Another clarification! The State nor National office recognizes 6 & Under as an age group. Therefore a five year old competing in the 8 & unders is okay! (at least they currently are)

My point that it takes a couple of weeks to transform from Novice to Opens is this. Often, if you are doing things according to Hoyle, you enter in tournaments 10 days in advance. A novice tournament, that already has my money, may or may not make a refund. If they won't, then I expect most parents will let their kids wrestle!