J's World

Wrestling fiasco

By Jeremiah Bartz

An island getaway in February is a dream for most Alaskans. Local wrestlers departed for an island this week, but it is not exactly what most people have in mind.

Rather than heading off to Aruba, Hawaii or Bora Bora, the local grapplers are going to Ketchikan. Thanks to the ASAA, Ketchikan won the right to host the annual 4A state wrestling tournament.

For what the local schools are spending, they might as well head down to Hawaii.

In fact, it might be

cheaper.

The hands of local athletic directors have been sore and their costs are inflated as they have been busy signing checks to cover the mass expenditure of sending their athletes to Ketchikan.

More than $20,000 will be spent by local schools in air fare alone.

While the schools stand to lose $20,000 the Alaska School Activities Association has been guarenteed a nice paycheck from Ketchikan. The ASAA will earn a cool $7,000 for simply approving the bid.

At least someone is going to make a little money.

It is like bizarro Robin Hood. Rob from the poor to benefit the rich.

Alaska Airlines can't be too broken up about this either. High schools in the Anchorage, Fairbanks, Mat-Su Valley and Kenai Peninsula areas will be spending nearly $70,000 in air fare to send athletes to Ketchikan.

Alaska Airlines is the only carrier that flies to Ketchikan.

Hosting a state tournament in Ketchikan is just generally a horrible idea. I have not seen an idea this bad since Disney made that talking dog movie.

The fact is, in the state of Alaska, a tournament of this magnitude should be held in a central location. At least on the road system.

Not only are the schools being robbed, but most of the parents of the athletes are being robbed of the opportunity to see their son in possibly the most important tournament of his season or even career.

According to Palmer head coach Brian Hooks, the parents of one of his wrestlers are spending nearly $1,500 to go see their son. Only few families can afford to plop down over a grand for a weekend flight to Ketchikan. Even if someone could afford the chance of securing a reservation even a week ago was about as likely Saddam Hussien becoming a United States citizen.

Something should have been done to prevent this. Once it was determined that travel costs could potentially break schools, the ASAA should have stepped in to arrange an alternate venue.

Hosting the state tournaments should be be the responsibility of the ASAA anyhow.