Dream Team Reflections

 

What a great weekend for Texas wrestling! The Dream Team visit has generated much discussion on the forums and around the state. It has generated press coverage (as usual, the reporter had it right and the headline editor had no clue) and internet coverage due to the web cast. Much of the coverage has had to do with the merits of sending the team to Texas and whether or not the state was ready to compete with this elite group. As the Tournament Director, I would like to address these issues as well as comment on the weekend as a whole. I would also like to thank all of the people who gave much time and effort to make this happen and the sponsors, Cliff Keen and WrestlingUSA Magazine, for giving us the opportunity to host this event. Much credit also goes to Alan Rodger and Texas USA wrestling for underwriting the event and making it possible.

 

I believe that many observers of the Dream Team Classic are missing the true reason for the competition by focusing strictly on the competition itself. The very nature of the team virtually guarantees that no individual state has much chance of defeating them. The fact that the Dream Team is selected from all of the other states means that unless a majority of the team members were to come from the state selected to host the event, there is very little expectation of a win for the host team. Additionally, since the host state does not get to select the year in which it gets to host the competition, the chance that the senior class in that year will be the strongest is slim at best. That said, there is no doubt that some states with more history and bigger programs (Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York come immediately to mind), may field a stronger team on average every year. That gets back to the purpose of the Dream Team Classic.

 

As I see it, the Dream Team Classic serves two purposes. First, it is a reward and a way to honor the competitors for a terrific high school career. These young men and women have earned numerous championships and accolades through their competitive years and are being honored as the very best in our sport. The host state also has a chance to honor their best seniors as they are chosen to represent their state on an elite team and focus attention on wrestling in that state. Second, the teams are given the opportunity to travel to the site of the competition and spend a weekend together sharing cultural differences and learning about each other and the host state.

 

My observations after participating in this weekend are that both goals were met completely. The Dream Team members that we hosted from Thursday through Sunday could not have been better representatives of their individual states and the sport as a whole. These young men and women are not only superlative wrestlers, they are outstanding individuals and it was a pleasure to host them. They also interacted well with the Texas Team members during weekend activities including tours of Ameriquest Field, the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, and the Fort Worth Stock Yards (the maze and riding the mechanical bull were highlights!). The teams spent much time in close quarters in the vans and hotels and not only got along, but seemed to enjoy each other’s company. That is not always the case with competitors. They also enjoyed meeting the three Olympic Champions in attendance, Kendall Cross, Cael Sanderson, and Texas’ own Brandon Slay. What great role models, both for wrestling and for life. These three champions made a great addition to a terrific weekend and were extremely generous with their time with the wrestlers.

 

Additionally, the two firsts, a girls competition and a web cast of the event, were both terrific successes. While Team Texas did not do as well as hoped in the girls competition with only two wins, the competition was intense and the inclusion of the ladies added significantly to the weekend overall. It also helped to expose women’s wrestling to many people who may not have even realized that it existed and is growing at a terrific pace in Texas. I believe that this event will be big help in overcoming stereotypes in the future. The web cast was also a success and despite some minor first-time issues, this should be a major part of this event in the future. What a great opportunity for family and friends as well as the entire wrestling to participate in this competition without having to travel great distances. It will only get easier to watch events such as this as the technology gets utilized more.

 

Finally, I was very proud of the members of the Texas Teams who took the mat against the very best wrestlers in the nation to represent the state. These wrestlers gave everything they had and represented the state very well. It was an experience they will not soon forget. I also enjoyed watching the Dream Team members exhibit a level of ability not usually seen in a high school competition. It will be fun to watch all of these individuals as they progress through their college careers. We may very well see some of them back in the future as Olympic Champions sharing their time and experience with future members of the Dream Team Classic – hopefully once again in Texas!