BLT,
I am speaking from memory from yesterdays data however, we always classify the heavyweights based on breaks in the weights sent in.

For example in the 8U there is a LtHWT which is actually 95# but we had one wrestler sent in at 96#'s. There is a big jump to the next closest wreslter so rather than have a 95# bracket we put the 96# wrestler together with the 95# so that the 96# wrestler would not have to give up a huge ammount of weight. We then grouped the remaining wrestlers accordingly.

I believe we did the same thing with the 14U's. I think we had one wrestler that was closer to 175# than to 205 which is the next weight class. We grouped that wrestler with the 175# wrestlers and called it LtHWT.

We actually had one wrestler in 14U by himself that was considerably heavier than all other wrestlers in 14U (I think 265?). We called his parents and they moved to the next age group to wrestle so that we would not have anyone too heavy in that weight class. He is a High School State placer and has been wrestling against upper classmen all year long. They were more than happy to move.

The heavyweight breakdowns are always the toughest decisions to make and we try our best to make the correct decisions. We made a number of phone calls yesterday to parents to discuss the tough issues with regard to the heavyweight classifications.

I have one son that faced these situations throughout his youth wrestling career and I fully appreciate your concern. Little Steven as we still call him did not like cutting weight so he wrestled wherever we put him. I think one year he weighed 220 and could have easily cut to 215 but decided to wrestle 250 and did well. He felt his speed was more important than weight.

I hope I answered your questions to your satisfaction. Of course I am giving you this information based on memory and if you wanted to contact me I could get the exact information for you.

Thank You

Steven