By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
Few things are certain each winter, but Hoisington's wrestling programs have become a guarantee at the state wrestling tournaments. The Lady Cardinals finished second at state a year ago, and the Cardinal boys had nine top-10 state finishes in 10 years prior to last season, including four state runner-up team finishes and a host of individual state champions and medalists.
With some changes coming to those programs for the 2022-23 winter season, two parents attended Monday's USD 431 Board of Education meeting to express concern.
Tisha Wikum, whose daughter Tally, finished second at state last year, worried that changes could impact the team's tradition.
"Hoisington is respected in the wrestling world," she said. "Everything is done right. People look to Hoisington if they want to improve their program. When the kids walk on the mat, they're taken seriously. It doesn't happen overnight, it's something that is built over time. I think the coaching staff really should be part of all the decision making, and make sure that it's very black and white that they're part of the decision making."
Bruce Ball, a wrestling coach and father to four wrestlers who have won a collective nine state titles and a handful of other state medals, attempted to speak at the June board meeting about the issue and was denied.
"I'd like to make a formal request that you guys go back to your previous policy you had where you allowed the public to speak," he told the board Monday. "I'd think you'd value input from the community, the teachers, the parents of the students, the coaches. I'd think you'd value that."
Ball expressed concern about the impact of splitting the boys' and girls' teams for the upcoming season, as well as safety and practical concerns of having just two coaches for each team. Like Wikum, he also spoke of the team's reputation around the state.
"We need to be looking ahead, trying to figure out which way we're going to move this wrestling program," Ball said. "Mr. (Dan) Schmidt has built it up tremendously. We've had great success, and I'd hate to see it just go down the tubes because we're making some poor decisions, in my mind."
The Cardinal varsity wrestling teams are scheduled to begin action in November.