This Retired Wrestling Coach is All In for Reinstating the All-Academy College Wrestling Tournament

I’d like to see this distinctive and significant tournament back on the books for 2023.

We are now entering another school term devastated by COVID-19. A major interruption in classroom learning has occurred, and school activities– from elementary through university–have suffered. Budgets for academics, activities, and athletics have been curbed, and some athletic programs in some colleges or universities have been eliminated. As the quaint reasoning goes, “it is to save money.” Even major sports, like football and basketball, have been affected in some way. These are dire times, indeed.

The tournament, sponsored by USAA, debuted in 1995 through the work of The Citadel’s Ken Shelton, in whose name the outstanding wrestler award is given. The coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point, Jack Effner, aided Coach Shelton in creating a tournament where institutions with strong military ties could come together and compete for team and individual honors.

Photo courtesy of The Open Mat

The eight institutions are The Air Force Academy, The Citadel, The Coast Guard Academy, The Merchant Marine Academy, The Naval Academy, Norwich Academy, The United States Military Academy at West Point, and Virginia Military Institute. Five of those schools are NCAA D-1 programs.

While all of these athletes are expected to perform in the classroom, the rigors differ from institution to institution. What sets the military academies apart is that cadets and midshipmen must do more than attend classes and athletic practices. Every midshipman or cadet is also required to participate in meal formation (3x a day) followed by marching to mandatory meals, execute guard duty (depending on what class the wrestler is in, it could be answering phones, delivering messages, performing room checks, walking a post, etc.), have inspections (daily, weekly, monthly, which include both room inspections and personal appearance inspections), perform tasks within company/squadron, participate in marching parades, and more.

Courtesy Navy Sports

I once attended a night dual meet with the Navy at George Mason University and learned that at least one Navy wrestler had had guard duty that morning at 5 a.m. That military requirement is one factor that favors the non-military student-athlete.

For seven years, Army’s Kevin Ward has talked with other academy coaches about altering the tournament format and changing the date. He met resistance from two other coaches and, in 2019, he sent his B squad to the tournament. In 2020, Army didn’t send a squad, which reflected Coach Ward’s frustration.

Then, because of COVID, the tournament was not held in 2021. With a new format and date, Coach Ward hopes that the tournament will again be on the schedules of all the academies.

While any coach should be allowed to offer advice concerning the schedule for their sport, athletic directors are ultimately responsible for a matter like this. And there are good reasons why this tournament should get their support. By re-establishing the All-Academy Wrestling Tournament with its eight-man bracket, the institutions will allow each wrestler to wrestle three matches after one weigh-in. Each D-1 wrestler also has the opportunity to wrestle two other D-1 wrestlers if he defeats a D-3 opponent. For their part, the D-3 wrestlers get a chance to compete against higher-level competition and, perhaps, win an All-Academy championship or at least place in the top three.

It seems to this retired wrestling coach that there isn’t a really good reason for not holding the All-Academy Tournament in 2023. Excuses may be found, but advantages for wrestlers and the academies abound. Let’s hope the institutions do the right thing with the support of all eight wrestling coaches.