I just want to clarify one of your statements about slit tournaments not being good for the experienced wrestler. In Nebraska, they have been having more and more of their tournaments held in the split format. There is no rule that says you have to leave the gym because your son/daughter is not wrestling. The only difference is that with split tournaments is that if you want to leave, you can. Or if you want to wait until later in the day to come, you can. Most of the elite wrestlers are still there all day and the kids still maintain friendships with the other wrestlers who they see at the tournaments. The matches are closer together so there is not the hours spent roaming around the gym or waiting until your next match comes up. As a spectator who loves to watch wrestling, I actually prefer watching split tournaments better. Reason #1: all of the same age kids are wrestling at around the same time. #2: there usually is not as many mat's needed so you can watch all of the action. #3: you can actually follow an individual wrestler better since the matches are closer in time and the amount of kids are split up whereas at an open tournament, you have no idea when a person's next match will be if they are not in your bracket and with all the different mats, you tend to miss matches #4: you have the freedom to do something if you want to. You can actually relax in the concession stand and visit with friends without having to worry about watching the mat numbers. #5: if you have something else you plan on doing that day (like going to your daughter's basketball game)-you can. #6: slit formats actually remind me of junior high and high school dual's. You have the younger kids in the morning and the older/more experienced kids in the afternoon. #7: there is not so much waiting at weigh-in or for your medal's at the head table as this is not something that is to be done in a few hours but is spread out throughout the day. #8: with split formats, you don't have the fact of clubs using multiple gyms during the same time (big kids in one gym and little kids in the other)
If you have never been to a split tournament-you should. I strongly suggest everyone attend one.