The KHSAA is studying the format they want to use for the 2021 State Wrestling Tournament and is expected to decide next month whether to allow more wrestlers or more fans at the state tourney.
The biggest factor in the decision will be whether wrestlers will count against the capacity limits set by state COVID-19 guidelines. Currently, each region sends its top four finishers in each weight class to the state tourney. When you add in alternates, that comes out to 512 wrestlers for the two-day event. Commissioner Julian Tackett told the KHSAA Board of Control at its Thursday meeting that there will be no room for fans if 512 wrestlers advance to state this year.
Tackett said a change in the qualifying formula is one suggestion to meet the attendance limits.
Woodford County Superintendent of Schools and board of control member Scott Hawkins is not among those who want to limit fan attendance if that means limiting parent attendance.
Board of Control President Darrell Billings said the KHSAA is in the business of kids and competition and not the parents in saying he thinks the number of wrestlers competing at state shouldn’t be cut.
Taking just two wrestlers per region would be tough on Region 1, which is one of the most competitive in the state. Last year, five different weight classes had at least three wrestlers from Region 1 reach the medal podium at the state tournament. The 113-pound weight class alone had four wrestlers from the region finish in the top eight.
One suggestion mentioned was to split the single-class sport of wrestling into two classes for 2021 only and have two state meets so that the same number of wrestlers qualify for state. Tackett said that option was doable.
The 5,517-seat Alltech Arena in Lexington is the site of the state wrestling tournament. The arena is owned by the state and managed by the Kentucky Horse Park, which has also hosted the state cross country meet on its grounds. However, that state meet was moved to Paris because the horse park is not hosting events during the pandemic.
Tackett said the KHSAA is looking for a large high school facility to host this year’s state wrestling tournament.
As of now, region wrestling tournaments are scheduled for the week of March 15 with the state tournament the following weekend. There was some discussion about delaying the state tournament into April to allow for the chance at attendance restrictions to lighten. However, some board members felt it wasn’t safe to ask wrestlers to add a month to their time period of maintaining a strict weight.
