My son, Jayson West placed 3rd after wrestling Middle School this year. I have to admit the Middle School competition at my son's weight class wasn't as experienced as he was used to but I don't think it hurt him at all. After wrestling for 7 years, 5 weeks wrestling Middle School isn't going to hurt you that much. The benefits outweigh any negatives in my opinion. He had a lot of fun wrestling with his Middle School Team this year.

Now what is the percentage that wrestled the early season to late season?

I truly don't think it has any affect on the early season kids but the late season kids I still think it takes them a little while to get back to the competition level they are used to.

With that being said that isn't a good excuse, kids should approach the MS season the same as a kids tourney.

I seen it in my son last year 12 straight 1st period pins in not getting you battle tested. We talked about it and he was able to come out and perform well in subs and MS state last year.

The early season MS has the opportunity to get that battle tested form back alot easier.

Taegan Schoenfeld - St. Marys - Team 2
Matt Cruishank - St. Marys - Team 3

Both Wrestled Middle School - Done in early December

Without throwing the school and coach under the bus, my only concern has been the atmosphere in the practice room. For several years the wrestlers that come from our middle school pick up bad work habits and sloppy execution of holds. Some get back to where they were before, but far to many never recover. I guess it falls to the kids on how they respond, but I would rather avoid that at this point and just go right into club wrestling. Otherwise, I would be all for middle school wrestling.

No matter late season or early, a club like offering at your school run by the HS coach (intramural like) or an actual MS program they need the best kids club wrestlers to join.

They need boys that know how to wrestle, can help others with moves, practice habits, work ethic, show how it should be done.

Some kids would never be exposed to wrestling without MS programs and our number one priority should be getting more boys involved in the sport.

We have lots of varsity boys in all classes that walked the halls until a HS coach found them, how good would they be if one of their buddies would have gotten them involved at MS level.

I feel this forum focuses on the elite a bunch...and well deserved. But wrestling rooms stink with one partner, numbers help and the good kids clubs and HS programs prove that year in and year out.

Have your kid in MS, 4-5 weeks helping others in the 7th grade isn't going to ruin your career...and you may just make a few new friends along the way. Isn't that what we washed up old folks remember in the end!

You make a pretty valid point here. Your middle school program needs to have a coach (and staff) that know what they are doing. You talk about a tough job, trying to make practice productive for all wrestlers when you have a combination of seasoned Kids' Club veterans and middle school kids who just decided to try the sport out for the first time. We were very fortunate to have a coach (and staff) that were able to do just that.

We must have been a 1%er. My son did not gain much at all from being on MS wrestling team. I felt he went backwards in terms of aggressiveness and interest. He had nobody to practice with and was never challenged at meets. Pinned everyone he wrestled in the first period and only had one opponent at league meet. The coaching was subpar and negative towards him. Which was to me the worst part as I initially believed that he should have the "Team Experience". Instead he was mistreated and ostracised by the coaching since his level was more than they could handle. Having a positive and motivated HS coach has helped alleviate that. Most of the team mates he had in MS did not go on to wrestle at HS, so no sense of team there. We would have prob been better off wrestling kids club and going to the bigger National Tournaments. The only positive was keeping his weight in check for Kids wrestling later.

I think you have to weigh the situation to see if MS wrestling is worth the time for your wrestler. If he/she is good then the MS wrestling program is prob not going to give your wrestler the challenge that they need. I'd say 80% of the wrestlers who are in MS wrestling are brand new at it and are just trying it out. Which consequently getting thumped those first few years usually drives them away completely. If it weren't for the strong Kids Club program here feeding the MS with talent and proven wrestlers, then they would not have much of a team at all.

I would have to say that we were hurt by MS program but we are prob the exception not the rule. If your gonna wrestle in this day and age it is better to have had a year or two of kids wrestling under your belt before going to MS or they are likely not going to wrestle much further than that.

Cole Bradford did not wrestle MS. Any time some coach tells hem to go softer,all the time it cant be good.Cole would have been in the late season.If it would have been in the early season,cole would have went no matter what.The hole state should be on the same dates.

The school that cole is at dose not want help.I tried to donate time.They said no. I put a clinic together with some very good guys to help out. They said no. I'm I the best NO not even par. But I can see when kids need help.Wrestling is not one one the programs this school wants to put time in to.

I say each kid has to look at what is there and choose wisely.

Here is one thing I would bet cash on. There in no kids on any of the teams that did not do club.I have not looked,But would bet against it.

Charles Bradford

Trace Walters (8th) 6th 125 Northeast Knights (Riverside JH)

I would like to see the numbers on late season and early season placers. My guess would be that early season kids placers are higher than late season kids.

I have seen MS kids who have wrestled the late season and come back to kids worst physical shape and mental shape. I know some of this depends on the kids. If you give a MS age kid the chance to play games or wrestle. I pretty sure they would play games. I watched MS duals the last couple of years trying to decide if MS would be good for my son or not. MS looks like at novice tournament with a hand full of experienced kids. The experienced kids dominate. No real battles. Nothing to challenge them. It is still up in the air if my son will wrestle MS. I want him to understand the team part but I pretty sure he can get that during football season.


Josh Parker

Formula for Middle School Programs' Success:

Early Season + Qualified Coaches + Lots of Practice + Good Practice Partners + Strong Fan Base = Success

Red you have it there.

Joey Hancock 7th grade 6th place Xavier MS (LV)
Anthony Gould 7th grade 4th place Leavenworth

Both seasons ended early December

I agree with you Lee. That goes on to build strong high school programs. Until the State of Kansas gets the whole state on the same page as far as Jr. sports(same seasons for everyone). We are going to continue to have this thread every year. Early season is best. If early season was offered at our Jr. High my son would wrestle Jr. season. Late season hurts the wrestlers. Unless you have a coach/school who wants wrestling and wrestlers to move on to the next level. Then late season may work out.

Look at the Topeka paper today. Sport page every article is about NCAA tournament. Not the one in OKC either. Several hometown kids wrestling in OKC. Pretty sad.

Josh Parker

UPDATE:

unless I missed something....here's the tally so far:

1st = 9
2nd = 8
3rd = 8
4th = 8
5th = 8
6th = 5

We are getting close to 50%.

I found out about a couple of more today at Districts.

Brandon Becker Derby 115 2nd

Luke(Gunner) Gentzler Andover Central 110 1st

1st = 10 50%
2nd = 9 45%
3rd = 8 40%
4th = 8 40%
5th = 8 40%
6th = 5 25%

Over all Total = 40%

Conner Ward - 1st place Monticello Trails
Jarrett Bendure - 4th place Monticello Trails
Hayden Keopke - 4th place Monticello Trails
Tate Steele - 2nd place - Lawrence West
Gad Huseman - 3rd place - Tonganoxie

Raiden Kohman 6th Pratt

Valid and true points have been made for both sides. I am a MS wrestling coach and you are all correct. One solution that would help both sides would be to allow wrestlers to do both at the same time. Currently our middle school season wrestles ZERO Saturdays. This was done to possibly get some MAYB bball kids to try wrestling in middle school. They could still go to their tournaments on the weekends. We still get very few if none of those kids, but it is an option for them. Why shouldn't a kid be able to wrestle a MS tourney on Friday and go to a kids tournament on Saturday. Best of both worlds. We have some of our MS wrestlers enter in Kids tournaments while they are out for MS basketball.