Post by faded87t on Feb 26, 2024 22:04:04 GMT -5
As the post season dust begins to settle, it’s never too early for a little analysis and pontificating about the past, current and future state of VA wrestling. Studying the MS (12u & 14u) VAWA numbers from this past weekend may provide some insight into VISAA’s future.
As we all know, PVI has made the state tournament a 3 horse race. This is MUCH more entertaining than watching BCP and STC swap titles every year. Looking to the future, the sheer volume of the state’s top VAWA results suggests PVI’s resurgence is just beginning. Half of the top ten club teams (12u & 14u combined) from this weekend are within 30 minutes of the PVI campus with nearly 80% within an hour’s drive. PVI will remain awash with wrestling talent for the foreseeable future.
This was not always the case. Using 2015 VAWA numbers for comparison, barely 40% of the top ten teams were within an hour of PVI. There are likely many reasons behind the ever changing landscape of VA youth wrestling. But this doubling of performance in the NOVA region is no doubt in large part due to the innovative work of Tom Houck and his supporters. Unfortunately, Top of the Podium is no longer around, but the incredibly innovative and original ideas Tom had for youth wrestling was a quantitative success as born out in the numbers. I eagerly await his future endeavors developing a real professional wrestling league (CLAW) for our older wrestlers.
Another thing of note from this past weekend was the performance of what appears to be a large crop of freshmen for BCP next year. BCP associated wrestlers performed very well and a line of sight to a long runway of youth wrestlers is being cultivated by Mr. Yost and crew. Next year appears to be the first wave of BCP’s incoming young talent - stay tuned.
VISAA looks to be as heathy as ever with some exciting team races in the near future.
As we all know, PVI has made the state tournament a 3 horse race. This is MUCH more entertaining than watching BCP and STC swap titles every year. Looking to the future, the sheer volume of the state’s top VAWA results suggests PVI’s resurgence is just beginning. Half of the top ten club teams (12u & 14u combined) from this weekend are within 30 minutes of the PVI campus with nearly 80% within an hour’s drive. PVI will remain awash with wrestling talent for the foreseeable future.
This was not always the case. Using 2015 VAWA numbers for comparison, barely 40% of the top ten teams were within an hour of PVI. There are likely many reasons behind the ever changing landscape of VA youth wrestling. But this doubling of performance in the NOVA region is no doubt in large part due to the innovative work of Tom Houck and his supporters. Unfortunately, Top of the Podium is no longer around, but the incredibly innovative and original ideas Tom had for youth wrestling was a quantitative success as born out in the numbers. I eagerly await his future endeavors developing a real professional wrestling league (CLAW) for our older wrestlers.
Another thing of note from this past weekend was the performance of what appears to be a large crop of freshmen for BCP next year. BCP associated wrestlers performed very well and a line of sight to a long runway of youth wrestlers is being cultivated by Mr. Yost and crew. Next year appears to be the first wave of BCP’s incoming young talent - stay tuned.
VISAA looks to be as heathy as ever with some exciting team races in the near future.