Poss. relocating to tri-cities, any middle school wrestling programs? (Johnson City: low crime, houses)

[phonemommy]

We are looking into possibly relocating to the tri-cities area. My DH works for the Dept. of Vet. Affairs police dept. in NE Ohio. He has applied for a position at the Mountain Home VA facility in Johnson City. We have 2 children (son (13) 8TH grade and daughter (11) 6TH grade). My son plays football and is also a wrestler. He has wrestled since 4th grade up here. My daughter plays in a youth volleyball program and has been a cheerleader since 2nd grade.

My biggest concern in moving is, of course, my children. They are in an excellent school system here. They are involved in several activities and sports programs. In looking at school systems on the web, I was not able to find a middle school that offers wrestling. Is there one in the area? Do high schools have wrestling teams? My first concern is the academic end of their education but I would like to find one that offers sports that my kids enjoy also. My son despises school, and sports at least keep him somewhat motivated to go to school.

My brother moved to Erwin about 2 years ago and loves it. I'm not sure that me and my kids would enjoy that small of a community, my husband would but he will be happy anywhere, just to get out of Ohio. We visited there last week and during our 4 days there I only saw a handful of kids out and about. I am somewhat leaning towards the Gray area. It seems to be somewhat more on the move with building going on and more activity in the area. It's hard though to come into an area for just a few days and get a true picture of a community. We live now in a rural/suburban area (Where I have lived for 34 of the 44 years of my life). It is a very nice town. Very, very low crime rate, no gangs (except for maybe some wanna be gangs), amish and mennonite community with also middle to upper middle class families. Would like to find something comparable.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions, tips or hints that any of you could give me on the surrounding areas. This is a huge change in our lives and I would just like to be as informed as possible. My kids, of course, are very upset with us for even considering this but it is a good career move/upgrade for my husband and I think it will broaden my children's horizon to experience other places. As I'm sure most teens/tweens would feel though, they believe we are destroying their lives. If anyone has kids that they uprooted and moved to a different state in middle school years, I would love to hear your experience.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you may be able to give me.

[campergirl]

I understand your worry/concern about your kids adjustment to a move. Four years ago I was beating myself up asking the same questions. We had the opportunity to move from the West Suburbs of St. Louis County.. great upper middle class neighborhood.. incredible schools... to the area due to a job offer my dh received. He had been working out of town 100% of the time and we saw him 10 days of the month maximum. So, it was a really great opportunity to get him off the road. At the time, my main concern was for my son who would be starting his freshman year in High School. I seriously thought a move might "ruin him for life." Secondly, I was concerned for my daughter who would be entering 6th grade. My youngest was 2, so I knew she would do just fine. Me... I was reluctant to leave all of my friends and family and a town I had lived in all my life to move 600 miles over to Tennessee.
Well.. the move ended up being the best thing I could have done for my son who was entering 9th grade. He has done very very well. He is just entering college. My daughter is starting 10th grade and is very happy here. She enjoys the small size of the middle school and high school here compared to the schools back in St. Louis. My baby is starting kindergarten.

All in all they had no problems adjusting to life here. Only downside is that they have no extended family here. Its just us. My hubby really enjoys his job here alot.
I often ask the kids if they wish they were back in St. Louis and their response is always no.

I spent my 1st year here in a state of depression. Missing family and friends and all the old familiar things. It has gotten better though. The beauty of the area...the mountains.. the lakes... the parks... and the people... have captured my heart.

My kids benefited from the move. They said that their classmates were much nicer here than back in St. Louis.

We flew here, spent one day looking at houses, and flew back home the next. The realtor was very pro Bristol. So, we landed in Bristol, TN. I know, from reading this group, that Bristol is somewhat looked down on by some. We have been happy here. I love the beauty of our neighborhood. I love being so close to exit 7 for shopping and dining. I love being a short drive from South Holston Lake. Had we had more time to explore different areas before moving.. had I seen this group prior to moving.. we may have made a different choice in which area we bought a home in. I really dont know. However, Bristol has proven to be a really good place to live for our family.

Good Luck with your choice.

[kamoshika]

Johnson City's Science Hill HS (grades 8-12) has a strong wrestling program. There's also a newly organized Johnson City Wrestling Club. Daniel Boone HS in Gray also has a wrestling program but I don't think they're nearly as good as Science Hill.

In Kingsport, Dobyns-Bennett HS has a very solid program as well. AAU wrestling is gaining popularity in this area; Kingsport hosted the AAU Wrestling National Elementary Duals this spring. Colonial Heights near Kingsport also has an AAU wrestling club.

Some area wrestling links you might find informative:

Welcome to Science Hill High School Hilltopper Wrestling

2008 Topper Wrestling

JC Wrestling Club

Dobyns-Bennett Wrestling

Local AAU Wrestling Team Does Well In Pigeon Forge Middle School Duals

[phonemommy]

Thank you both for the posts. I am new to this type of discussion board but I am so thankful that I found it. I have been lurking here for awhile trying to read all the previous posts on the area. Finally decided to post today.

campergirl.. your post definitely helped send a sense of relief through me. It's always easier to do something when you can talk to someone who has previously encountered your same situation. Thank you.

kamoshika.. thank you for the links, I am definitely going to take some time and look through the links on wrestling. I actually toured Science Hill HS while we were in the area. It looked like a very nice school but it is SO much bigger than the school my kids are currently in. There are approximately 200-250 students per grade where they are enrolled now. SHHS looked like it would be Considerably larger than that. I will definitely check out the links. Thanks again.

If anyone can give me any more info on Gray or any other surrounding areas of the VA center, I would really appreciate it. I really just want to find a good school, friendly kids and a decent place to raise our family.

[mbmouse]

Hello, welcome to the forum.
I moved to Gray ( 3 years ago from elsewhere in the Tri-Cities, but moved to NE TN 11 years ago from FL.) with two school age boys. My oldest just started 11th grade and my youngest will start 8th grade on the 25th (the new schools isn't quite finished yet). We love it here. I love the schools. My oldest is in track so I really don't know anything about the wrestling program, sorry.
I will note, there are two "areas" of Gray with it's own schools. As far as zip codes go, both the area off and around exit 13 and the Boone's Creek area east of exit 11 (they changed the numbers recently, I think it is 11 hahahhahaha) off of 26 are all Gray. However the locals call the Northern part (off exit 13) Gray and the south east area of Gray Boone's Creek area. The kids to the north go to either Gray school or the new Ridgeview School for elementary and Daniel Boone for High School. The ones to the S.E. go to Boone's Creek Elementary and Science Hill for High. Confused yet? hahahahhaha Sorry, just trying to help explain the school zones, but don't think I am doing it very clearly.
All that being said, We are in the northern part and we really like it. The schools are great and I like that they are much smaller than the city schools. Smaller meaning class sizes, not necessarily lacking in anything.
Here are some links to the schools in Gray that are county schools
Ridgeview Elementary - Home

Gray Elementary - Home

Daniel Boone High School - DBHS Home

Hope that helps.

[phonemommy]

My son is also in track. He participated in 7th grade. 100m dash, long jump and pole vaulting. He really enjoyed it, especially the lj and pv. Do they do pole vaulting in 8th grade down there? He also likes to play baseball but hasn't been on a school team for a few years. Played for a youth program though last summer. He is also a skateboarder, plays electric guitar and is a very gifted artist. He hates school though. I think it's that artsy side of him that makes the academic side of things difficult for him.

We actually were looking in three different areas. Erwin, Gray and Colonial Heights. As I said earlier, I'm not sure there is enough going on in Erwin for me, lovely community but just a tad to small and not close enough to other things. Colonial Heights seemed liked a nice area but I was told by someone who lives in your area that Colonial Heights Middle School is very clickish and it's really hard for outsiders when they come in to the school. Of course, I don't know if that's true but that's what I was told. I actually have not heard anything negative about Gray and it seems like a nice place. At least, what I got to see of it.

Any other "insider secrets" about the area would be great!!

[mbmouse]

No, they don't do pole vaulting until High School here but do have long jump and high jump. I don't have inside info on the Colonial Heights Middle school, but it is a nice area, Warriors Path State park with the lake is there. Nice housing areas too.

[phonemommy]

Thanks for the info on the track situation.

mb... having lived there for as long as you have and knowing about the area now, if you were just moving there... what area would you move to?

[mbmouse]

To right where I am now. Gray. (the north side off exit 13)