I really like badbo's perspective & hope reader's can absorb his message. We are on #2 son (13 years apart) the older wrestled in college...didn't start till 1st grade during those days very few novice tournaments and everyone entered in your weight was in the bracket (ONLY the top 4 kids picked up medals)...btw, $8.00 entry fee in the mid 90's. Played a little BB while wrestling & had to wrestle with a lil "peer pressure" in that realm.

Little 1 comes along with a dream to be "Bigger, Faster, Stronger, Better than Brother". Did not enter into districts until 8 & U, did compete in the large man, average bell curve, standard boy size & several of his friends he met in Ottawa are still wrestling. Quite a few have left the sport & are 10! Took some time off when yeah sure he should have been practicing for subs to watch LCC's MO-KAN classic this year. Picks his summer, picks his weight, doesn't "watch the scale". Places well on podium.

I see burn-out in kids from ("eating next to nothing--dieting"), parents unhappy that the kid didn't WIN or should've done better, when they placed or gave it their all & if you can't simply ask them if they did the best they could? zip the lip parents & that your proud of giving it all that they could. You might after awhile ask them how it felt and if they didn't like how they felt losing then do you know what you need to work on? They & their coaches generally do. I see tantrums --- throwing their ankle band, throwing their head gear, etc .....WAY TOO MUCH.....who really is teaching & allowing this poor sportsmanship?

All in all the kids @ 6 & U are rookies, beginners learning the sport. Several big named coach's across the country including Jordan, Mayabb, Haggerty, Chertow would encourage a later start for most and involve the kids with flexibility...gymnastics esp. coming from Coach Mayabb (Staley H.S.) and OTC Jr. Nat'l team Greco coach. This is one of the HARDEST sports and Wrestling IS TRAINING for the rest of their Lives.

Perhaps adding Rookie division on Friday might be the answer for the 6 & U's with a qualifier for them @ District's...this is still going to make their season L-O-N-G. Shortening to the week of HS Regionals or State in mid to late Feb. isn't the answer.