Thoughts on the OHSAA state tournament
Sports writing keeps a roof over my head and the payments on my red Ford Ranger current.
I have gotten to attend nearly every state tournament the OHSAA conducts at some point or another.
While I love wrestling, I have to admit I get a little tired by the end of the state tournament.
I’m usually at the arena from about an hour before the preliminary round starts Thursday night until the end of wrestling because I’m writing my stories.
Friday usually consists of watching the action in the morning because what I’m going to write about won’t happen until later that night when the semifinals take place.
Saturday if I have a guy in the finals I’ll write the story about the placers and maybe write a column at Value City Arena while they are setting up for the finals. By the time I get back home…man I’m whipped and don’t want to see another wrestling mat for at least a month.
So what’s it like for all of you out there? I know you all love watching the state tournament but are you tired of it by the end its 3 day run. I’m curious.
Anyway, I was sidetracked for a moment so back to my original point.
While I love the state tournament and appreciate its history, sometimes I think we go a little overboard. No other OHSAA state tournament celebrates its history like wrestling does. I have been to track and cross country those are the individual sports I cover and they don’t compare to the pagentry and pomp of the OHSAA state wrestling tournament.
Hell there’s even a book on press row that lists every single state placer in the history of the tournament.
While I enjoy it…sometimes I think it’s too much.
But then again, that’s what makes Ohio HS wrestling second to none I guess.
No results today…The schedule was a whitewash literally with snow wiping out the entire slate.
I imaging many of the matches lost last night won’t be made up with league tournaments on the horizon.
Anyone that has the tournament information for the following leagues can submit them to me and I’ll post the dates, locations, times, teams involved, admission prices etc. next week. You can reach me at jamiebaker@thecourier.com
I already have the information on the new Ohio Wrestling League.
LEAGUES NEEDED:
Midland Athletic League
North Central Conference
Northern Ohio League
Toledo City League
Firelands Conference
Western Buckeye League
Northwest Ohio Athletic League
Sandusky Bay Conference
Ohio Cardinal Conference
Greater Buckeye Conference
Northwest Conference
Green Meadows Conference
Northern Lakes League
Suburban Lakes League
NEWSWORTHY:
Bryan sweeps Evergreen, PH
I have gotten to attend nearly every state tournament the OHSAA conducts at some point or another.
While I love wrestling, I have to admit I get a little tired by the end of the state tournament.
I’m usually at the arena from about an hour before the preliminary round starts Thursday night until the end of wrestling because I’m writing my stories.
Friday usually consists of watching the action in the morning because what I’m going to write about won’t happen until later that night when the semifinals take place.
Saturday if I have a guy in the finals I’ll write the story about the placers and maybe write a column at Value City Arena while they are setting up for the finals. By the time I get back home…man I’m whipped and don’t want to see another wrestling mat for at least a month.
So what’s it like for all of you out there? I know you all love watching the state tournament but are you tired of it by the end its 3 day run. I’m curious.
Anyway, I was sidetracked for a moment so back to my original point.
While I love the state tournament and appreciate its history, sometimes I think we go a little overboard. No other OHSAA state tournament celebrates its history like wrestling does. I have been to track and cross country those are the individual sports I cover and they don’t compare to the pagentry and pomp of the OHSAA state wrestling tournament.
Hell there’s even a book on press row that lists every single state placer in the history of the tournament.
While I enjoy it…sometimes I think it’s too much.
But then again, that’s what makes Ohio HS wrestling second to none I guess.
No results today…The schedule was a whitewash literally with snow wiping out the entire slate.
I imaging many of the matches lost last night won’t be made up with league tournaments on the horizon.
Anyone that has the tournament information for the following leagues can submit them to me and I’ll post the dates, locations, times, teams involved, admission prices etc. next week. You can reach me at jamiebaker@thecourier.com
I already have the information on the new Ohio Wrestling League.
LEAGUES NEEDED:
Midland Athletic League
North Central Conference
Northern Ohio League
Toledo City League
Firelands Conference
Western Buckeye League
Northwest Ohio Athletic League
Sandusky Bay Conference
Ohio Cardinal Conference
Greater Buckeye Conference
Northwest Conference
Green Meadows Conference
Northern Lakes League
Suburban Lakes League
NEWSWORTHY:
Bryan sweeps Evergreen, PH
posted by --J-- at 12:45 PM
2 Comments:
I have to agree it is quite tiresome after the three days. However I think it is a culmination of the entire season. By the time March rolls around I am ready to be done for a while. This is just a coach's standpoint, maybe I'm the only one.
Thanks again for this wonderful blog.
As a fellow reporter, I've had the pleasure of watching Jamie in action at the state wrestling tournament for the past few years. It can be a challenge to cover, but it's been a little easier for me than some. The reason is OHSAA rules.
Since I both write and take pictures for my paper, the OHSAA grants me (and others like me) a photo pass to let us down on the mat level. Sounds logical, right?
Well, writers like Jamie, who don't take photos, have to sit in press row. That sounds great — they can plug in their computers and type stories and generally get an above-the-ground view of the action. But therein lies the problem.
Writers cannot go down to the mat to watch matches. That's not so bad if the match they want is right in front of them. But if they sit in one corner of press row and the match is at the other end, it's more than a challenge to follow the action.
Like I said, it's easier for me since my photo pass lets me go where I need to. But writers like Jamie have it a bit tougher.
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