No I don't mean it by exactly using the elementary grade that a student is in. The actual age of the wrestler would still determine a wrestler's age group. I would just use a different age grouping system.

Our current system uses the August 31 birthday cutoff with 8 & under (3rd graders & under), 10 & under (4th & 5th graders), 12 & under (6th & 7th graders), 14 & under (8th graders and Freshmen), and 16 & unders (Sophomores and Juniors). I put the grades in to show what grades are primarily in those age groups. I advocate using the same August 31 birthday cutoff but changing to 7 & under (2nd grade and under), 9 & under (3rd & 4th graders), 11 & under (5th & 6th graders), & 14 & under (7th & 8th graders with no high school kids). By making the last age group 14 & under instead of 13 & under you should be able to accomodate most elementary kids that were held back one year.

With this system we would have a true elementary school State tournament, a little more competitive situation for the current six & under kids at State, 8th graders would not suffer the competitive disadvantage to Freshmen that everyone knows about due to added practices and competition against upperclassmen, and with only four age brackets instead of five you would have a more manageable State tournament with shorter waits between matches and bigger mats for all the elementary school wrestlers at State.


Vince Nowak
Kansas College Wrestling Fund Supporter
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