Missouri USA Wrestling

https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/21/Free-Coaches-Education-for-members

First, I would like to thank the MO Wrestling Community for hanging in there with us during these difficult times.

I know that you, our Membership, have wanted answers to many questions but most of all the answers concerning our USA Youth State Tournament. In the past week, there have been countless emails, phone conversations and conference calls within MOUSA, with our governing body USA Wrestling in Colorado Springs and State & Local Governments concerning the happenings around the COVID-19 Virus. These conversations have been about local, regional, national and international tournaments alike. The news in the near future is not good concerning the ability to host events, not only from a USA Wrestling standpoint but also from a National, State and Local Government standpoint.  

We (MOUSA) wanted our Membership to know, that we have looked at several avenues to be able to host and or reschedule our Youth State Event. Here are some of the things that we have looked at but unfortunately, this is not going to be able to happen for all of us this year. I do however want all of you to know that there was a tremendous amount of effort behind the scenes to make this still a possibility. I have listed several but not all of the avenues looked at below:

1. Rescheduling – This was the first thing that we looked into. The Hy-Vee Arena worked very well with us trying to work out a suitable date for our event.
2. We had conversations with Growrestling about collaborating with them at the Hy-Vee in Mid-April so that we could have our Youth State Tournament the same weekend that they had scheduled their FS/GR Event at the Hy-Vee Arena.
3. We looked into the Chaifetz Arena in St Louis but the City of St. Louis has implemented the same restrictions that KC has currently put in place.
4. We looked into Sedalia and the possibility of running split sessions by age group at the arena located at the State Fairgrounds. Today however, we received an email from the State Fairgrounds that stated all events currently scheduled events, have been cancelled through May.
5. The biggest blow happened however on a conference call with USA Wrestling. On the call, it was stated that any events scheduled within the timeframe of USA Wrestling's currently released timeframe will not be sanctioned. https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/16/USA-Wrestling-statement-on-sanctioned-and-national-events  Without the proper insurance we will not be able to move forward with our Youth State Tournament since no venue will accept a tournament of this type without proper insurance.

This decision was not the one that any of us wanted but when you look at the facts that most schools are closed and therefore clubs cannot practice, coupled with the limits that have been placed on social gatherings it has become very evident that we will not be able to set a makeup date with any certainty. I can't begin to tell you how disappointing this really is since MOUSA had recently purchased New Walkout Tunnels for the Finalist to run out of this year along with New Lights and Fog Machine we were ready to step up and make the finals pretty special for the kids this year.

Refunds:

MOUSA Wrestling will start the process of refunding each club their entries in full. It will then be up to each individual club to reach out and refund the individual. If you were an Unattached wrestler then you will be issued a refund individually.

Thank you,

Pat Ream

MOUSA Wrestling

State Chairperson

March 31, 2020 – With unanimous support of the USA Wrestling COVID-19 Advisory Committee, USA Wrestling has suspended all sanctioned events and national events through May 10.

This is an extension of a previous suspension of activities announced on March 16, which discontinued sanctioned events through April 6 and postponed or canceled national events through April 20.

For USA Wrestling, our number one priority is always the safety of our athletes and their families, all our members, our national staff and the entire U.S. wrestling community.

This decision aligns USA Wrestling with the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s guidance from March 16 that no gatherings of 50 or more people take place for the following eight weeks.

The USA Wrestling COVID-19 Advisory Committee includes Dr. Tom Price, a physician who is past U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and past member of Congress; Dr. Bernard Feldman, UWW Medical Commission member and Hall of Fame wrestling physician; and John Bardis, past U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, and a longtime USA Wrestling leader who has a successful career in the medical industry.

Also included on the COVID-19 Advisory Committee calls are USA Wrestling President Bruce Baumgartner, Executive Director Rich Bender and all of USA Wrestling’s staff directors, so they can communicate directly to their constituent groups.

In addition to the seven USA Wrestling National and Regional events postponed in March and April, three additional events have been postponed:
o Northeast Regional Championships, Manalapan, N.J. – May 1-3, 2020
o USA Wrestling Women’s National Championships, Irving, Texas – May 8-10, 2020
o U.S. Beach and Belt National Championships, Carolina Beach, N.C.– May 8-9, 2020

There are many things that USA Wrestling members can do in the short term. USA Wrestling has launched TheMat.tv, an expanded video portal, as well as a COVID-19 section on its website TheMat.com with other resources. Many state associations and clubs are having online practices. Many of USA Wrestling’s partner organizations are also providing programs and materials. In-home training, cross training and running are also great ideas as allowed by local government and health authorities.

USA Wrestling is monitoring this situation daily. Please understand that this situation is fluid, and there may be further changes to this and other USA Wrestling policies based on national and local government regulations and advice from medical experts, including the Center for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization, and USA Wrestling’s COVID-19 Advisory Committee. Additionally, USA Wrestling advises all of its members to refer to their state and local health agencies for guidance about the COVID-19 situation in their area.

USA Wrestling has been, and will continue to meet regularly with state leaders, National Team athletes and others to inform and support them, as well as receive their input.

USA Wrestling has pledged to increase its direct communication with its members moving forward, including opportunities to receive information directly from members of the COVID-19 Advisory Committee.

USA Wrestling is updating a page on its website solely devoted to COVID-19 at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/14/COVID-19-Special-Section. This page includes links to resources for the wrestling community, as well as lists of statements, press releases and articles that will update and educate all members about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Email flyers to: membership@missouriusawrestling.org

Coaches your Wrestling Leader Card must have a profile picture on it to be valid for the Missouri State Youth Series.  Coaches bands will not be issued if your card does not contain a photo of you.  Do not wait until the last minute, the submitted photo is reviewed by USA Wrestling and can be denied if photo is not approved.

The General Membership meeting is scheduled for 10/27/2019

Start Time; 1:00 pm

Meeting Location Address: 2601 S Providence Rd, Columbia, MO 65203