I have a MS kid that it definitely hurt.
Saying that I am putting a disclaimer on this that I don’t agree with what happen just truly that it did happen. So as we argue one side this truly is the reality of the other side at times.

8th grade bought into the MS wrestling, he had wrestled some before that when he was little and was decent, and I think made it to State once top of 8 I think. For whatever reason that was the last year he did kids disappeared until his 7th grade year.

He goes out and head locks, snakes, and cow catcher everyone to I think only a couple of losses in MS and wins his league tournament both years. Again this is a coaching issue letting him do it but for those of you that say there are good MS matches I think there are 3 or 4 to 1 that they are looking for the headlock or the 2 other crap moves.
I do what I do every year go to the MS go to the HS and talk up coming out after their season is over.
This time unlike his 7th grade year he bought in.

His subs were a lot different that he thought and didn’t make it out of the first period. The kid, the father and family were shell shocked to say the least. He happened to be in a RR so he was still in for Districts. I talked to him afterwards letting him know that these kids were pretty tough and still thought he could make it out of Districts.
He didn’t come to practice on Monday so I called his Dad to see if anything was wrong.
His Dad stated (this is where the disclaimer comes in) they were totally surprised at the skill level and the intensity that he had faced in subs. His Dad told me that he has tried to talk him into going to Districts and the kid just won’t do it. The Dad also told me that (because he is an 8th grader and I tried to still keep him interested for HS) that he is completely done with wrestling.

He went on to say they remember it being tough but not like what they experienced in Subs. The kid doesn’t feel like he could ever catch up to that level (disclaimer again).

I also think it is a Dad ego thing, which as we all know can be far worse than a kid losing.
Like I said I don’t agree with a large portion of what I stated above.

What I do know is that MS wrestling gave this kid/family false hope. They thought they were better and competitive and found out harshly they were wrong.

So MS not only hurt this kid but it drove him from the sport. Would he have made it once in high school who knows? Maybe he will still change his mind and wrestle next year.

Again don’t forget the disclaimer, but facts are facts.