PPT Slide
at Delaware State University, from which to choose. Greg Urbas, coach of St. Edward's High in Lakewood, Ohio, bemoans the fact that in his state, which hosts sold-out state tournaments every year, there are only four Division I programs. "To me, that's really sad," Urbas said. "All these kids, and only four schools?" Those in wrestling cite constant battles in encouraging the sport's growth - that it isn't a team sport, like football or basketball, that kids seem to prefer, or that it rarely receives mainstream media coverage. The lack of college programs is one of the most formidable obstacles. "Wrestling has one of the highest participation levels at the grade-school and high-school level," Duke University coach Clar Anderson said. "It's unfortunate that there's nothing for a lot of these folks to do at the college level." Yet opportunities abound below college. It is still going strong in high school, as the more than 80 programs that participated in the Beast would attest. Plus, the proliferation of summer leagues and other non-scholastic wrestling programs continue to attract kids. "You can still see some tremendous coaching and tremendous wrestling," Urbas said. "A lot of people who wrestled have come back and helped their programs wherever they can. Wherever you have coaches, you'll have kids wrestling." Which is why Urbas' team is more than willing to compete in tournaments like the Beast. To him, it's a way of self-promotion, and the application of a lesson he learned a long time ago. "You've got to promote the sport," he said, "or you'll lose it."
BEAST OF THE EAST RESULTS
2-Great Bridge (Va.) 172,
3-St. Paris Graham (Ohio) 166.5,
5-Parkersburg (W.Va.) 128,
6-Masillon Perry (Ohio) 124.5,
7-Upper Perkiomen (Pa.) 121,
8-Christiansburg (Va.) 115.5,
9-St. Edward (Ohio) 111.5,
140: (2) Sean Nemec (St. Edward) dec. (5) Mike Powers (Loomis) 4-3.
140: (1) Smith (Ripley)dec. (11) Straughn (Perry) 11-6.
