Originally posted by RichardDSalyer:
Originally posted by Chief Renegade:
Here I go again bringing this up. Not exactly the same as the previous post but still worth talking about.
I am curious why this is posted on the high school forum. Eighth graders do not participate in either the Kansas or Missouri high school state tournaments.
Originally posted by Chief Renegade:
Does anyone know how Missouri and Kansas can be such polar opposites on this issue? Kansas has basically zero support for making Kids State for kids division wrestlers only, while Missouri only allows for an 8th grade maximum at Kids State.
Some participants may be in high school, however a sixteen year old participant is still a "kid".
One of the differences between USA Wrestling Kansas and USA Wrestling Missouri Folkstyle State Tournaments is the age divisions. Missouri does not allow the fifteen and sixteen age division. Missouri mandates the maximum age of a participant is fifteen, only if the participant has not reached fifteen on, or before, January 1st of that tournament series year and if they are not in high school.
Missouri also does not allow any six and under participants in the tournament series. Richard,
You are probably just the guy who can shine some light on my main question. It seems surprising to me that Missouri can have a majority view defining 8th graders and under as kids division wrestlers and Kansas would vote 65-2 against it. Do you have any data on how other states handle this issue as well as the Jan. 1st date?
You are right that this post would have been more appropriate on the Kids forum, but I had just read the post that was deleted about holding kids back and thought I would get some input from the High School forum. After all, we are talking about High School kids wrestling at High School State and Kids State. I know they are still kids, yet they are separated the entire year for a reason.
I really believe that these changes would benefit the kids in Kansas. I believe that it would increase participation in Freestyle and Greco styles and it would increase participation in High School wrestling.
Kansas kids wrestling has built an impressive foundation and has been noticed nationwide. The dedicated volunteers have poured their hearts into this great sport and I am proud to be a part of it and am thankful that my son has the opportunity to wrestle here. I appreciate this forum as a place to share ideas that would benefit the kids and look forward to hearing how other successful states treat these issues.
Eric Johnson
Renegades Wrestling Club
