At the 2015 State Body Meeting it was announced that an Ad Hoc Committee would be formed to look at the current state series. Any individual that showed an interest was included in the committee. The Committee met five times over the next year and a half. During that time period two surveys were sent to the membership requesting input. The first survey had a low response rate and an effort to get more accurate email addresses from the membership was undertaken. A second survey was then sent out to the membership and a response rate of about 20% was returned.

On February 26 the Committee held a meeting in conjunction with the 6U/Elementary State Tournament in Salina. The purpose of the meeting was to make recommendations for the USAW-Kansas Executive Board to consider. Any recommendation adopted by the Executive Board must then be approved by the State Body at the annual meeting.

Those present at the Ad Hoc Committee Meeting were: Chad Beeson, Daniel Reiling, Doug Eck, Jeremy Sckavac, Jonathan Whisnant, Mark Stanley, Richard Salyer, Tracy Peterson, Will Cokeley, Matt Treaster, Zach Campbell, and James Bilby. Individual members came and went from the meeting as needed, and not all members were able to vote on each recommendation.

The committee determined the primary goal was to add growth to the sport and to increase participation in our state series. The committee then came up with a series of recommendations to be considered by the Board that would facilitate that growth. Below are those recommendations and the vote of the committee.

Recommendations:
1. Split the USAW-KS Kids State Tournament (10-2)
2. Age divisions of the first state tournament would be 6U/8U/10U (8-3)
3. Hold the first state tournament the week before high school regionals and the district qualifier for that tournament the week before that. (8-2)
4. Hold the second state tournament with 12U/14U/HS Division the second weekend of March with the district qualifier the first weekend in March (9-0-1)
5. Allow the top 6 placers at each district qualifier to advance to the corresponding state tournament. (9-0-1)
6. Keep District boundaries as currently in place. (9-0)

Matt Treaster
Folkstyle Director