As someone said earlier, there is no easy way to set novice guidelines. I am just sorry that when it is time for a kid to move up, teams hide behind the "first or second year wrestler" label and keep a clearly advanced kid in novice for whatever reason. I also believe that there is not a 6 year old out there that is to "advanced" to wrestle at a novice tournament. In our club we have 6 and under twins that wrestle 40 lbs and they are winning everything in open tournaments. Look for them at sub-districts (wrestling 8 and under) and at the 6 and under championships. They would tear all the little kids up at novice, but they do at open also because unless a kid started wrestling at 3, they are just novice wrestlers. I just find it sad that when at kid wrestles on Saturday and can hold his own, maybe not win first place every time, but hold his own, a coach will allow that wrestler to be put back in a novice tournament. And don't tell me it takes a couple of weeks to take a kid off the novice circuit. People call in all the time to change entries in tournaments. I just think there has to be a way to make the guidelines more clear to make it fair for EVERYONE. I think novice tournaments are great and they really benefit the young wrestler.