LETTER: North and south

Ryan Anderson of Moapa Valley submitted a letter dated September 28, 2026, at 9:01 p.m., questioning the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s choice to host the 2A, 3A and girls state wrestling championships in Fallon for the third consecutive year. For decades, Nevada’s school‑wrestling tradition rotated the state tournament between northern and southern sites to promote fairness, a practice that has now been abandoned. Anderson notes that sending the championships to Fallon forces Southern Nevada wrestlers and their families to travel north again, imposing an unnecessary financial burden. He points out that Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite offered to host the event, citing the town’s ample facility capacity and the school’s two gymnasiums suitable for a large wrestling competition. Anderson argues that the NIAA’s preference for northern venues stems from cost considerations, as those locations provide facilities at little or no expense to the association. However, he contends that a “free” venue merely shifts costs onto families, who must absorb hundreds of dollars for gas, lodging, meals and lost wages. The letter also highlights what Anderson describes as a lack of fiscal foresight. He notes that the NIAA routinely posts six‑figure surpluses—$409,584 in 2022 and $123,596 in 2025—and asks where the budgeted installation funds from previous free‑venue years have gone. An organization committed to equity, he writes, should allocate those savings to offset venue costs in the south. Anderson concludes that state championships should unite Nevada’s athletes rather than repeatedly require half the state to shoulder the financial strain, urging the NIAA to cease prioritizing short‑term savings over fairness for Southern Nevada families.