Lourdes and Norry Christian do well at girls BBall and Meadowbrook could sustain a wrestling tournament team with local talent but continuously fielding a whole dual team probably a hard pull.
Does meadowbrook have a wrestling team.
 
Id like to see a separate AA, AAA and Private/Parichial Schools tourney for team championships. For individual tourney I’d keep it at AA and AAA but all private school kids are automatically placed in AAA field no matter size of the school. Call it the cost of doing business (recruiting)…
I agree! This will and always will make the most sense. Homegrown bracket & recruiting bracket.

where would you put open enrollment schools like Burrell and Reynolds? Low school taxes and you get to go there living in another district. Then at State Duals you hear Chestnut had 3-4 wrestlers who moved in. So where would the line be drawn
 
I agree! This will and always will make the most sense. Homegrown bracket & recruiting bracket.

where would you put open enrollment schools like Burrell and Reynolds? Low school taxes and you get to go there living in another district. Then at State Duals you hear Chestnut had 3-4 wrestlers who moved in. So where would the line be drawn
I haven’t thought that far ahead. Lol. I don’t know, nothing you do is going to be perfect. I’m fine with Co op kids wrestling for other schools if theirs doesn’t offer the sport. As for move ins, I don’t know. Need to think on that.
 
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Very surprised Harer did try to take this over. He would of been like Faith academy, Becca, NDGP and Mcort
Just stop. Meadowbrook has a total enrollment of 310, pre-K thru 12, and 22 boys in HS. They were never going to recruit athletically.

And Harer was so obviously going back to his alma mater (Montgomery) when Muncy let him go. For starters, he'd get to coach his kids.

Everybody gets that you don't like recruiting schools. The dead horse is bloodied but still dead.
 
Yea yea, you are a grumpy person. I hope you have a great day and your life gets better.

anyway it really would of been great of Ian found a Meadow brook and took all those hammers he had at Bison. We wouldn’t of been talking about Becca those years
 
Yea yea, you are a grumpy person. I hope you have a great day and your life gets better.

anyway it really would of been great of Ian found a Meadow brook and took all those hammers he had at Bison. We wouldn’t of been talking about Becca those years
How does ian get in this?
 
I love Ian and just hypothetically stating. Trust me not talking bad about him. Great guy and he did more for our area then most will ever know
 
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In reading between the lines I sense many of the complaints about the current system are about the inherent unfairness of recruiting from the team perspective of the nonrecruiters having to compete against them. Leveling the playing field in wrestling has long history as a high school wrestling priority as evidenced by so many states offering multiple classes to allow smaller schools to compete for championships as teams.

Recruiting schools have an unfair team scoring advantage. But perhaps the real question is how do they achieve it. As I don't know the answer, I'll ask the question. Apart from the remote mailboxes and living with a cousin situations mentioned earlier, do the private schools compensate the wrestlers in the form of tuition or board to wrestle for their school? If some do they have an unfair advantage, so could it be as simple as allowing their wrestlers to compete for individual titles (it makes sense to try and keep the talent in state), but the team is ineligible for the team trophy? If they offer compensation and want team trophies they can compete at National Preps. If they don't offer compensation, they're simply offering athletes able to pay a better place to develop.
 
Some of the comments about the private school's unfair advantage are warranted especially on the team score concept. But the idea that these schools are offering incentives in form of free tuition is probably a reach. There might be a random situation that an alumni has helped with some donation to help a needy kid with cost.
I have always supported the public school system and sent my daughter's to Bangor. My wife was Pius grad and we live one mile from the now closed building.She wanted our girls to go to Pius X. They graduated 2011 and 2013. By the end their education the Bangor District was starting to evolve into a liberal, progressive,non discipline school. No different than most schools in the Northeast part of the state. For the reason mentioned above, private schools are starting to flourish with parents that are concerned for their child's direction. If I was a parent now of a 12 year old I would entertain the thought of sending my kids to private school.
It is becoming easier for Private schools to entice kids and families to attend. BECA has been a good school and wrestling program for years. It's where Pat Santoro wrestled in 1970s before he won 2 National titles for Pitt.
The private schools aren't going away, if anything they will increase in numbers. The PIAA will have to come up with something to correct fairness on the team concept. As for penalizing high school kids not to compete out Hershey is just without merit.
 
Everyone on here knows I can’t stand private schools and open enrollment schools but you are 100% correct. Mason Gibson, The Bassett’s and the rest of those kids should get a chance to wrestle at states. Scratch the team aspect sure but don’t penalize wrestlers especially when the PIAA let’s many other schools in who do & have done the same exact thing. Not allowing the Gibsons at states in my opinion is letting some one who should win a state title have them. Even their 126 beat Perry this year. I am sure he was going to make a run at a AA state title. As much as I don’t want to say it there should be asterisks in the PIAA program the next two years
 
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