Will - I agree with your desire to improve KS wrestling and admire your passion. I strongly believe more mat time of similar and better caliber along w/ FS/Greco is a fantastic way of doing that. I don't think this topic will help improve our Juniors results at Fargo or our KS kids going D1. I mean we are talking about a small population of wrestlers wrestling 3 weeks/events and about 10 matches during ONE year of their career. I get that other states don't allow it but what else do other states do that we don't do that we should consider? I'd imagine there are many opportunities when looking w/ a wider lens.
If I consider all the opportunities to improve KS wrestling, the 14U vs HS, while yes an opportunity, doesn't seem like it would provide the dividends as some of the others you referenced. You mentioned Folk Nationals and FS/Greco State. I'd add in Southern Plains too as GREAT opportunities to get better. It seems that getting people to do these is much more worth the effort (read as has bigger payoff) than forcing 14 y/o-HS State placers to wrestle in HS.
Do you feel that allowing 14 y/o HS state placers in the 14U are impacting our ability to get numbers / goals you reference? Yes maybe but is it more than the many other opportunities we have? I can't believe these 3 events would hinder those goals so much and know you know there are bigger fish to go after. I'd be shocked if this were a top 3 item based on the scope alone. I say identify the top 3 items and focus efforts there. You know you can count me in to help.
I do think the few kids that really wants to be the best, will wrestle the best regardless. Most may say they want to be the best, few believe they can and are willing to do the development required. Why do you think that is? Doubt it's related to this rule.
I think our goal as a state (parents, coaches, leadership, etc) needs to be to convince them to want to be the best, make them believe they can be then recommend and identify the development required to get there. You recommended the path/development but I think we are missing the keys...desire and belief.
To me, forcing the hand or shaming kids in this situation has more downside with the potential to drive them away from the sport which would certainly impact those summer/national goals. Speaking of goals, has anyone published those goals you mentioned for the summer events? If not I think that is a great place to start. It would be a good tool to measure our success/failure. Seems it has a much higher potential for KS wrestling than what this thread has.
It is also a huge conclusion to jump to when you say that these few will NOT wrestle at all if the rules were different. Again, I offer splitting the HS group into Cadets and Juniors for those in 9th-12th to comply with the USA Wrestling age structure to begin summer preparation now rather than later. If you really want numbers then offer Cadet and Junior USA FLK State the weekend after HS state or 2nd weekend. The three week series, for the HS division, way too long. You will be VERY lucky to get 10 matches in three weeks. To answer your question more directly, YES I am willing to see a handful or two of kids sit at home if they feel they don't want to wrestle HS division after having completed a whole season of such in order to have a level playing field for 7th and 8th graders. NO, I do not think they will quit the sport. YES, I agree that this situation will not make the greatest impact. There are other ideas but I DO BELIEVE WE NEED CLARITY ON THIS TOPIC! A HS wrestler is a HS wrestler which should make them ineligible to wrestle in a division that is primarily MS kids. Most of these kids get ONE shot at winning a Kids State title and I think it is a disservice to them by allowing this unfair advantage of HS wrestlers dipping DOWN into the KIDS division.
Summer leadership needs to work together, I agree. You and I have talked about the issues and solutions there.
