Alex Hart

[RealGreco]

To be honest with everyone, how could you keep the State Championship award when you really knew that you did not win it ?

This is where integrity, Respect and honor comes to play.
In my many years of wrestling, I actually told the referee that his score was wrong when he had me winning. I personality could not look at myself in the mirror knowing I was not the real champ. But then again, that is me.

I would never pass judgement to any kid.. that is his and only his decision to make!

I was never a State champion but went on to bigger and better things.
So can both of these great kids!

[IndyHart]

For the record, the takedown that was scored to make the match 5-1 came with about ten seconds left in the second period as the tapper is coming on to the mat. As a coach, you would normally look at the scoreboard to see how much time you had to get off bottom and you would be coaching your guy hard to get off bottom before the period ended. Ward was unable to do so and the period ended with him in the defensive position. The scoreboard showed a score of 5-1. Again, as a coach, I would ordinarily look at the scoreboard between periods where I had choice to determine which position my wrestler should choose. Ward chose bottom. Within ten seconds of the start of the third period, Hart was given a stall warning and released Ward, giving him one point for an escape and making the score 5-2. It is at this time that the extra point was added to the scoreboard and the coaches and wrestler indicated the score was incorrect. At the next stoppage, Jeremy Hart went to the table to attempt to correct the score. At this point, it had been about a minute since the second period ended with Ward in the defensive position. Not a lot of time had passed to cause memories to fade. With that memory of how the second period ended and a look at the score sheet to show how that period started, it is easy to get the score corrected. Part of the reason that more attention wasn't given to the issue at the time and the Independence coaches weren't properly heard is because the Winfield coach was insting the score was correct and that wrestling be restarted immediately. That's what both of our coaches would tell you and, if he were to speak, that's what the head official on the mat would tell you too. Everyone can draw their own conclusions, but that's what happened. As to wrestlers wrestling differently, our wrestler would have probably wrestled that end-of-match sequence differently if he hadn't known that the score was atually 6-4 before the last stalling call. Good wrestlers usually know the score in their head. As a coach, whenever a scoring error is made in one of my wrestler's favor, I try to get it corrected right away. I know scoring mistakes can be corrected even after the match has concluded and I don't want one of my wrestlers to have a mistaken belief about what the score is. Plus it's the right thing to do.

As to the appeal, the Rules Interpreter told our coach that the appeal could not be considered because we had not challenged the scoring error in the second period. An escape was never given during that period and the score sheet was correct until after the third period started. The scoreboard, which alerted the problem, did not become incorrect until the third period. So, essentially, the Rules Interpreter said that because we didn't challenge a point that hadn't been awarded during a period in which it hadn't been awarded, recorded or placed on the scoreboard, that the appeal couldn't be considered and granted.

[Bearhugger]

For the record, the takedown that was scored to make the match 5-1 came with about ten seconds left in the second period as the tapper is coming on to the mat. As a coach, you would normally look at the scoreboard to see how much time you had to get off bottom and you would be coaching your guy hard to get off bottom before the period ended. Ward was unable to do so and the period ended with him in the defensive position. The scoreboard showed a score of 5-1. Again, as a coach, I would ordinarily look at the scoreboard between periods where I had choice to determine which position my wrestler should choose. Ward chose bottom. Within ten seconds of the start of the third period, Hart was given a stall warning and released Ward, giving him one point for an escape and making the score 5-2. It is at this time that the extra point was added to the scoreboard and the coaches and wrestler indicated the score was incorrect. At the next stoppage, Jeremy Hart went to the table to attempt to correct the score. At this point, it had been about a minute since the second period ended with Ward in the defensive position. Not a lot of time had passed to cause memories to fade. With that memory of how the second period ended and a look at the score sheet to show how that period started, it is easy to get the score corrected. Part of the reason that more attention wasn't given to the issue at the time and the Independence coaches weren't properly heard is because the Winfield coach was insting the score was correct and that wrestling be restarted immediately. That's what both of our coaches would tell you and, if he were to speak, that's what the head official on the mat would tell you too. Everyone can draw their own conclusions, but that's what happened. As to wrestlers wrestling differently, our wrestler would have probably wrestled that end-of-match sequence differently if he hadn't known that the score was atually 6-4 before the last stalling call. Good wrestlers usually know the score in their head. As a coach, whenever a scoring error is made in one of my wrestler's favor, I try to get it corrected right away. I know scoring mistakes can be corrected even after the match has concluded and I don't want one of my wrestlers to have a mistaken belief about what the score is. Plus it's the right thing to do.

As to the appeal, the Rules Interpreter told our coach that the appeal could not be considered because we had not challenged the scoring error in the second period. An escape was never given during that period and the score sheet was correct until after the third period started. The scoreboard, which alerted the problem, did not become incorrect until the third period. So, essentially, the Rules Interpreter said that because we didn't challenge a point that hadn't been awarded during a period in which it hadn't been awarded, recorded or placed on the scoreboard, that the appeal couldn't be considered and granted.

One of the "life lessons" wrestling teaches is "where there is a will, there is a way". It is obvious there was "no will" to consider Coach Jeremy Hart's numerous appeals during the match.

[guard0544]

There is no need to call into question the character of the boy. Seeing some on here acting like he should pack up the trophy and mail it to coal city is a bit ridiculous. If you feel the need to call someone out, let it be the adults (officials, coaches, WVSSAC).

[aacoach70]

Funny thing how both the coach and the wrestler always seems to know when the scoreboard shows 1 point LESS than they're supposed to have. Also, I don't know many experienced officials who can't easily recount the scoring exchange of a 5-2 match. They are accustomed to going to the table to clarify scoring flurries. No flurry here. It was an entertaining match to watch, for sure. Hats off to Ward. He wrestled his butt off. Like so many others, I watched the match confident that the officials would fix the scoreboard. Even when a tie score was shown at the end of regulation, I really believed the match score would be corrected. There was ample opportunity for correction and it was not high-scoring. Should have been simple. I guess I was wrong. Someone was arguing that the match may have been wrestled differently by Ward and he still may have won had the score been correct. Possibly, but try wrestling overtime when one boy feels betrayed and the other has momentum. That had to be tough too. Sorry this happened to two fine wrestlers.

[DongerWrestle]

Funny thing how both the coach and the wrestler always seems to know when the scoreboard shows 1 point LESS than they're supposed to have. Also, I don't know many experienced officials who can't easily recount the scoring exchange of a 5-2 match. They are accustomed to going to the table to clarify scoring flurries. No flurry here. It was an entertaining match to watch, for sure. Hats off to Ward. He wrestled his butt off. Like so many others, I watched the match confident that the officials would fix the scoreboard. Even when a tie score was shown at the end of regulation, I really believed the match score would be corrected. There was ample opportunity for correction and it was not high-scoring. Should have been simple. I guess I was wrong. Someone was arguing that the match may have been wrestled differently by Ward and he still may have won had the score been correct. Possibly, but try wrestling overtime when one boy feels betrayed and the other has momentum. That had to be tough too. Sorry this happened to two fine wrestlers.

Saw where Cochran’s kid was mouthing Indy in Twitter. ChrisDaCock is a worthy twitter handle he chose!

[ringworm14]

I think this goes deeper than a wrestling match. I agree this should have been handled immediately by the coaches, officials, tournament director and the WVSSAC. Every adult associated with this situation has/had the duty and obligation to help and teach these young wrestlers how to become honest, hard- working and law abiding citizens as adults. The outcome of all decisions made by each and every person involved will be long lasting, but mainly for the children (wrestlers) involved. A coach is a teacher, even if not employed as one, but what if they are? If any of the coaches involved are teachers, they are/were on strike to stand up for what they believe is right…. Are our children learning from this strike? Absolutely they are. They are seeing their teachers not come to school to teach class due to lack of pay and better health benefits, but show up to coach a sport. I agree with the state tournament going on, but what lesson did our children learn? Sports are more important than class… Now, to the problem. If the Independence coach protested the score at the score table, then the Winfield coach knew about it. After watching the video, I believe the Winfield coach chose not to do the right thing. At that point in time, winning became the most important thing to him, not teaching the wrestler true integrity. The Puntnam County student Code of Conduct states:
•Students will demonstrate honesty and trustworthiness.
•Students will demonstrate fairness, play by the rules, and will not take advantage of others.
•Students will demonstrate good citizenship by obeying laws and rules, respecting authority, and by cooperating with others.
The children (wrestlers) are not to blame in anyway, but what did he/they learn? Win at all cost? Not to be honest or fair? Not to follow rules, regulations and/or laws? To follow improper teaching/coaching? How can a county school board require students to follow rules and regulations, but not require the same of the teachers/coaches? I believe that this coach/teacher should have to answer those questions… As should the officials, tournament directors, the WVSSAC and both county school boards. Will this example lead to an NCAA violation later in an athlete’s career or possibly breaking laws that would land them in jail or prison…? Only follow what benefits me? Integrity was shown in this matter by the Independence coach only! In my opinion, the Winfield coach shouldn’t be one any longer, this official shouldn’t be one any longer and the scorers at the table shouldn’t be one any longer. The WVSSAC will stand firm and possibly make some changes. If people are unwilling to do their jobs with integrity, honesty and to the best of their abilities teaching our children how to become honest, hard- working and law abiding citizens, then the people supervising these people need to take action and do the right thing!

As far as integrity goes, the winfield coach and his staff have about the same amount of integrity as Mitch Carmichael !
I'm sure they would all make good buddies!!

"Watch out for the ringworm!"
-Julius Caesar