Sean,

We understand what the route would be for our son to pick up increased competition. But that really isn't the issue here. The issue on this point that Will brought up is: Is there too much of a competitive disadvantage to the 8th graders who have not had the opportunity to practice and compete all year against the upper classmen like the freshman have?

By the 8th grade year some 8th graders unfortunately do not even have the benefit of a good practice partner their size and approximate age on their Kids team. Over the years that my son competed as a grade school wrestler in Kids, I often heard some of his coaches and other Kid coaches discuss how difficult it was for an 8th grader to compete against these incoming 9th graders due to the practice and competition advantages that the 9th graders experienced on their high school teams.

Anyway, that is what I see as the issue. Also the proponents of the current system probably have little need to worry about it changing in Kansas. It seems a major change like this rarely happens. The majority rules and the majority that vote at the State Body meeting seem to like it this way even though it is my understanding that the majority of the other states do NOT have high school wrestlers compete at their Kids State competition.