Will
Wasn't going to go here but since you want to yell at me (using all caps) and call me a fence post....here goes....

1. This is a personal issue you especially this year. You are getting way too emotional and this is honestly the first time in 10 years I cannot follow your logic because your arguments for this change go against your stance on almost all other subjects on this forum.

2. Those are great goals for freestyle and Greco. Could you please share those with the state Freestyle and Greco Director so he can publish those for all of us coaches to work towards with our kids? He has been in the job for a couple years know and it is the first time I have heard these. I think you know who that is don't you? And while your at it maybe you can ask him to work with some folks to develop a some action plans that will layout some blueprints on how we can work together to achieve those goals.

Ok, done with my emotional outburst.....here are some challenges I see in your reasoning....

1. I think Joe Knecht is spot on. Please provide evidence as to how 5-15 kids wrestling in the 14U vice High School division is going help us achieve any of those goals you set out.

2. Your idea of using number D1 wrestlers on the decline is not a valid measure of effectiveness. Way too many more important factors to consider. If Kansas had a D1 wrestling program then that argument would hold more validity. Maybe we should spend more time figuring out how to make that happen rather than regulating opportunities for 14 year old kids. You know darn well that there a ton of other factors that enter into the decision of what college and what level to attend. We have 3-4 time state champs that choose to wrestle at lower levels in college because they want to be closer to home. We have others that go out of state to wrestle D1 and then return home because of homesickness, costs, injury, etc. heck we even have multiple time state champs that have never wrestled for a college in a sanctioned college match as part of a D1 college team. In reality, those are all very valid reasons that are more of an impact on why our D1 numbers are down than 14 year olds not competing in the HS division.

I do have to disagree with Beeson in that I do not think it is all because of the pussification of America. There are a ton of reasons. We will never be able to tell until KS gets a D1 wrestling program.

Beeson does raise a very valid point that the majority of our 14U are 8th and 9th graders. The bylaw change will water down the 14U terribly!