IGHSAU State Wrestling

[VTXCyRyD]

Lots of good high school wrestling going on with girls state. The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union has done an excellent job with it. My wife went yesterday and said it was absolutely packed. Its also on YouTube. I was able to watch my buddy's daughter wrestle. The announcers are pretty good.

 

[GoCy]

I was at the tournament yesterday watching my daughter compete. Unfortunately, she did not make it to the second day of competition, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.

It is amazing watching Girls Wrestling explode in popularity in the state. It is at the Xtream Center in Coralville, and the venue was definately not big enough. Standing room only, and they sold out of tickets and had to send a bunch of people home. There was a line wraped around the building for people waiting to get in. I felt bad knowing that some of the people turned away were probably parents and grandparents coming to watch their kids compete. Luckily we made it in.

 

[NWICY]

I was at the tournament yesterday watching my daughter compete. Unfortunately, she did not make it to the second day of competition, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.

It is amazing watching Girls Wrestling explode in popularity in the state. It is at the Xtream Center in Coralville, and the venue was definately not big enough. Standing room only, and they sold out of tickets and had to send a bunch of people home. There was a line wraped around the building for people waiting to get in. I felt bad knowing that some of the people turned away were probably parents and grandparents coming to watch their kids compete. Luckily we made it in.

So do you think the Unidome with mats down would be more the right size?

 

[GoCy]

They were running on 8 mats, which was good for the tournament size. Xtream seats around 5,000. I would estimate that they would want about 2X that much, or around 10,000 seats. Unidome would seat enough. I just don't know if the seating would be set too far back from the mats for a good view? Actually I kept thinking that Hilton would have been a good venue for it.

I watched a couple of matches today online, and I thought the video streaming and commentary were excellent.

 

[wxman1]

I was at the tournament yesterday watching my daughter compete. Unfortunately, she did not make it to the second day of competition, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.

It is amazing watching Girls Wrestling explode in popularity in the state. It is at the Xtream Center in Coralville, and the venue was definately not big enough. Standing room only, and they sold out of tickets and had to send a bunch of people home. There was a line wraped around the building for people waiting to get in. I felt bad knowing that some of the people turned away were probably parents and grandparents coming to watch their kids compete. Luckily we made it in.

Did they have similar issues with volleyball? FWIW The Alliant Energy Power House (or whatever we are calling it this year) in CR has seating capacity of 7,900 for that type of event.

One big issue IMO is accessibility. It is basically one way in and one way out which caused traffic issues backing up on to 80 according this KCRG story.

Business booms, traffic increases as travelers go to Iowa high school girls’ state wrestling

Travelers from all over the state of Iowa came to Coralville on Thursday to watch the high school girls wrestling state championships - the first since Iowa sanctioned the sport for girls.

www.kcrg.com

 

[1UNI2ISU]

So do you think the Unidome with mats down would be more the right size?

They'd have to change weekends. The Dome is booked for a huge Nike Volleyball tournament this weekend every year (120 teams on 14 courts). Hilton or Carver are probably the best options.

 

[wxman1]

They'd have to change weekends. The Dome is booked for a huge Nike Volleyball tournament this weekend every year (120 teams on 14 courts). Hilton or Carver are probably the best options.

120 teams? In the greater Waterloo area? Do I want to know how far away some of them have to stay?

 

[Dr.bannedman]

i hope they play the finals on IPTV.

miss that from my childhood. mom made ham n bean soup with cornbread every year

 

[enisthemenace]

I watched last night. Really, really cool. Girls and women’s wrestling is exploding.

Heard there were something like 156 teams and close to 2,400 athletes. 4 years ago, there were 93 girls competing at the high school level in Iowa.

Any insight into why Iowa State didn’t start a program when Iowa did? Is it funding or something else? Women’s wrestling will be an absolute monster as early as next year.

 

[VTXCyRyD]

So do you think the Unidome with mats down would be more the right size?

Well's Fargo, It's going to be even bigger next year. More girls will go out for the sport

 

[CoachKM]

I was at the tournament yesterday watching my daughter compete. Unfortunately, she did not make it to the second day of competition, but it was an amazing experience nonetheless.

It is amazing watching Girls Wrestling explode in popularity in the state. It is at the Xtream Center in Coralville, and the venue was definately not big enough. Standing room only, and they sold out of tickets and had to send a bunch of people home. There was a line wraped around the building for people waiting to get in. I felt bad knowing that some of the people turned away were probably parents and grandparents coming to watch their kids compete. Luckily we made it in.

Congrats to your daughter. As a long time girls head coach at the high school level, I have come to the realization that qualifying for state in any sport needs to be celebrated! I hope she enjoyed the experience!

 

[Cyforce]

They were running on 8 mats, which was good for the tournament size. Xtream seats around 5,000. I would estimate that they would want about 2X that much, or around 10,000 seats. Unidome would seat enough. I just don't know if the seating would be set too far back from the mats for a good view? Actually I kept thinking that Hilton would have been a good venue for it.

I watched a couple of matches today online, and I thought the video streaming and commentary were excellent.

Years ago I went to a basketball game in the dome. They had portable seating on 3 sides. Wrestling would likely work better with 4 mats run down each side and staging in-between.

 

[BCClone]

Well's Fargo, It's going to be even bigger next year. More girls will go out for the sport

Wells is not a cheap situation. I would say go with Cedar Rapids first if that can hold close to 8000. Been their for a youth USA tourney and it was solid.

 

[theshadow]

They were running on 8 mats, which was good for the tournament size. Xtream seats around 5,000. I would estimate that they would want about 2X that much, or around 10,000 seats. Unidome would seat enough. I just don't know if the seating would be set too far back from the mats for a good view? Actually I kept thinking that Hilton would have been a good venue for it.

I watched a couple of matches today online, and I thought the video streaming and commentary were excellent.

Coralville's two biggest advantages for this event are (1) connected indoor warmup space and (2) a convention/visitors bureau guy that is REALLY into wrestling.

At the bare minimum, ISU would need to have the Scheman connection in place (wrestlers would have to warm up there) and also sacrifice a weekend of potential home MBB/WBB/WR/GYM events.

 

[theshadow]

Wells is not a cheap situation. I would say go with Cedar Rapids first if that can hold close to 8000. Been their for a youth USA tourney and it was solid.

I think Cedar Rapids didn't do enough in the IGHSAU's eyes to keep volleyball, so I can't see them hosting wrestling in CR without a bunch of effort.

 

[BCClone]

I think Cedar Rapids didn't do enough in the IGHSAU's eyes to keep volleyball, so I can't see them hosting wrestling in CR without a bunch of effort.

I have no idea there. I think they will leave it in coralville for at least another year. Sometimes the first year is the biggest. If they have to go to more classes or so then maybe they will make a change. If they wanted to help attendance, maybe go Monday/Tuesday in Wells (guessing maybe weekdays are cheaper than weekends) before the boys so you have a week of wrestling tournaments.

 

[larry]

This event exains why the Coral Ridge Mall was packed midday on a Thursday!

 

[IASTATE07]

I have not seen anyone complaining from my school, but for those that have attended, what are your thoughts on $15 admission and cashless arena?

 

[wxman1]

Wells is not a cheap situation. I would say go with Cedar Rapids first if that can hold close to 8000. Been their for a youth USA tourney and it was solid.

Coralville's two biggest advantages for this event are (1) connected indoor warmup space and (2) a convention/visitors bureau guy that is REALLY into wrestling.

At the bare minimum, ISU would need to have the Scheman connection in place (wrestlers would have to warm up there) and also sacrifice a weekend of potential home MBB/WBB/WR/GYM events.

I think Cedar Rapids didn't do enough in the IGHSAU's eyes to keep volleyball, so I can't see them hosting wrestling in CR without a bunch of effort.

Obviously I am biased but CR offers a lot more IMO that being said as was stated with volleyball Coralville pretty much rolls out the red carpet and bends over backwards. CR got beat as they don't have that connected warm up space (I don't see why the large ball rooms can't be used for this as it is just a hallway away from the arena) as well as just basically going with the status quo.

 

[wxman1]

I have not seen anyone complaining from my school, but for those that have attended, what are your thoughts on $15 admission and cashless arena?

$15 seems about on par and what I would expect. As far as cashless goes I see no issue