Friday, September 7, 2012

Wrestling: NJSIAA scrambling to find state venue

Lady Gaga is scheduled to perform on Saturday, March 2 in evening at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City -- a date that directly conflicts with what would be the second day of the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships.

Needless to say, this isn't exactly music to the ears of NJSIAA executive director Steve Timko and his organization. In a somewhat surprising move, it appears the home of the state tournament will shift to the IZOD Center in the Meadowlands for 2013 and perhaps beyond.

Timko declined comment on the situation when reached at his office on Friday, but did say there will be an executive meeting on Wednesday to discuss recent events that have caught most in the high school wrestling world off-guard.

"We are not commenting [on a venue for states] as we're still reviewing," Timko said. "No decision has been made at this point. We have to [address this] with our finance and executive committees. We're trying to come to a closure as quickly as we can."

The state's contract with Boardwalk Hall -- the tournament's home continuously since 2002 -- ended in 2012. Atlantic City has hosted all but two championships since 1992, when it moved from Jadwin Gym in Princeton following the '91 tournament. The new convention center across town hosted the event in 1999 -- an unmitigated disaster where large pillars obstructed most fan's view of all mats and drew a major outcry from paying customers, coaches, fans and media. It was a major embarrassment for the NJSIAA, something it desperately wants to avoid in this case.

After seven straight years in AC, it moved to the Meadowlands for 2000 and 2001 while renovations were being done to old Boardwalk Hall. It has been there ever since. The Meadowlands was a very popular venue with coaches, wrestlers, fans and media members.

Now it appears that the state bit off more than it can chew in this one. The feeling, according to several sources, was that the NJSIAA, which had sent bids out to possibles hosts, thought it had a major bargaining chip with Boardwalk Hall since it lost the Atlantic 10 men's basketball tournament. Apparently, the Hall thought differently and scheduled a big concert for the weekend of the state tournament.

Now, there's really only two options for the NJSIAA -- push the state tournament back a weekend if possible or move to the Meadowlands. No other venue in New Jersey could host a tournament of this size without sacrificing seating or having sufficient space for eight mats or both.

"I think it's a done deal that it's going to come up north," said first-year High Point athletic director Todd Van Orden, who moved from his post at Wallkill Valley at the end of the last school year. "It's just my hunch."

It seems the move a potential won't be a popular with fans who love going down to AC. I've heard some of the complaints -- it's tradition, there won't be anything to do for fans. I say this, AC is no place for student athletes and I've addressed this with Timko in the past. Not to mention the outrageous prices for lodging on the Boardwalk. A lot of the people that want it to stay where it is, love to gamble and have a good time in AC.

The Meadowlands is a perfect host and New York City is a stone's throw away. Hop on a bus or train and the world is your oyster in a few short minutes. I'm hoping it returns to the IZOD, which has sat there like somewhat of a white elephant since the Nets and Devils left town. Stay tuned.

Region 1 staying at Wallkill Valley


Van Orden said that regulations for the Region Tournaments have not been formally sent out -- not totally uncommon this late in the game. However, several sources have said that there will be no change in venue for Region 1 as has been rumored in recent years.

That's good news for many in these parts. Van Orden was a big proponent of keeping it when he was at Wallkill Valley and says that new AD Daryl Jones and his staff will continue what has always been a first-class operation.

The state receives a fat check every year from Region 1 -- the state's top moneymaker -- and that will certainly squash any other schools from scooping it up, try as they might.

"I'm 99.9 percent sure it will be back at Wallkill," Van Orden said.

Timko did confirm that a movement is in place for the district tournaments to be independently run and funded by the 32 host sites this season. After visiting with "about 20 of them" during the summer, he feels this will somewhat ease the financial burden the state has been under the last several years.

Full wrestlebacks for state wrestling

Also on Wednesday's agenda was to be finalizing plans to have full wrestlebacks for the state tournament this season, wherever it might be held. In the past, only first-round winners advanced -- leaving 112 wrestlers in a one-and-done scenario that first night.

"It's part of the discussion. We're trying to figure out the cost factor and the logistics," Timko said. "In my 12 years here it's come up several different times. It is an opportunity for 112 wrestlers to compete."

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