I think we are wasting a lot of time considering the very few problems that we have with "self policing" the novice tourneys. So a kid that you feel like "shouldn't be wrestling novice tourneys" kicks your kids' butt, so what, he got a better color medal than your kid. I promise you, noone will remember who won the 6u 49 lb Valley Center Novice bracket in 2011.

Our goal should be to continually tell our kids that it starts to count in HS, and keep them out for this great sport/life lesson instruction. And even if they never turn out to be a state champ, placer, or qualifier, we can NOT allow them to quit, as that is giving up, and that ain't what this sport is about, and it ain't what life is about. We have to keep kids out, no matter how many times they get their tails handed to them.

I think that as a coach or parent, it is up to me to determine when it is time to throw my kid to the wolves.

Once a kid starts having success at novice tourneys, he should be put in some open brackets. But I should also be allowed to take him to tourneys where he can see some success.