A couple of random thoughts and ideas on the subject...

1. 6 & unders at state: I personally do not feel strongly either way. If we keep it the way it is now then I recommend we have some kind of qualifying tournament for the 6&U state. The reason I say this is that there are weight classes that have 30-64 kids in them. That is a lot of wrestling for those little guys in only a 1 day tournament. I recommend having a 6&U districts and take the top 4 or 5 out of the districts so you limit the # of wrestlers in the brackets at state. Ottawa does an absolutely fantastic job w/the 6&U state and it is a very,very special tournament for those kids. I am not sure if they would get the same attention at the "big kid" tournament.

2. "Wrestling season is too long and gruelling." I agree that the season can be too long, however, I don't think that there is a rule that stipulates you have to wrestle every weekend. The only time you really have to wrestle is at sub-districts so you can qualify for districts, etc. That really equates to 3 weeks. Now this is a little dramatic because we all know the more matches you get the more experience you get but as a parent you can regulate the # of tournaments in which your kid participates.

3. Still not sure where to fall on the "mastery of skills idea". I know for me when I was little and wrestling I would have quit. The skills were important but what I enjoyed the most was the competition regardless of whether I won or lost. Demonstrations are just that....demos...not the same as doing the real thing. You have to do that in martial arts because competitors need to learn how to protect themselves so they don't get knocked out. In wrestling if you don't learn defense you get pinned (no potential for permanent brain damage).

Just my two cents.