Original Post By snapdown (98.21.24.168) February 03, 2010 Subject: smethport quite possibly the worst tournament i have eeeeevvvveer been to! from referee wearing jeans, looking like they were still in high school. Giving 3 back points on a 3 count. When you go silent tournament with bout numbers how in gods creation can you jump the numbers all over the place and expect wrestlers to know when they are up. When I have to pay a 23.00$ entry fee i expect more. You should of paid everybody to be there. I would be willing to bet Punxy ran a flawless tournament. I will be putting a do not return next to this tournament for next year. You can keep your belt an your silent ,but jump all over bout number tournament. You may want to hire someone who has a clue on how to fill out a bracket. peace Reply By snapdown --(98.21.24.168)-- one more thing this was your third year and you havent got it right yet.
Reply By jtb --(71.116.58.167)-- I said all of that last year and did not go back. Panama had a smaller tournament but was nicely run and a good experience for the kids.
Reply By snapdown --(98.21.24.168)-- should of asked for my money back when i walked in the gym an seen officials half dressed. isnt there some kind of rule against wearing a piaa official shirt if you are not qualified?
Reply By Raider1 --(98.21.65.57)-- Here we go again. This is the worse run tournament I have ever seen. This was the worst officials I have ever seen. Some one should just make a permanent post that go's thru the whole spill of how bad ever thing was at a tournament. That way everyone can just copy it. If Smethport was the worst tournament you have ever been to then you haven't been to many. An I do not think I ever walk in a gym an heard anyone ever say anything good about Officials. Come on trust me I'm sure it couldn't of been that bad. Why is this said every week about some tournament throughout the state. Give it a break. Let me guess your kid didn't win it an it's all the Officials fault an they put all the good kids on your son's side of the bracket just to screw you.
Where you there for 12 hours ?
Where you there until 10 O clock at night ?
Did they run out of food ?
Did they wrestle on the gym floof ?
Did they give you a 5 cent trophy ?
Did they charge you 10 bucks to get in ?
Did you wait 5 hours between bouts. ?
Was there some big fat smelly person sitting in front or you ?
Did you drive 3-4 hours to go ?
Did any of the Ref's look like the Amish guy off king Pin?
Did you Drive 4 hours an only get 1 match ?
If you can't answer Yes to at least half of these ? then it wasn't really that bad. So stop complaining
Reply By Raider1 --(98.21.65.57)-- Sorry should be
Were you there for 12 hours ?
Were you there until 10 O clock at night ?
Reply By 30sec_rideout --(98.21.71.75)-- Yeah it could be worse. Like me having to work instead of being at Punxy... I'll take any bad tournament over a Sat. at work...
Reply By jtb --(71.116.58.167)-- Raider 1 You know what is worse than people getting on here and giving their opinion on a tournament? People getting on here and challenging/whining about the opinion! If you were there than give your opinion. If you were not, what makes your opinion superior or right? Or are you saying that no one else should have an opinion but you? This forum is for the sharing of information and opinions, not arguing which one is right. Have a good day.
Reply By bruno --(24.154.229.131)-- Raider1,
The average cost of a family participating in a wrestling tournament is $100. $20 entry fee, $15-$20 for admission for the family, $15-$30 for food, and $10-$40 for gas to get to/from the tournament. Add on top of this the cost of an entire day.
In the day & age of software tournament solutions there is no reason to keep in sport in the dark ages. People have a right to make their own tournament decisions. The only people that call people that shed light on poor tournaments "tournament bashers" are the same people that put on these poorly run tournaments. Split start & Silent.
While it's OK for you to spend 12 hours in a gym most people would prefer to spend better quality time with their family in a little better setting.
Reply By Raider1 --(75.88.178.90)-- A Split start & Silent tournament are the only way to go. I use to run our youth program along with running our youth tournament. The year before I took over the youth tournament we had apox 200 kids. In the 3 years I ran it we improved every year. The last year I did it we had apox 450 kids. I also started a separate novice tournament while I was doing it. So I think I did a fair job at bringing kids an keeping people happy. Never had many complaints in them 3 years. Now we are back down to the low 200 kids again.
Now jtb Yes I was at Smethport. I was only in the upper Gym with 9-10 11-12 13-14. I do not know what went on in the lower gym but I do not remember a mat ever being empty. The wrestling was continues. I thought the Smethport people did a good job for only hosting for 3 years. Give them time they will improve each year.
Reply By Raider1 --(75.88.178.90)-- Instead of bashing them why don't you give suggestion. The sport of wrestling is a dying sport. So I don't understand why some people try to hurt a program by coming on here saying how bad their tournaments are. Most schools rely on these tournament to fund there programs. If they don't have that money then they don't have a program. People aren't going to be happy until the sport of wrestling is no more. Then you'll really have something to bitch about. Do something different an support the Sport of Wresting not your own needs. If you can't do that then go play Basketball.
Reply By bruno --(24.154.229.131)-- Raider1,
Because some of these tournaments are making serious $$$ while at the same time cutting corners.
Reply By rev800 --(24.3.154.218)-- why go to those tourn. there is no reason to, unless you like the lesser comp. why dont you go buy a trophy, it will be cheaper, and give it to your son then we dont have to read your post how bad it was. your only fooling your self
Reply By tdogdad --(71.60.188.76)-- lil t-dog and I had a good time @ smethport is was pretty relaxed and saw some Great matches in jr. good competition. We had Great reffing for our matches same ref for his matches it was the coach from brookville, one of the best reffing jobs this year. This was a nice home town match and alot of studs Dilly 8-u...alot of 4M guys, some State winners Worthing @ 12-under out of Pittsburgh made the trip, Jr. high had some real good matches, Delong who is gonna make a strong run for the Gold was there. So a few good refs some good competition and more food than needed plus this was a belt match which was real cool, and a Huge fastest pin Trophy that was won by Tyler Worthing with a pin in 9 seconds @ 12-under 125. All the people were good country folk very nice. I saw one lil guy get his first win so excited he ran up in the stands jumping up and down gave his mom a huge hug around her neck as she held her new born and the mom couldnt contain herself as she held her 2 babies the tears rolled down her face, ol tdogdad had to turn his head it was prety touching....I hope thats what we're still in it for. Even the big monsters in high school still want us as parents to hug them win or loose its about the trip not the destination, let them know you love them overall. A trip to wilks-barre and hershey would be cool though. I have to say I learned a life lesson, when lil tdog won the fastest pin tropy, boy was he pumped! He went up very excited to win the tropy then he read the trophy and the smile was wiped from his face? So, as we were leaving a gentleman who was from the fire co. who didn't have a kid in the match, came up to us and said Mr. Bell was a friend of his. I read the tropy and tyler was the first recipiant of the Harold O. Bell 3 memorial tropy, he was the smethport fire police captin who past away this summer. Lil tdog looks @ the trophy then looks @ the ground then looks up @ me with a lil tear in his eye and says dad I would rather Mr. Bell still be alive then to win this big trophy in his honor. I almost lost it. Wow, my kid got it! sometimes our kids get it before us as parents. Please let the Bell family know Tyler is very HONERED to be the very first recipiant of the Bell Trophy. We came home and he cleared a spot in the middle of his major championship trophies and wraped a medal around the top of it. Out of all the tropies he has theres only one with a Gold medal from States hanging on it! God bless the Bell family.... I think I get it now, as thru the eyes of a child.
Reply By Jesyca07 --(66.202.65.204)-- As a parent and also a good friend of Harold Bell I want to respond and say Thank You for sharing this story. I could not have asked for someone to appreciate this trophy any more than your son has. Harold was involved in more than just wrestling he was involved in every event that children were involved in. His children are grown and living in Maine and he never stopped caring for all children as his children grew. Harold's family could not think of a better way to honor their beloved family member than to share his love with others through the eyes of children. Harold watching over this tournament had tears in his eyes too, knowing he touched even one more family.Tyler, Thank You so much for making not only your dad but myself and all of us at Smethport PROUD to have wrestlers like you at our event.
Best Wishes Always,
The Spittler Family
Dana, Teri, Lynn, Marcus
p.s. GO GET EM'
Reply By Jesyca07 --(66.202.65.204)--
Reply By Jesyca07 --(66.202.65.204)-- I want to thank all of you who are standing up against the tournament bashings.. I have never been to one tournament where there hasn't been a glitch of some sort. I would never ever bash someone else's tournament, people make mistakes and when you are working with volunteers it's going to happen. You make the best of it, you learn from your mistakes, and you work EVEN HARDER for next year. Instead of everyone jumping on the bashing wagon..I think we should all jump on the help each other out and keep the kids active in wrestling programs wagon. We have 52 kids in our own program and I know we are more than willing to help wherever we can.We have all had many suggestions and ideas from other coaches and clubs to improve our tournaments. Many of the coaches have stepped up and even coached other kids to help the tournament run more smoothly. Club members have volunteered to help work other tournaments however, I will assure you no one from this club has ever bashed your tournament.With that said, I thank you for the respect many of you have shown on this post. To end this all, A special Thanks to all the outside help our club has received it is much appreciated. -Jess
p.s. if you need anything, let us know!
Reply By movalley24 --(70.105.188.170)-- was at smethport saturday, on mat 3 all day, nice to be on same mat all day.our mat had a few bout # glitches , but not too bad, been to tournament where computer crashed and guy running brackets/computer up and left tournament or the tournament where power to gym was lost and kids wrestled with emergency lighting was only lighting, so have to say not too bad of a tournament.i thought competition was very good for what i saw, thats why we came, son wanted belt but got medal instead, so good job smethport
Reply By movalley24 --(70.105.188.170)-- was at smethport saturday, on mat 3 all day, nice to be on same mat all day.our mat had a few bout # glitches , but not too bad, been to tournament where computer crashed and guy running brackets/computer up and left tournament or the tournament where power to gym was lost and kids wrestled with emergency lighting was only lighting, so have to say not too bad of a tournament.i thought competition was very good for what i saw, thats why we came, son wanted belt but got medal instead, so good job smethport
Reply By tdogdad --(71.60.188.76)-- look us up @ the burrell super trophy
Reply By Badcat --(65.112.250.245)-- Tdog...I want to give 'lil tdog a pat on the head after that story. He was character, and his compassion for others is touching. God Bless him...
Reply By Badcat --(65.112.250.245)-- Tdog...I want to give 'lil tdog a pat on the head after that story. He was character, and his compassion for others is touching. God Bless him...
Reply By tdogdad --(71.60.188.76)-- Thanks badcat and jesyca, tyler is in the stage of his life on deciding if he wants to become a man or stay a lil boy. I guess 12 yrs old can do that to you. As all our young men grow up I hope they still hold on to that lil boy just a lil bit and with good parenting and a sport that produces leaders that our boys will grow up to be gentelmen......Just a small list of leaders that wrestled big Abe the 16th President, John Macain....when he was a prisoner of war he said his faith and toughness from training as a wrestler got him tru being a POW!...So keep on going guys this lil sport of our may be giving us more than we think!
Reply By falconfan --(173.84.28.232)-- I was in the 11-12,13-14 room all day as well as a couple of the other posters. For the most part, I thought the tournament went well enough. There were a few bouts that got flipped around but not nearly enough to have made anyone miss their bout and I happen to like the silent tournaments a lot better. What problems there were with the bout sheets were handled quickly.
The ref(s) on one mat were consistently good all day although I'll admit that I thought one of the refs on the 13-14 mat left a lot to be desired (and no, he didn't cost my kid any bouts).
I will say that watching Evan Delong and Tyler Worthing in that room all day (along with several other very fine wrestlers) was worth the cost of admission. Sadly, my son, who was recovering from a nasty bug, was one of Evan's victims and I would have liked to have seen that bout go a bit differently. Evan's a nice kid and a great wrestler and Tyler seems to be just as nice of a kid. Good show overall.
Reply By tdogdad --(71.60.188.76)-- who won belts in jr. high and weights
Reply By tdogdad --(71.60.188.76)-- c
Reply By Jesyca07 --(66.202.65.204)-- 77LBS
MARCUS SPITTLER-SMETHPORT
82LBS
CODY BLANKENSHIP-KANE
93LBS
TYLER BLANKENSHIP-KANE
103LBS
JAKE GROMACKI-ERIE VIPERS
110LBS
DARREN BROWN-KANE
119LBS
KYLE BOVA-COUDERSPORT
125LBS
EVAN DELONG-NITTANY LION
132LBS
KYLE ROGERS-MCDOWELL
140LBS
ALEX MILLER-SHINGLEHOUSE
150LBS
JONATHAN DUTTON-MCDOWELL
170LBS
JOE SALTSGIVER-SMETHPORT
HWT
JAYKUP DURLIN-EAGLE
