Part of the reason for the HS division was to hope we get some HS champions/placers, from different classes (321a, 4a, 5a, 6a) to wrestle each other. There is nothing written that says who "should" wrestle HS instead of 14u, but I would think that folks should look at the big picture. A tough, state placing freshman should wrestle HS, IMO, to push him self against tougher competition.
That wasn't the reason the HS division was passed. I was there and voted on it. It was only passed because it gave other kids the "opportunity" to wrestle after the HS season ended. Which for the most part was seniors. So they did away with the 16 and under division and made it the HS division.
Everyone there who voted knew it wasn't for a "grand state." Because it was made clear that the best seniors who were now able to wrestle the HS division, were going to be wrestling in Senior Nationals during the Kids State tournament. The kids who are going to Colorado to compete, will probably be a lot of the same kids who will be in Virgina Beach, either in Senior Nationals or another grade level.
Also we discussed the 14 and under division and freshman who were elgible to wrestle the HS division. The majority didn't want to water down the 14 and under division so the vote was that those kids had the "choice."
For my son, I gave him the choice to make his own decision. Last year as on the bottom of the 14 and under, he was excited to get the opportunity to wrestle the HS kids that he didn't get a chance to see during the kids season. At state he got to see some of them, but not all of them.
At the end of his 1st year of HS wrestling at 106 lbs, he was looking forward to wrestling the USAW kids season. He said it'd be nice to go against kids his own age and that weren't big weight cutters. He planned to wrestle 14u 110 lbs, which was his walk around weight at the end of the season. I had no issues with it. It was his choice to make the decision, and I understood where he came from. Unforturnately, he broke his arm in his last match, for 3rd and 4th, at the HS state tourney so that ended any issues about wrestling for kids state.
He's not a kids who tried to duck anyone. He's always wrestled what ever weight he was, regardless of who was in it. He's traveled and entered the best tourney's throughout the years to challenge himself. As soon as his arm heals, he'll be back in Tony Purler's room battling with some of the best kids in the NE Kansas and NW Missouri area. He was elgible for 14 and under, and planned to wrestle it for his own enjoyment.
If it really upsets you, try to make the changes the way they should be. Through the state body.
