Great question!

Ultimately it comes down to the kids and or the individual. If a high school kid wants to get better and compete they will and if they don't they won't. Almost seems like there is no middle ground here.

couple things I have noticed:

- high school kids that start wrestling in high school are less likely to do more wrestling in the off season. I don't want to say it is not important to the kids but most the time I get the feeling the new ones are happy when the season is done. Yes, they might be back out the following year but then its next year and they are still the same wrestler when they left. For a 1st year kid, wrestling is demanding, and can take a lot out of a high school kid. The culture of wrestling or drive to succeed is not a factor in their home environment either. I do think this plays a part in kids not investing their extra time, money, and energy into taking it to the next level.

- The kids that started when they were in grade school know what it takes to be successful and are more willing to pay the price. Family is a big part of this as well. It's like the whole family is involved to a certain degree. Parents spend countless hours driving to tournaments, sitting at tournaments, talking with their kids after a great win or tough loss. In kids wrestling parents take on a little more of a coaching role and seem to be more into the sport as well. Let's face it when a whole family is into wrestling, a young wrestler builds and or grows off that energy (if used in a positive way.)

Yes, there are cases against both examples and everybody knows high schoolers that won State championships where they were only out for 2-3 years. But if you are ever in a wrestling room in the off season, the more majority of the kids in there are the ones who have done it for a while / the ones with at least a little bit of kid experience.

Bottom Line:
If you think you young kid might take to wrestling or will eventually go out. Why wait till they are in high school. Give them the best chance to be great and start them off a little sooner.