Originally Posted By: in it to win it
Same here on the discussion for Sunday. Where are the Proponents for supporting the 6 & U state? Are we attempting to eliminate Ottawa's 6 & U State stronghold?

Altogether this should be within the Novice umbrella as these wrestlers are Novice falling into < 2 years of experience. Then again our low wt's in 8 and under (4o# or so) when the class's top weight is 125#. I would be interested in knowng how many 7 & 8 year olds truly weigh 40 lbs and is this class filled primarily of 6 & U's?


Let me be the first but I am guessing there are over 2,000 others who are right behind me. First off I really don't want to make this about Ottawa. Rick has done a fine job running an unofficial but sanctioned event. However, that event in itself became problematic. The brackets were too big, the travel was lengthy, and it is too late in the season.

The proposal is to have District tournaments conducted on the Sunday after HS regionals. The top four from the four districts will qualify for state in Salina the following weekend which is the Sunday after 4A State. This will be a USAWKS Kansas Kids State Tournament. The qualifying will be standardized and the age division will be defined just as the other recognized groups who will be wrestling later in March. This will end the season for 6U wrestlers in February. It will limit the brackets to 16. The event will be in a large arena instead of a high school. The awards and brackets will be the same as the other age divisions wrestled in Topeka. The drive will be four hours or less for ANYONE who lives in Kansas. It will end at a decent hour allowing these kids to be home and in bed for school the next day.

The 6U group CANNOT be added to the existing event. The existing event is already too large for the arena and city it is held in. (We run out of quality hotel rooms every year, wrestling on partial mats for 8U, 10U, and 12U is just not good!) The Pros FAR outweigh the cons.

I hope that everyone will JUST SAY YES and make this happen for the 2,000 plus 6U wrestlers we have buying USA Wrestling Cards. I don't have a 6U wrestler but I will be there to help and see the smiles on their faces!
_________________________
Will Cokeley
(708)267-6615
willcokeley@gmail.com

i second that

If this passes do not add another weekend date - I already go to about 16 to 20 tournaments during a folkstyle season - that is between Novice and Open tournaments. I will still vote NO either way - from a district and state viewpoint on the importance of having a 6 and under state tournament.

Nobody is forcing any club or parent to participate in this or any tournament. Our club and individual members do not attend some tournaments during the season. Some of those tournaments would be ones that other clubs/parents would consider sacrilege to miss. As I have said before, never rely on the state rules to do what is best for your club or club members! If you feel your club or it's members are better served by not attending a qualifer then by all means, don't. That would include wrestlers of any age as far as I'm concerned, not just the 6U crowd.

Why kids ditch youth sports
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1. Print this page
"Fun" is a key element of good youth sports programs
Kids join youth sports programs in droves -- and drop out in droves. Twenty million to 30 million 6- to 18-year-olds participate in youth sports programs, but around 80 percent opt out by the age of 12.
Coaching and the "fun factor" contribute to this attrition rate, say Indiana University coaching experts. Kids join such programs largely to have fun -- and they drop out when it's no longer fun. Pressure and competition need to take a back seat to the development of fundamental skills and enjoyment.
"In this country, we often use a 'warm body approach' in youth sport coaching," said David Gallahue, dean of IU Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and co-author of Understanding Motor Development: Infants, Children, Adolescents, Adults (McGraw Hill, 2006).
In other words schools and recreation programs in the U.S. frequently resort to taking what they can get, often turning to well intentioned but ill prepared parents with little or no coaching experience to work with young athletes. Countries such as Canada, Australia and Great Britain require youth coaches to have certain levels of certification. If no certified coaches are available, no teams are created.
Coaches and parents should take as much pressure off of the kids as possible, because undue pressure can drive young athletes away from the sport prematurely.
"Parents and coaches should not attempt to live out their own fantasies and shortcomings through their children," said track and field expert Phillip Henson, who helps coordinate the coaching minor degree program in HPER's Department of Kinesiology. "The primary purpose of youth sports is to have fun."
Gallahue, who has advised USA Gymnastics and U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association on coaching education, and Henson, who directed the field events at the 1996 Olympic Games, offered the following suggestions to parents and coaches:
• Parents should look for the narrowest age range possible, with two-year spans being preferable. Kids who are closer in age get along better. They have similar physical, social and cognitive development levels, although their skill levels could vary widely.
• Very few sports require athletes to specialize before the age of 10 to be really good. For sports such as gymnastics, figure skating, diving and alpine skiing, early specialization may be a plus. Just about everything else requires no such early specialization, Gallahue said.
• The primary focus in youth sports should be on developing skills, not just on competition. Children do not automatically acquire basic skills such as swimming, throwing, bouncing and balancing -- skills that can lead to more specific sport skills, such as throwing a baseball or dribbling a basketball, Gallahue said. They need the time and space to practice, as well as quality instruction and positive encouragement. The bulk of youth sports, even at the middle school and high school levels, should focus on developing skill and tactics, he said, with a growing proportion of the time devoted to actual competition. In the early years, for example, 80 to 90 percent of the practice time should be devoted to skill development, with this decreasing to 40 to 60 percent in the later years.
• Helping children find success is key to making youth sports fun. Parents and coaches should help kids set realistic goals -- such as achieving a personal best -- that do not hinge on winning or losing a match.
• Children should not be treated like miniature adults.
• Attempt to take as much pressure off of the children as possible. This includes pressure to win, or to "be the best." Value needs to be placed on the needs of the children not the performance.
• New coaches can find coaching resources at Human Kinetics (http://www.humankinetics.com/), a publisher of sports and physical activity media.

How to Decrease the Dropout Rate in Youth Sports
By Caroline Carter, eHow Contributor
updated: May 6, 2010

Getting kids to stay in sports.
The National Alliance for Youth Sports states that of the roughly 40 million boys and girls playing sports in America, approximately 75 percent will drop out by the time they are 13. According to a University of Maryland critical survey on youth and sports in America, every year the attrition rate is 35 percent, and by the age of 11 most of the better players will get channeled off to select travel team opportunities. Other players drift to different interests as they approach adolescence. Bad experiences also contribute to kids dropping out of sports, but there are a few things parents and coaches can do to keep kids interested in youth sports.
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions
1. 1

Focus on fun.
Take away the focus on winning and replace it with skill development and fun. Cut down on the amount of games and tournaments played. Set adult expectations aside and figure out what it is that the children need from playing organized sports, and then start serving those needs. Seek out low-cost, no-travel house league programs.
2. 2

Seek professional assistance from those who can help you make a difference in your community.
Access professionals who can help you set up action committees in your area. For help, look up helpful websites like Bobbigelow.com (see Resources). Bigelow is a former NBA player who helps communities restructure their sports programs. He believes that the current focus on adult sports models for kids is not in kids' best interests, and he is a proponent of learning new skills, participation, fun and properly managed competition.
3. 3

Change up your kids' play.
Decrease the grueling hours committed to the sport. Limit the burnout factor for young players by encouraging other interests, whether it be in other sports, music or art. When the time devoted to your kids' sports starts to interfere with them just being kids, pull back the reigns a bit and let them enjoy simply playing in the driveway with friends. Kids can pick up a lot about sports by creatively playing on their own or with friends, unencumbered and with no coaching


Read more: How to Decrease the Dropout Rate in Youth Sports | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6163082_decrease-dropout-rate-youth-sports.html#ixzz12EtwZBMv

How many other sports (baseball, softball, soccer, etc.,) in Kansas have a 6 & under state tournament? I do not know. Also how long of a season do these other 6 & under sports last?

Why kids ditch youth sports
• Email
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Newsfeeds
• StumbleUpon
• Delicious
1. Print this page
"Fun" is a key element of good youth sports programs
Kids join youth sports programs in droves -- and drop out in droves. Twenty million to 30 million 6- to 18-year-olds participate in youth sports programs, but around 80 percent opt out by the age of 12.
Coaching and the "fun factor" contribute to this attrition rate, say Indiana University coaching experts. Kids join such programs largely to have fun -- and they drop out when it's no longer fun. Pressure and competition need to take a back seat to the development of fundamental skills and enjoyment.
"In this country, we often use a 'warm body approach' in youth sport coaching," said David Gallahue, dean of IU Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and co-author of Understanding Motor Development: Infants, Children, Adolescents, Adults (McGraw Hill, 2006).
In other words schools and recreation programs in the U.S. frequently resort to taking what they can get, often turning to well intentioned but ill prepared parents with little or no coaching experience to work with young athletes. Countries such as Canada, Australia and Great Britain require youth coaches to have certain levels of certification. If no certified coaches are available, no teams are created.
Coaches and parents should take as much pressure off of the kids as possible, because undue pressure can drive young athletes away from the sport prematurely.
"Parents and coaches should not attempt to live out their own fantasies and shortcomings through their children," said track and field expert Phillip Henson, who helps coordinate the coaching minor degree program in HPER's Department of Kinesiology. "The primary purpose of youth sports is to have fun."
Gallahue, who has advised USA Gymnastics and U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association on coaching education, and Henson, who directed the field events at the 1996 Olympic Games, offered the following suggestions to parents and coaches:
• Parents should look for the narrowest age range possible, with two-year spans being preferable. Kids who are closer in age get along better. They have similar physical, social and cognitive development levels, although their skill levels could vary widely.
• Very few sports require athletes to specialize before the age of 10 to be really good. For sports such as gymnastics, figure skating, diving and alpine skiing, early specialization may be a plus. Just about everything else requires no such early specialization, Gallahue said.
• The primary focus in youth sports should be on developing skills, not just on competition. Children do not automatically acquire basic skills such as swimming, throwing, bouncing and balancing -- skills that can lead to more specific sport skills, such as throwing a baseball or dribbling a basketball, Gallahue said. They need the time and space to practice, as well as quality instruction and positive encouragement. The bulk of youth sports, even at the middle school and high school levels, should focus on developing skill and tactics, he said, with a growing proportion of the time devoted to actual competition. In the early years, for example, 80 to 90 percent of the practice time should be devoted to skill development, with this decreasing to 40 to 60 percent in the later years.
• Helping children find success is key to making youth sports fun. Parents and coaches should help kids set realistic goals -- such as achieving a personal best -- that do not hinge on winning or losing a match.
• Children should not be treated like miniature adults.
• Attempt to take as much pressure off of the children as possible. This includes pressure to win, or to "be the best." Value needs to be placed on the needs of the children not the performance.
• New coaches can find coaching resources at Human Kinetics (http://www.humankinetics.com/), a publisher of sports and physical activity media.

How to Decrease the Dropout Rate in Youth Sports
By Caroline Carter, eHow Contributor
updated: May 6, 2010

Getting kids to stay in sports.
The National Alliance for Youth Sports states that of the roughly 40 million boys and girls playing sports in America, approximately 75 percent will drop out by the time they are 13. According to a University of Maryland critical survey on youth and sports in America, every year the attrition rate is 35 percent, and by the age of 11 most of the better players will get channeled off to select travel team opportunities. Other players drift to different interests as they approach adolescence. Bad experiences also contribute to kids dropping out of sports, but there are a few things parents and coaches can do to keep kids interested in youth sports.
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions
1. 1

Focus on fun.
Take away the focus on winning and replace it with skill development and fun. Cut down on the amount of games and tournaments played. Set adult expectations aside and figure out what it is that the children need from playing organized sports, and then start serving those needs. Seek out low-cost, no-travel house league programs.
2. 2

Seek professional assistance from those who can help you make a difference in your community.
Access professionals who can help you set up action committees in your area. For help, look up helpful websites like Bobbigelow.com (see Resources). Bigelow is a former NBA player who helps communities restructure their sports programs. He believes that the current focus on adult sports models for kids is not in kids' best interests, and he is a proponent of learning new skills, participation, fun and properly managed competition.
3. 3

Change up your kids' play.
Decrease the grueling hours committed to the sport. Limit the burnout factor for young players by encouraging other interests, whether it be in other sports, music or art. When the time devoted to your kids' sports starts to interfere with them just being kids, pull back the reigns a bit and let them enjoy simply playing in the driveway with friends. Kids can pick up a lot about sports by creatively playing on their own or with friends, unencumbered and with no coaching


Read more: How to Decrease the Dropout Rate in Youth Sports | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_6163082_decrease-dropout-rate-youth-sports.html#ixzz12EtwZBMv

Sean, you are starting to sound like One Big A. Mistake America. It is an OPPORTUNITY, not a mandate. This would make the 6U season basically 8 weeks in Kansas. Why would you DENY an opportunity to 2,000 plus wrestlers who paid their $35? No one is saying, ALL 6U WRESTLERS MUST GO TO DISTRICTS AND STATE. It is a choice. Sport0 and I TOTALLY agree.

I just got a bad taste in my mouth!

From one Big W to another,

I would not keep throwing out the 2,000 number. What percentage of that number went to Ottawa and what percentage decided not to go. How big of a tournament would each district be? We do have a percent or number of parents in that 6 & under division that are not in favor of a 6 year old state tournament. That age group (6 & under) is probably the largest particpation number in every sport acrossed the nation. I know every sport acrossed the nation does not have a state championship for six year olds and I also know some states do offer such opportunities. Attrition weeds them out and then they begin to learn the sport or activity of choice and wait their turn to go to the big dance.

Good healthy discussion - I hope the district and state meeting have a time limit and they vote - No or Yes.

Sean,

If we vote yes and try this proposal out for one year I will be able to provide you with numbers and answers to all of your questions.

Why can't I use the 2,085 number? It is a FACT. 2,085 parents with wrestlers in the 6U age group forked over $35 for each wrestler last year. That is $72,975 dollars. We used that number so why can't I use the 2,085 number?

What harm do you think this proposal will have on Kansas Kids Wrestling? How will it negatively impact where we are today? How will voting no promote growth in our sport?

Nebraska accomodates the younger wrestlers:

http://www.nebraskausawrestling.org/state_folkstyletourn.htm

Oklahoma accomodates the 6U's too:

DIVISION I (6 & under): 37,40,43,46,49,52,55,60,66,Hwt.

DIVISION II (8 & under): 43,46,49,52,55,58,61,64,67,70,75,83,90,105,Hwt.

DIVISION III (10& under):52,55,58,61,64,67,70,73,76,80,85,90,100,110,120,131,Hwt

DIVISION IV (12 & under): 64,67,70,73,76,80,84,88,92,96,100,105,110,120,130,140,160,Hwt.

DIVISION V (15 & under): 78,86,94,102,110,118,126,134,142,152,165,185,Hwt (Max. 275).

http://okseries.com/youth/flyers10/okwastatetournament2010.htm

Oklahoma ends their kids series in mid-February.

As well as having an OFFICIAL Novice State Tournament as well.

Missouri has 6U State and Rookie State OFFICIAL events:

http://missouriusawrestling.org/09-10/Results/6U-Rookie/BracketMain.htm

Is there any club director reading these forums who hasn't made up their mind one way or another on how they intend to vote?

I am for this proposal. The 6&U kids are wrestling competitively already so lets cut down the size of the brackets and split the tournament over two weekends earlier in the season. Yes it does make it harder for coaches and club directors. Like Smokeycabin posted earlier some of us already go to 16-20 tournaments already but if adding a couple more shortens the season for the younger wrestlers in the state and gives them the same reward as their older counterparts I don't see a big issue.
Most of the posts against this are focused on how negative competitive sports are on the young children. They are already wreslting competitively and some up in age. If we don't change this by cutting the bracket size down and splitting the tournament over two weekends then aren't we part of the problem? If we continue to let these kids wrestle up in age aren't we pushing them into more competitive situations?

Sorry I forgot to post my name with my post

Andrew Steele
ford69f100@yahoo.com

I admire the States & National tournaments that have 6 & U with relative weights i.e. 9-10 wt. classes. Will, keep in mind you were in the vicinity of 18 or 19 wt. classes including 80 wrestlers that are 5 & 6 years old weighing 80 lbs and up! Can we not look at the other state wt. classifications and take some wisdom?

As proposed it appears that no other clubs are able to "bid" for 6 & U State as you have reserved Salina already. HMMMMM. Yes, centrally located but what about Hutchinson? Ft. Hays State University (to even things out a little since they have to drive to Topeka) or even Wichita?

Keep in mind when you throw the season picture --OK Wrestling (they've already had 2 weekends of tournaments & end a bit earlier) and MO starts first part of December & ends around nearly the same as KS.

How will you not know that the 6 & U's that want to wrestle a little bit more don't jump up into the lower wt's of the 8 & U's after season to see what they can do when they'll be in the 7 & 8 y.o. group the next season. The clubs that host tourn's after the 6 & U series are going to of course lose revenue, consequently the ultimate aim/motive is moving the entire Kids State series before Spring Break.

We do realize parents have to purchase the USA cards in order for the children to practice (liability wise). So, we're giving a 2,000+ number out there. How many children actually attend without missing each practice and finish the entire season as it is?

Yes, I am supportive of a 6 & U series but ONLY @ the NOVICE level.. The pressure of seeding and the competitive drama is way too stressful (as documented in multiple thesis/dissertations/studies and data).

*I would also like that whenever anyone cites my remarks not to take it out of context but use the quotations.

I would recommend that there is NO SEEDING this year. Salina is convenient for an inaugural tournament for a couple of reasons. First, a club will not be hosting this event, the USAWKS State Tournament Committee will be doing so. The 4A State tournament is the day before so we will have mats available. The arena is cost effective. If the series is successful then we can put the event up for bids in the future. Availability and convenience are critical issues when you are looking at a limited time to prepare.

6U's will undoubtedly jump to the 8U group in some open tournaments after this event. That will be at the discretion of the tournament director. They will NOT be allowed to participate in the 8U USAWKS State Tournament Series, by rule.

Rictoria, if you can provide me with a method to accurately collect practice attendance data I will jump all over that. I do know that if EVERY tournament would utilize trackwrestling I would have more data to work with.

There may be brackets in the District qualifiers that are larger than we would like. I would not be as concerned about the qualifier as the attendees will be geographically closer to their homes because it is a district event. We could entertaining capping each weight class at 32. Again, this is a proposal to improve. It will have wrinkles that need to be ironed out. The more support we have the more success we will achieve!

These are the age & weights that USA Wrestling our National Governing Body used for Folk Style Nationals in the Spring of 2010 - in Cedar Falls Iowa. That is a fact - so lets stick to the facts on this topic please. I do believe the youngest competitor was 7 years old. There were no 4, 5 or 6 year olds allowed last year or any of the previous years.
And guess what 6 & unders nationwide - a portion of the card fees go to the Colorado Springs Headquarters and the Olympic Training Center.

I maybe out of touch and outdated in Kansas on this wrestling issue - but I am in touch with our national organization. Someone tell me the difference between wrestling in Cedar Falls, Iowa vs Anytown, Kansas - age groups and weights.

Divisions


Bantam: (Born 2002-2003) 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 75+ [15 LB Maximum Difference] (7 & 8 year olds)

Championship Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:00, 1:00
Consolation Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:00, 1:00

Intermediate: (Born 2000-2001) 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 87, 95, 103, 112, 120, 120+ [20 LB Maximum Difference]

Championship Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:00, 1:00
Consolation Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:00, 1:00

Novice: (Born 1998-1999) 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 112, 120, 130, 140, 140+ [25 LB Maximum Difference]

Championship Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:30, 1:30
Consolation Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:00, 1:00

Schoolboy/girl: (Born 1996-1997) 70, 77, 84, 91, 98, 105, 112, 120, 128, 136, 144, 152, 160, 175, 190, 210, 265

Championship Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:30, 1:30
Consolation Bracket Periods 1:00, 1:00, 1:00

Cadet (Born 1994-1995) 84, 91, 98, 105, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215, 285

Championship Bracket Periods 2:00, 2:00, 2:00
Consolation Bracket Periods 1:00, 2:00, 2:00

Junior (Born September 1, 1990 & after, plus enrolled in Grades 9-12) 98, 105, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215, 285

I would never let that be my point of argument! It can only hurt your cause.

Smoke,

The difference is simple. Anytown has 6U division in their open and novice tournaments every weekend. Waterloo has over 2,000 wrestlers without including them. They will be trying to figure out how to accomodate them as well. I like simple questions. Keep them coming.