Shawn...
I think the issue that will require the most thought would be the tracking and enforcement of the definition.
If you base it on anything other then tenure then you will need some form of tracking and enforcement.
Will coaches be required to submit records???
Will someone be hired to sit and track novice results???

I think you all need to BASICLY leave it like it is. Let a tournament define what they are going to allow to wrestle at their tournament. First year, second year, first year with no 1st place finishes, or WHATEVER.

If someone has a protest they take it to a tournament director and its handled there. The tournament director talks to the people involved and makes a decission.

Will people lie and cheat? YES!
Will people find a loop hole and exploit it? YES!

But out of the 1000 entries we see every weekend at different novice tournaments all over the state, how many offenders are we really talking? 5? 10? 20??
My guess is less then 1% and Im ok with that allowance!

Now, I do think it would be OK for the state body to make a suggestion as to what they think is an acceptable definition of novice.

1 or 2 year kid who has never placed in an open tournament (I dont care how many kids are in the bracket! If your worried then don't enter them!) or never having won the Derby Novice State Championship.

At the end of the day any parent or coach (especially coaches) should know that keeping a kid at the novice level actually ends up hurting them in the long run and in my opinion, that child will not be around for a long period of time because they are too far behind the curve.

Is there exceptions to these rules and ideas? YES!
EXAMPLE: Can a child be physically or mentally unable to compete and should be allowed to wrestle longer at the novice level.
But that is something you will need to take up each and every week wuth a tournament director.
If a child is in that situation and still has the heart and desire to lace up those shoes, I would not tell him NO if it was my tournament!


These are just my thoughts and ramblings on the matter!
Good Luck in your quest for finding the best answer!