There are so many opportunities now many kids are picking and choosing. I am a big freestyle supporter, but there are so many more folkstyle opportunities now than there used to be that many kids looking for a little extra have their fill now.

It used to be if you were a top end kid wanting some more after HS season you wrestled freestyle as your only other opportunity. There was also very little before HS season. Now you can go to Oklahoma and wrestle for a month, go to the Fall Brawl, preseason nationals, then HS season, then Brute Nationals. A few freestyle local tournaments and a camp or two, and most kids are done. The cadet and national duals, Southern Plains, Fargo etc are competing with a whole new set of competition for all those except the complete die hards. Money is an issue as well for many. Even though $450 is a awesome deal for Fargo. Many have only so much wrestling budget, and with all the other opportunities that money may be gone.

There is also the issue of time commitment. My son is as die hard as most. But here is how it's viewed in a 14-15 year olds mind. He wants to go to Fargo as his #1 priority, that takes a week camp before hand as well. In addition he got accepted to the OTC for a week before that for a once in a lifetime opportunity. So he is going to be gone wrestling the 5th-25th of July. He also wanted to wrestle in the cadet duals, but do be properly prepared for them he felt like he needed to compete in southern plains and do a training camp for that as well. That would mean he would be gone for the whole month of June as well. He is starting to have some other interests and want at least some of his summer. He loves wrestling but ultimately chose to focus on July and take a little break in June. Even during that break he wrestled in the state FS tourney, is practicing (some) and wrestling in Tongie's Thursday night folkstyle league (which is pretty cool). He still has some free time, gets a break and can look forward to July.

Sorry to ramble on but hopefully this provides some prospective. There are alot of kids that really love wrestle and put in a ton of extra time outside HS season, but still have to make choices with all the opportunities available. I completely support those competing in Southern Plains and the duals camps, teams. I wish Bo was wrestling in them, but we have chosen Fargo as the priority of the summer. It's just to the point for most you can't do it all.

Thanks for listening,

Mike Pursel