Coach Melliott and Coach DB777,

I enjoyed your posts because it gave me some more insight into the general level of middle school wrestling and the perspective of a middle school coach. After reading your posts I had to go back to last year's topic and see what was said then because I had the memory from it that the general quality of middle school wrestling was not up to the level of club wrestling. After looking at last year's topic again, I guess I still have the impression that overall the quality is not as high expect in some middle school districts where the majority of high performing kids are wrestling in the middle school season. I really don't know because I have never seen it in our area of the State and my son would not be eligible for it anyway.

My question for both of you though centers on the other aspect of my previous post. If there are a good number of first time wrestlers involved in the middle school programs, do you think it is a good experience for them to encounter in their first season former Kids State and maybe even National Champions in matches? I believe that they would not be ready for that and possibly get discouraged enough that they might decide to give up the sport. I think they would be better off if the experienced accomplished kids could just come to practices and serve as assistants to you the coaches. I have just seen a lot of kids quit the sport early due to lack of early success. It seems like most of the posts on this topic have centered on the advanced kid. I am just wondering more now if matches with the advanced kid are really that good for the beginners. But again I have never been to a middle school tournament so maybe these type of matches really do not occur that often.