Proposed ladies classes

[Eric Roussin]

I would support three tables if going to triple elimination, as long as they can be kept filled by the scorekeepers/scorekeeping system.

[Eric Roussin]

And only on the Sunday. Triple elimination should not be required for the youth division.

Two tables on Saturday, but an earlier start to the day.

[cleduc]

I'm excited some women weighed in on this discussion. 60/70/80/80+ seems fair to me... this way the super lights may not totally get left out.

[joanne124]

I believe that the women's classes at the National level should remain in line with WAF weight classes.  I have been in this sport for 28 years, with some absence at times, however I believe more discussion should be around how to get more women in the sport.  I believe everyone in the sport needs to become a spokesperson in their own community in order to generate more awareness and interest.  Instead of asking what weights classes ought to be dropped, better questions need to be asked. What do you believe will attract more women in this sport?  What can we individually do to promote our sport?  What would need to happen in order for everyone to take the challenge of finding one lady from their community and bringing her to the next tournament? The power of one!  Let's say we have 400 pullers in Canada, and 5% are able to bring one new female into the sport, that would be 20 new ladies.  What needs to happen in order to retain women in the sport?  The issue of the low number of women is not a new one, however trying to resolve the problem by eliminating classes will not grow the sport in the ladies categories.  If everyone becomes proactive and live in the solution rather than the problem, I believe a different outcome will occur. At the Nationals this year there were 6 ladies from Timmins that competed, 3 of which were new. It is with perseverance and continued effort on EVERYONE'S part that the number of women can grow.  Perhaps the CAWF would consider creating a committee to include one or two individuals from each Province who's mandate is to grow the number of women in arm wrestling. 
If we do what we've always done, we'll get what we've always gotten! Time to take a different approach perhaps....and ask different questions. 
Joanne Lachance

[chrisgobby]

This is about survival and efficiency not promoting growth. If a women or a man chose to NOT participate in this sport due to weight classes that don't cater to them.. They lack true passion, dignity and a true sport is better without them.

[aimee]

Wow, what a negative attitude! I am in agreement with Joanne on this one. I agree with Chantal (if the classes need to be cut) BUT and it's a big BUT...like everything in life, growth is key to survival. The sport will not survive for women if we decrease the opportunity to join. Chrisgobby, you stated that if a person choses NOT to participate because the weight classes don't 'cater to them' then they will find another sport...that my friend, is NOT survival (as your comment first stated)and is an oxymoron in it's truest form. Asking a featherweight to gain weight so they can participate is difficult, much more difficult than losing weight...now, let's make that featherweight a woman...THAT is insane - I'm not gaining weight for anyone, thank you! (a little comic relief with a flair of truth)

And how about representation with WAF? If you change the classes, Team Canada will be affected as a whole.

[brookedawn]

I beleive as a female competitor 60, 70, 80, 80+ are good weight classes. They dont have to much of a spand but still give competitors wiggle room. If we go changing the weight classes too much we are going to LOSE females not recruit them.

[chrisgobby]

Why would we lose female pullers due to minimizing classes? Do you think serious athletes contemplate leaving a sport or avoid joining due to compromised weight classes? Would a UFC athlete would start crying and quit sport due to weight classes? Serious athletes/people adapt to the sport, they don't ask the sport to adapt to them. I suppose the operative word is "serious" and "athlete". Some of these posts are laughable and demonstrate poor attitudes rather than poor organizational logistics.

[Ashley Maher]

I support the idea of the following classes;

60/70/80/80+

I would rather pull more girls in the class, rather than 1 or 2.

I also like the idea of starting earlier in the day Eric, no need to make the day longer than it has to be. I agree that we are all responsible in contributing to growing the sport in all categories. Exposing the sport, showing good sportsmanship, comradery are all important in getting new competitors to stay in the sport.

Newcomers need to understand that they will learn from losing before they start winning. They need to make friends in the sport early on and be given some direction on how to train and good styles.

[aimee]

Chrisgobby, again, why so mean and negative? To say that a professional athletic female is not 'serious' when an organization changes their classes is quite mean. If a sport starts with certain rules and regulations, classes and specifications, discussion with those involved is essential before changes are made, and this goes for any sport. We the women, and THIS IS the post regarding women's classes, have a right to voice our opinion, and thus far I've noticed we are all against changing to 2 classes and all agree a change would decrease the participation. We seem to also agree that we need to promote the sport to women. And none of us are crying, we were asked for our opinions and reasons for such and that is what we are doing. Your gender bias is insulting.
Some of the women pullers have been pulling for decades, and to change the classes now that they have been in the sport for such a long time is unjust to say the least. Let's use your example...if a flyweight UFC fighter all of a sudden lost his category, you seriously think he would just 'put on the weight' so as to fight against a heavier man or would he complain, or quit? Can you picture Demetrious Johnson going against Anthony Pettis or George St-Pierre going against Cain Velasquez? (which is what would happen if they were cut down to 2 classes) Please think before you comment on a personal level, and insult an entire gender of athletes who were asked for their opinion and are simply providing it.