Published: May 08, 2008 11:42 am            

Time for collegiate wrestling to roll the dice

Collegiate wrestling has a chance to help itself next month in Las Vegas.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association Convention takes place June 11-12 in a city known for risk. And with a little help from the NCAA, a risk that involves turning college wrestling into a one-semester sport could pay off in a big way.

Most Division-I coaches are for it.

Media outlets will tell you that college basketball dominates the landscape in February and March and there’s little time for the world’s oldest sport.

Ask mat coaches — and their academic staff — how difficult it is to keep wrestlers motivated in April and May. A long season comes to an end, the daily ritual of class and practice is suddenly over and a few student-athletes drift away on fishing boats or to a lake or pool near you.

Imagine getting down to a certain weight — in November or December — and competing only a handful of times. Just when you start getting into mat shape, it’s time for Thanksgiving … and then Christmas.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that most of the top-level D-I wrestlers probably don’t take that extra piece of Grandma’s pumpkin pie.

If it’s actually all about the student-athlete, then the current scenario just doesn’t make a lot of sense.

It’s November and a semester is coming to an end with final exams approaching. Not everyone is making straight A’s so there could be a little stress involved. Throw in the opening of practice and suddenly the stress level goes up as coaches don’t quite understand what’s holding you back.

“What’s wrong with your weight? If you don’t get your act together I’ll go find someone else …”

In this age of Academic Progress Reports and 9.9 scholarships, it isn’t as easy as it seems for coaches. They recruited the kids so they are stuck with them, motivated or not.

Fast forward to the second week of December. Exams are done and the academic advisor reports that all is good. It’s time for a short break, a chance to let your hair down or a trip home for the holidays.

Says Coach, “We have a big match the first weekend in January, so be back the day after Christmas so we can get to work. Don’t eat too much.”

January is a feeding frenzy for wrestling fans. Every weekend, and sometimes during the week, there are monster duals between the sport’s heavyweights.

Most of February is the same, but at the same time the college basketball machine gains momentum and rolls right through March, consuming all in its wake.

As if wrestling isn’t underground enough, it goes to endangered species status in almost 45 of the 50 states for its national championship, usually in Week 2 or 3 of March. The sport is not in danger as evidenced by the 90,000-plus that attended the 2008 NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo.

Instead of banging heads with hoops, move the conference championships and qualifying tournaments to the second or third week of March. Move the NCAAs to the second week of April. Period.

Instead of fooling with two semesters worth of classroom work and having two months of “preseason” — give the wrestlers and the wrestling fans their own moment in the spotlight.



More honors

Oklahoma State has recruited a number of quality student-athletes over the years. It appears Jordan Oliver will be added to that list.

The NWCA announced Oliver, from Easton, Pa., as its Scholastic Wrestler of the Year on Tuesday.

The three-time state champion was 175-5 in high school.

“Lightning quick, technically sound and an absolute terror on the mat — Jordan Oliver has all the tools,” NWCA President Ron Mirikitani told Jason Bryant. “It’s not a question of will he do well on the next level, it’s more about how soon.”

Oliver was also a Dave Schultz High School Excellence Regional award winner.

        

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