Manstedt shares updates with board on booming tourney
Former High Plains wrestling coach Norm Manstedt shared several updates with the HPC School Board Monday night regarding the always highly-anticipated HPC Wrestling Invite in early January.
Now re-named the Norm Manstedt Girls and Boys Wrestling Tournament, the three-day event is scheduled for Jan 9-11 and enters its 55th consecutive year.
“It just keeps growing,” Manstedt shared with the board. “We outgrew our gym here in Clarks, now we’ve outgrown Central Community College.”
For the first time, the HPC wrestling invite will move to the Columbus Field House, a new 260,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that offers sports and recreation, wellness, rehabilitative services and specialized sports performance services.
According to a layout design from Manstedt, the tournament will now be able to have eight mats up and running across the football field-sized floor, going from one 15-yard line to the other 15-yard line and to each out of bounds line horizontally.
Manstedt noted last year’s girls tournament, which has exploded since its start a few years ago, had 375 girls and will be well above 400 for this year.
The boys tournament will still be a two-day event but with the added mat space, it will now be able to do increased medals and team points, Manstedt shared.
According to Manstedt, the Fieldhouse comes out to a hefty $9,000 rental fee — $3,000 per day.
“It’s going to cost money,” he said. “Now, I want to be clear I’m not asking you guys for money. I’m going to get the money through sponsorships.”
Manstedt shared he already has several partnerships lined up with local Columbus businesses and added he’s confident he can reach an $18,000 goal.
Along with the rental, Manstedt also noted a $9,000 budget for officials, making the $18,000 total. Any remaining expenses will come from team entry and gate fees.
During the Principal Reports, elementary principal Bre Helgoth shared a terrific parent-teacher conference percentage with over 95 percent PK-6 parent attendance.
Secondary Principal Micah Fisher shared the numbers in Polk were down to 40 percent, but multiple members of the board mentioned how with online resources with the school, it’s easier for parents to keep tabs on their students throughout the year.
Fisher also mentioned HPC is expanding its career and technical education group, noting seven students out in the community doing job shadowing.
HPC Supt. Jason Brown also shared with the board an anonymous donation possibly ready for HPC to use for a track slab and runway to be built.
“A bidding process must be done in order to complete this,” he said.
In other action items, the HPC board approved:
* a bid from Carlson Construction for $7,256.95 to repair termite damage at the Clarks site;
* a Marzano trainer for staff professional development;
* Daniel Wagner’s certified staff resignation effective immediately.
The next HPC board meeting is scheduled for Nov. 11 at 6:30 p.m.