It has been a wild few weeks for wrestling fans and coaches. What in early August was a side note at the NWCA's national convention quickly became a news story with constant changes to vital components of the proposal and full-scale resistance from some of the most high-profile coaches in the sport. There were accusations of intentional deception and heated discussions about what a change in format would mean for the long term economic viability of the sport at the national level.
The NWCA, an organization that has championed the cause, became a lightning rod for controversy. Members' correspondence with the NCAA were unintentionally leaked revealing what many coaches thought was proof that they were trying to mislead the public through manipulations of the truth. Statements made by NWCA executive director Mike Moyer and NWCA president Rob Koll last Thursday night signaled that the NWCA was going to pull support. Then on Friday night support was reinstated, contingent on the results of an online survey of coaches. That vote came back in support of the proposal by a single vote.
On the other side of the argument was Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson who used the power of social media to disseminate a very anti-duals agenda. The NWCA and Coach Sanderson have always had a tepid relationship, but the duals proposal seemed to turn that standing tolerance into a bucket on ice.
Northwestern University will be hosting a coaches convention in late October to discuss the proposal along with many other agenda items. The proposal, or any adaptation of the proposal, won't be up for another vote until next summer.
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