12 MATS FOR SPEED!
3 MATCHES GUARANTEED
FOR EXPERIENCE!
This is a Nationally sanctioned AAU challenge to the top folkstyle wrestlers in the nation. Wrestling in Georgia and the nation is growing rapidly and we expect to attract many of the nations top quality wrestlers. Great competition must have great officiating and we will put together one of the best groups of officials. Pre-registration and weight declaration is mandatory and will allow us time to plan the competitive format. Three matches are guaranteed. Running on 12 mats in one location.

Dates & Times

Friday, March 19th

6:00pm to 9:00pm…………..Weight-check-ins (Check-in is required)

You must have your AAU card before Weight-check-in. Weight-check-in will be in a singlet or t-shirt and shorts.



Saturday, March 20th

7:00am to 9:00am……….….Weight-check-ins (Check-in is required)

You must have your AAU card before Weight-check-in. Weight-check-in will be in a singlet or t-shirt and shorts.



10:00am ……….……………Wrestling Begins



Sunday, March 21st

9:00am………………….…... Doors open

10:00am…………………….. Wrestling Begins

3:00pm………………………. Projected completion



Eligibility

Elementary through 8th Grade wrestlers. Academic certification is required by wrestler’s school official. (Current report card & Birth Certificate)



Pre-Qualification

This is an “OPEN” tournament. No pre-qualification required.



Format

The AAU Youth Nationals is a five division tournament. Guarantee of 3 matches. Kindergarten, 1st/2nd Grade, 3rd/4th grade, 5th/6th grade, 7th/8th grade. Straight weight classes, NO WEIGHT GROUPING. Running on 12 mats. The tournament will be run using AAU rules (folkstyle), Exceptions—head gear (optional) & length of bout.

12 MATS FOR SPEED!
3 MATCHES GUARANTEED
FOR EXPERIENCE!
Brackets & Weights

Kindergarten - 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, HWT (10lb MAX) Straight weights. Must declare on registration.



1st/2nd Grade - 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 90, HWT (15lb MAX) Straight weights. Must declare on registration.



3rd/4th Grade - 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 103, 112, 120, 125, HWT (20lb MAX) Straight weights. Must declare on registration.



5th/6th Grade - 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105 112, 120, 130, 140, HWT (20lb MAX) Straight weights. Must declare on registration.



7th/8th Grade - 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 140, 150, 160, 180, HWT (20lb MAX) Straight weights. Must declare on registration.



Weight class may be change until 3/15/04 at no charge. No weight changes after 3/15/04. Changing weight at tournament check-in will only be allowed with a $20 re-bracketing penalty.



Registration & Fee Register On-line Now!

Pre-registration is required and must be made on-line on or before March 15, 2004. Fee is $30.00 early registration until February 29th, $35.00 registration March 1st – 15th. The fee includes AAU t-shirt.

(PRE-REGISTRATION ONLY & DUE NO LATER THAN 3-15-2004)



ON SITE REGISTRATION IS NOT ALLOWED.

Registration & AAU cards are required and will not be available on site.

AAU cards are online for $12 - http://www.aausports.org/



Register On-line Now!

Awards

AAU NATIONAL Medals will be awarded to the top four finishers in each bracket. Multiple brackets per weight class for the larger weight classes. A NATIONAL CHAMPION Trophy will be awarded to the undefeated wrestler from each weight class.



Location

Georgia State University is in downtown Atlanta and is easily accessed from Hartsfield airport and major highways.



Directions: http://www.georgiastate.com/directions/p_directionssportsarena.cfm



Map: Get Directions Using MapQuest

12 MATS FOR SPEED!
3 MATCHES GUARANTEED
FOR EXPERIENCE!
Spectators

Admission is $10 for a single person all day pass $15 for a family all day pass or $15 for a 2-day single person pass $25 for a family 2-day pass. $10 for a 2-day coaches pass available to all AAU carded coaches. . Wrestlers and kids under 5 admitted free!



Contact

For additional information, contact:

Buddy Perazzoli at 1 229-896-4259 or at buddy_perazzoli@hotmail.com






Accommodations------- Many great hotels are in downtown Atlanta. Additional information will be listed soon.



REGISTRATION MUST BE MADE ON OR BEFORE 3/15/04

This sounds like an interesting tournament. It is too bad it is the same weekend as our Kids districts. The only Kansas kids I can see going might be some six and under kids. We do not have State for six and under, so they might be attracted to the 1st and 2nd grade division of this tournament.

I really like the fact that it is an elementary school tournament. They have the age brackets exactly the way that I have been advocating them for Kansas Kids. If the AAU wants to attract Kansas wrestlers, they will need to schedule this later in the year.

Actually I just noticed they have a kindergarten division too so this is definitely attractive for the serious six and under wrestlers.

Vince, Am I to understand that you are advocating using a wrestlers year in elementary school to determine their age division? If so, why punish the smart kids?

Vince we agree on alot of things, but i dont like the idea of using grades. I will use my own expierence for example I was held back in first grade which if using a grade system would have given me an extra year on everyone I was wrestling.

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.

I just looked at the AAU entry blank and it does appear from it that the divisions are set up by the actual elementary school grade a wrestler is in and not their actual age. I do not advocate that system due to the fact that kids could be held back or even put forward in grades and that would not be fair in those cases. I would just change our age groups like I said in my previous post.

I agree with Vince's setup. I can tell you it is very difficult for many of the sixth graders in the 12&U group to wrestle the seventh graders who have been wrestling with their middle school programs all year, same as he mentioned with the eighth graders going aginst the high school kids.
I would also add that the date of the age cutoff needs to be made closer to the actual season dates. How they ever came up with Sept. 1st, I have no idea. This means, for example, that there are quite a few kids who are already 13 when they wrestle the first tournament of the year in the 12U bracket. I would think a cutoff date of Dec. 1st or even Jan. 1st would be more realistic.

ksdave,
The Sept.1st birthdate is not only the most common date used for other sports but it's also probably the most common nationally. Up until several years ago KS went by a Jan.1st birthdate in wrestling (somebody can help me out with when the change occured). We fought long and hard to make that change happen. I'm sure the reason that date was picked originally had to do with the start of the school year. Whatever date you use some kids are going to be disadvantaged but this keeps us in line with the majority of kids sports. To my knowledge, this date has worked so well since the change that it has never been brought up at the state meeting again.

If any of you would like to attend the tournament and will bring some kids email me and i will help you get registered quick and if it is online it is cheaper emai me at buddy_perazzoli@hotmail.com


Buddy Perazzoli