Each season I have coached I see a dramatic drop off in the interest in my wrestlers this time of year. I wonder if other clubs face the same problems. As I try to figure out a cause I think its actually pretty simple . . . our season is just too long. Most clubs start in mid-November and end in March. Our competative season is actually longer than the College Division I season.

When I was a little wrestler (if my memory serves me right) we started practice in December, had our first competition in January, and were done as we are now in March. As a 7, 8, 9 year old kid back then, that seemed long. I wonder what a 5 year old thinks today?

Over the last 35 years the interest in our sport in Kansas has changed greatly. The numbers of kids has probably grown six or seven fold, we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of 5 and 6 year olds competing, and along the way (in 1982-83 I think) we added the 16 and under division. The competition level has also grown incredibly. I am constantly amazed at the level of wrestling I see in these very young boys - a level that was probably better than I saw wrestling Division I 25 years ago.

Here are two main thoughts:

1. Lets focus the "Kids Division" on "kids". Add the 6 and Under division and let the 16 and Under division go (yep, I voted against the 6 and Under divsion two years ago, but now I see it has a place. I was wrong). This is nothing to take away from what Ottawa does - in fact they've done a heck of a service, they have proven to us that the 6 and Unders can wrestle in a State level tournament. I know it would be nice to keep the high school kids but the high school kids have other opportunities. Let's keep the focus on the little guys.

2. Let's shorten the season to end the week before the State High School tournament. I think this would help lower the "drop out" rate especially for the little guys (remember, focus on little guys). I hate to admit it but I think Oklahoma is right on this one, and I think their schedule is probably a lot better than ours. As a side note, this would also allow us all a greater ability to support our local high schools by being able to attend the State H.S. tournametns, and allow some of us old dogs to go watch the Big 12 Championships or NCAA Championships. Under the current system I'll be able to go watch the NCAA's in 2022 - when my youngest is no longer in the 16 and Under "kid's division".

I don't think what our organization has done in the past has been wrong or bad, I just think our sport has changed, and those participating in it has changed alot over the years. We need to change as an organization as well.

I realize that there are some very good arguments against any of these changes, but by posting this I wanted to get some dialogue going and see what other's think. I also realize that some changes can't occur for years because of scheduling, but that doesn't mean we can't make plans to change things down the road.

If you do that, you lose 14 and under and 12 and under. High school freshman and 7th and 8th graders are ineligible until their seasons are over, and most 4 sport middle schools end their seasons the week before subs.

Amen brother!

I'm fairly new to the wrestling sport... and dont know how traditional "rules" and things are. But I DO notice that our club goes down hill once mid February hits. You can see it in practices and at tournament sign ups. It's hard to watch but I understand how long the season is that the kids are just drained of it all. We have our last tournament this weekend and my boys are soo excited that its the last one. They love it but are ready for the season to be over with. I dont know what I'd do if I put them in subs. They aren't as pumped about the sport this time of year to do it. We have sign ups at the end of November.. practice all of December.. then start tournaments in January. It still seems long!

I wouldn't want 6 and under gone... I think that age has alot of fun with the sport. Not alot to it at that age, but it's a good learning bracket and gets them ready for 8 and under. My son has really "grown" with the sport in 6 and under and I think he might be ready next year to be in the 8 and under... without being able to wrestle these past 2 years, I WOULD NOT let him wrestle in the 8 and under. I would be nervous, scared and just wouldn't want to do it, but since he has had the practice and nows what to expect then there isn't an issue for next year. JMO.

My son must be different. He can't wait for the next tournament and can't wait for state. We have almost had to pull the reins back on him. We took one week off, for him to watch his sister play basketball and he was mad. We might take next weekend off, but I'm sure he won't be too happy about it, because his friends will be wrestling. He enjoys being around the older wrestlers(8-12 years of age). He also wants to go to 8 and under state if he qualifies. He is 5 and he frequently wrestles boys that are 8 & 9. I will have to disagree with an earlier post, that ther is not alot to it at that age. My son had made incredible progress this year, and is now a wrestler, not just someone throwing someone on their back and jumping on.

Does the season seem long, sometimes yes and sometimes no. It has helped him physically for sure. His agility and coordination have improved in the last three months and I guarantee it is from wrestling.

I would like to see 6 and under added to topeka with the big kids though. He would then be able to wrestle with his friend with kids his own age, instead of kids who are older than him. But who knows, there aren't too many 8 and unders wrestling at 43, so he might be wrestling with kids his own age even at 8 and under state.

I know alot of clubs start wrestling tournaments in October, we do. I think the key is making them sit out one tournament a month whether they want to or not.

I also agree...6U need to be added to Topeka. A lot of the surroundings states have qualifiers for 6U and then state.

My high schooler would be very upset if 16U division were to be taken away...and so would I! He has looked forward to wrestling kids federation ...he did well during his hs season and isn't ready for it to end. Our club has picked up atleast 10 high school wrestlers for the end of the season tourney's and subs. If you do not like the early start to the season do what our club is trying. Start your open kids in November...wait until Dec. to start working with your Novice 6u kids and normally your novice or 6u kids are done by this past weekend. From here on out it is for your devoted & serious wrestlers in your club.

Your 6 yr old has a long road ahead....your 16 yr olds are nearing the end unless they get to wrestle in college. Let the ones that have put in years of practice sweat and tears enjoy their glory days! JMO

I agree 16U should not be dropped, but I also strongly believe 6U should be added.

I agree that the season IS TOO LONG! And I am scared that every year, there is another club that holds a "preseason" tournament before everyone else and pushes the start date a little earlier and earlier. I remember when my oldest son started, our club didn't have any practices until right after Christmas break. We didn't have to worry about going to tournaments and competing against others who started practicing a month earlier because most of the teams around us started at the same time. Now, we have to start in the beginning of Christmas because other teams do just to stay competitive. It becomes a vicious cycle and before we know it, there will be wrestling tournaments in September with teams starting to practice in August (we already have teams having tournaments in October).

Take a look at the number of kids in kids wrestling. Now, take a look at how many of them leave before they reach high school. Obviously, something is not right. I blame it partly on burnout that occurs because the season is too long. Something needs to be done. Even if that means we have a startup date like in high school sports (no one can practice or have a tournament before that date) and a stop date two weeks after high school state. (instead of three).

Yes, you could take a few weekends off during the regular season but you still have practices...believe me, it gets old quick after you have been doing it for over 10 years.

These thoughts are great to hash out on the talk forum, but need to be taken to your district director. If thoughts and proposals are organized at the district level, our leadership is able to present it to the executive council who will refine it and bring it to the state body meeting, on the agenda, and raise a vote. If this is not done, you may also bring a motion from the floor at the state body meeting if you stay for the end of the meeting.

I presented a proposal for Grand State for our High School wrestlers the week following the 4 State tournaments. One of the ideas was to eliminate 16 and under from Kids State which might offer the opportunity to add 6 and under.

True HS State champ and 6 and under included with the rest of the kids, sounds good to me, but others disagree. I would like to hear more opinions!

I agree with up4Wrestling. In addition, we compete in USA santioned events. The upper age groups are very important to USA and Olympic style wrestling. 6 and under is not a recognized age group nationally in USA wrestling. Bantams are 7 and 8 year olds. Similar but not equal to our 8 and under division. The national format is another reason that we end as late as we do. I say start in January. Let your 6 year olds (and less serious 8 years olds) go at the end of February and concentrate on your older wrestlers and serious younger kids in March. Parents have a hard enough time keeping the sport in perspective. In the first couple of years, spare the kid and the parents the intensity of qualifying. They have many more years to enjoy the sport. That's my 2 cents worth after 11 years around USA wrestling.

The season is as long as you want it to be. Our "club" starts practices the first weekend after Thanksgiving. It works for us, but as Beeson said they start earlier yet. Which now a few of us from our club will be doing on our own. You can take a week off here and there or you can just end your season when it feels right for your child. However, the wrestlers I know that are hungry for State just keep on hittin it week after week.

This year a few of us from our club will be doing a little freestyle and some summer wrestling and camps. There are a few wrestlers out there, I'm not gonna mention any names (Jacob Beeson, Levi Green) that have the bar raised so high that we have to keep working in between baseball practices and football games just to keep the hope alive. So, the season can be as long as you want or as short as you like. The deciding factor is state and if your wrestler wants it.

Great post FWC. I agree with everything! I too find that the longer you are a "wrestling club parent" you start to realize that how and where a 6 year old competes is not that important in the long run. I use to take the weekend tournaments so seriously...working my own child every night...obsessing with who they were going to have on their side of the bracket on tournament days....writing down how they did, what move their opponents used on them, and then running home to see the results on the computer of the other kids in their age bracket. Now that my oldest is in high school, I have realized that it doesn't really matter in the long run. What matters is that your child continues to enjoy the sport and he/she improves every weekend on the mat. Now, I find myself going to watch my two younger kids. I may have a pen to write down their match numbers but that is all. If you asked me who they wrestled at the tournament, I could probably tell you the town the kid was from but that's it. I don't scream or yell during their matches. I do cheer but I even find myself just intently watching without saying a word at all. All I notice is how well they wrestle and the improvements they have made. I guess I have learned what is really important.

God bless you!

I disagree with FWC, If I'm following your post correctly your saying blow off your 6yr. old wrestlers and concentrate on your 8 and ups because they are the ones that count? Is that what you would tell a 6 yr old who has been working just as hard as the rest or the 8yr. old who needs a little more attension? Most clubs studs don't need every practice but go because they love it. The other kids go because they want to get better to be a club stud..Not one coach out their (as far as I know) would force any kid to go to practice against their wishes...Heck I'm all for taking a break..But don't shorten the season for the ones who want to wrestle, because certain kids , parents are tired. Take time off, we do!

Kyle,

How about this suggestion for "Grand State" and to those detractors, I already know there are problems in this plan. Be proactive and offer real solutions.

What if you were able to open the kids division to include 18 and unders with the sept. 1 birthday deadline. I'm sure we could work on suggestions to allow those that are 19 the opportunity to wrestle for the Grand State.

Make the tournament sanctioned by USA Kids. It would be an invitational that invites the top two placers from the KS State tournaments (each of the 4 classes). This would be an 8 man bracket. You could allow 3rd and 4th place finishers to wrestle in the place of injuries or those unwilling to participate. You could add this to the festivities at the Wichita Classic or you could host it at the Kids State tournament. If you wanted a 16 man bracket, just add the top four placers and allow 5th and 6th as fill ins. 8 man bracket = 1 day of action. Allow 5-8 pounds of growth for each weight class. I know its extra time added to an already hectic event. You could also host it at a different venue unaffiliated with another event. I think this would step on the toes of the Senior Classic, however.

There was a private effort to host a grand state type of event in the early 80's. Getting wrestler's to extend their season was a big problem. If KSHSAA doesn't sanction the event it will not be well represented by the wrestlers. Most of these guys can't wait for their season to be over with. They want time off from watching their weight, going to practice, not seeing their girlfriend, being broke, etc. I personally believe that weight would be the biggest issue. They all want to EAT after their last HS weigh in.

I would love such an event but I just don't think it will work. Survey the wrestlers not the fans.

16U season could be a two week series or one weekend event. Have the qualifier the first Saturday after high school season. Use HS weights plus 3, add a 245 and a 95 to get a few more wrestlers involved. Keep it simple and allow the kids to walk up and enter on the Friday night before not 10 days before. Right now, the 16U entries to subs will be by far the largest group you will scratch entrants from.

Shorten the kids season to end the weekend before HS regionals. The season is FAR TOO LONG.

Will
I agree we need to shorten the season to many kids are getting burned out and we are also makeing some of them choose between baseball and wrestling this is suppose to be fun for the kids

Just an idea. What about an earlier state tournament for 6U, 8U, 10U, and 12U (not yet in middle school) and then a later state tournament, after High School State, for a Middle School Division, and one or two High School Divisions? There should be plenty of room at a site for both and you shorten the season for the younger kids, plus you've now added the 6U.

Spex, look at the post regarding numbers by age groups. The numbers speak for themselves. 8 and 6 year olds are huge but where are these kids at the high school and middle school level? High school and middle school programs have trouble filling teams because many kids loose interest. Believe me, if you keep the 8 and 6 year olds season shorter they will still love wrestling when they are in high school. One last suggestion is to research what college coaches say about the age kids should specialize in a sport. Most say that kids should not compete in state level events until 9 or 10 and national events until 12 or later. I once believed as you do, but I have seen the light. It should be our goal to have a wrestling room full of high schoolers. It gives the youngsters someone to look up to and goals to work toward.