I read Mr. Grater's letter. I knew that it would be difficult to change this tournament format this week if it had already been decided to go forward with it. I hope at this point that everyone will stop trying to change it this year and not hassle the tournament officials about it any more this week. Our goal should be for change in future years. I'm not interested in why this decision was made or how it can be changed. I just want it changed because I beieve it is unfair and not right. I am a wrestler's parent whose entire family had a miserable experience at the State tournament last year due to the decision to change to this new format.

In my mind this issue boils down to fairness to the kids and their families. Are we being fair? Is it really fair to have a wrestler wrestle once in the morning and then have to wait 8 to 24 hours to wrestle again while other wrestlers in his bracket get to wrestle twice more before he or she does. And why does that wrestler and family have to wait that long? Because they lost that first round. It is like they are being punished for losing. That is ridiculous. These are grade school kids.

Again are we being fair to that wrestler and his family? I do not believe this decision was made for the best interests of the majority of the kids and their families. I also believe it should be changed next year.

It is not better to go back to the motel knowing you are still competing at the state tournament on Day 2. What is better would be to wrestle your second match in the state tournament in a reasonable amount of time (within 4 hours) after your first match. And for the record, I believe Mr. Juby himself made that remark in a post on 3/24 10:47. I don't think as State Chairman that he is an unbiased source on this subject.

You may think that I am someone who does not appreciate all the work that all of you do for youth wrestling. I do. I would not want to put in all the time that I know you do. I know you all work hard. Those of us who are just wrestlers' parents put in a lot of time and effort too, just not as much as you. We all appreciate your work and efforts and most of your results are superior. I just feel that a bad decision was made to make this change last year. Please change it back next year. Thank you.