They sit scattered in the stands of the Fargodome, unassuming and mostly unknown to the general public. Yet, they are some of the most influential people attending the USA Wrestling Junior and Cadet national tournaments this week.
Kids literally wrestle for the attention of college coaches.
“Their presence feeds the caliber of this event, “said John Hohmann, the state coaches director for Pennsylvania. “Kids know college coaches are watching.”
Most of the elite Division I coaches won’t be seen at the Fargodome until later in the week when the Junior freestyle tournament begins.
“That’s when this place starts getting pretty popular, “Hohmann said.
The seven-day event opened Saturday with the Cadet Greco-Roman preliminary matches. At 15 to 16 years old, Cadets are in the preliminary stages for college recruiters. The hot prospects are kids entering their senior year of high school because of the NCAA early signing period Nov. 9-16.
It’s becoming trendy for wrestlers to commit to a college early.
“It makes this tournament that much bigger for them, “North Dakota State head coach Bucky Maughan said.
NCAA rules state college coaches are not allowed to contact athletes during the USA Wrestling competition. The coaches are in what is called an “evaluation period.”
But that doesn’t mean they’re not recruiting. The occasional, “Hi, how are you? “meeting between a coach and recruit is anything but unintentional.
“Visibility, “said Lynn Dorn, NDSU women’s athletic director who has handled the school’s NCAA paperwork for years. “That’s what is happening during these periods. They’re sitting in the stands evaluating kids’ skills and demeanor. It’s amazing how often kids look up in the stands and see who’s there.”
It doesn’t interfere with their performance, Hohmann said. Although possible, he said he’s never seen a wrestler seek out a college coach in the stands during the heat of a match.
Wrestlers on mats No. 9 and 10 on the Fargodome floor on Saturday only had to look up one row of chairs to see Minnesota State Moorhead head coach Keenan Spiess. A Division II school with a limited scholarship budget, Spiess is mostly looking at Minnesota and North Dakota prospects that are not getting the attention of bigger schools.
“A few names here and there, “he said. “It’s nice having it in your backyard.”
Of more importance, however, is networking. Spiess makes it a point to get to know the state coaches, who in turn can provide valuable insight on potential college wrestlers.
“There’s a type of kid who will go Division II, kids who make that type of fit, “Spiess said. “You want to bring in talent but it has to be the right fit.”
Now that NDSU has moved to the Division I ranks and will be eligible for the Division I Wrestling Championships in 2006-07, the school’s stock has risen in the minds of youth wrestlers and state coaches.
On Friday, one state chairman approached NDSU assistant coach Bret Maughan on the school’s transition.
“You’re Division I now? “he asked Maughan. “What are you looking for?”
Maughan rattled off a couple of weight classes and the state chairman took mental note.
“You network with these guys who deal with the top wrestlers in the country, “Bret Maughan said.
Never one to dabble much in the NCAA early signing period, NDSU is now more of a player. Last year, the Bison coaches paid close attention to Ryan Adams of Coon Rapids, Minn., after the USA tournament. He was a Cadet freestyle national champion and a Junior freestyle All-American.
“That started him on the letters on phone contact, “Bret Maughan said. “You have to get on them early to get them to visit.”
If you wait, it may be too late. Most Division I prospects take their five NCAA-allotted campus visits in September and October. By then, schools like NDSU have already narrowed their recruiting list, which mainly starts when the kids are sophomores and juniors in high school.
Although high school differs from the Olympic freestyle and Greco-Roman styles of wrestling, the Junior and Cadet tournaments still offer coaches a lot to look at.
“Some things are universal, “Bret Maughan said. “Your ability on your feet. Athletic ability. A kids presence on the mat and how he dominates out there.”
And the more a kid dominates, the more coaches pay attention. This week, wrestlers are competing for more than just medals.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
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