There are kids out there that are in there 3rd year of wrestling by the time they are at the top of 6U...
Novice is not an age it is a level of experience.
I also know kids that are top of 8 and have wrestled for 3 years that I think should still wrestle novice and would still only have average success.

BLT, my point is as a whole these kids are all novice in the 6 and under. One parent may have too much pride to put his kid in novice, another parent may want to win no matter what and put his kid in novice just to win every tourny, especially if it has good returns. So the point is in the 6 and under put them all in the open, because only one kid is going to win whether it is open or novice. How do parents or coaches decide? if the kid can do the half nelson, then he is not considered novice? Lets' be realistic.