Packerholic4,

Jeff's suggestion does not include moving 16&U out. I would hope that you would be wrong about the 4&U comment, but you never know.

I believe you are correct about the potential for some kids to be tempted to do more weight cutting.
I am not sure how severe that problem would be with this new system. My gut feeling is that at the grade school level it would not be too bad because I don't believe that most parents would let their grade schools kids do anything that severe for a Kids Grade School State Wrestling. I do believe there is more danger for that at the high school level but that is something that the high schoolers would be carrying over from their high school season.

The problem with weight brackets especially in the older age brackets in 12,14 & 16 is that we have several every year that we are not able to field a full 16 bracket at State and in some we only get 1-3 wrestlers in the entire State. I just looked at the lighter weights this year but I noticed 12U 60 only had 3 at State, 14&U had 2 at 70 and 3 at 75, 16U had 2 at 95 and only 3 at 100. At subs and districts the problem is even worse. Actually I think if you eliminate some of these lowest weights at an age bracket that it would promote less weight cutting because no one would be trying to get down to those lower weights anymore since they would be eliminated. When you eliminate weights in the middle or high end you could have some potential for unhealthy weight loss.

I have never been in favor of 6U at State for two reasons. First I am concerned about kids and parents being ready for it and it might actually cause families to drop from the sport early. I worry that the pressure to succeed at State might be too great on the kids and families. I believe it would have been for my family. My second reason is that I believe that our current system at State could not handle another age bracket due to facility limitations.

Smokeycabin is probably going to be disappointed with me but I am starting to change my opinion on 6&U being at State someday. I know that they have been wrestling 6&U at Salina, Wichita-Park City, Liberty Nationals and now the 6&U finale at Ottawa for several years now along with all the other in-season open tournaments across the State. I think as a State we can see that this group is building a good track record of competing at some bigger tournaments. If they can handle Wichita, Salina and other big tournaments, maybe they can handle State.

As far as my other concern about the facility limitations at Topeka to handle another age group, I believe Jeff Broadbent has proposed a potential way to address that problem. I still would like to see bigger mats for the younger age groups at State and I believe that 12&U especially needs full mats. I am still not sure you could accomplish that with just Jeff's proposed changes. I think you would need some new tournament format like split tournament, a third day of competition or a longer wrestling day in a two day format to accomplish a goal of bigger mats for the younger kids too.

I have watched this topic since it started. I was amazed to see Ned in our district instead of with the Manhatten crew out of district 3. Good to have you with us Ned and Thanks. I was able to talk with Ned about this at District and breifly at State. I wanted to see how the season ended up going into summer wrestling before I weighed in on the subject. We need to increase the numbers in summer wrestling but I don't know how. I've personally made phone calls and talked to these kids that are really going to try it this year, every year. They see improvments and gains made through summer wrestling, the proverbial "Summer wrestlers make winter champions" and they are really going to do it, but don't show up. We can't drag them out but WE need to get them out somehow. Ned shared with me the dollars spent on the olympic styles VS. Folksyle and it is amazing.
My oppinion has not changed over the years. Six and under are not mature enough to handle the entire season and then what could be two brutal days at a state tournament. More so most parents are not mature enough and need some more seasoning. I think that's where the real kicker is. The kids just want and need to be kids. The parents are the ones wanting to push these extremly young kids into more and more wrestling. They would just as soon sleep in and watch cartoons. They've just started major changes in their lives and starting to spend more time away from home. When do they have time to be children ? I would be curious as to an average of how many trips it takes to the state tournament to actually place ?The numbers of kids that start at 6U wrestling through to High School compared to the number of those starting around 8U wrestling through to High School? Is there a large differance in burn out? It was also mentioned the physical toll put on some of these young bodies. I almost found it humerous that next it would be how unfair it is for a four year old to have to wrestle in the 6U division but it is serious. That's the complaint now 6U against 8U. Sorry, forgot they could be almost nine.
In my oppinion, perhaps only mine, an eight year old State Champion just isn't that impressive. Even 10 year old Champs. Some of these had wicked head & arms that didn't advance or learn anymore. They didn't have the capicity and burnt out. 12U have learned to wrestle a bit and a 14U State Champ, I beleive the toughest step in Wrestling, speaks volumes to me over an 8U State Champ. I could list several from district one that didn't even wrestle High School. What exactly is a 6U State Champ supposed to mean. He matured way to early or wasn't allowed to be a kid. Sorry folks but that's where I see it.
It doesn't seem there is a large number of people wanting to drop 16U and I'm strongly against that. Modifying weight classes is a good sugestion but I still wouldn't do it to make room for 6U. Do it so the competitors now would get a full mat. Especially the 12U that move lightening quick. To suggest 16U had their state and need to move on does not wash with me. How many good wrestlers can not make varsity because they can't beat a senior or because of inner politics aren't even allowed to challenge a junior or senior. How many of the upcomming wrestlers, parents/coaches watched any of the 16U at State? That's some good wrestling. To me it is appalling to see a six year old struggeling, just burnt out tired. Can't quit crying or get his head off the mat and a parent yelling at him hanging off the top rail. They want the kid to quit crying and acting like a baby. I'm sorry but they almost are. Some of them want the six year olds to grow up and act like a man. Give them a chance! Whom is it that wants to place there, the parent or the child? I do understand the parents and coaches just want their child to do well but a lot of these kids don't understand why everybodies so mad at them. Yelling at them. I've personally grown (some) through wrestling. You think I'm wrong on this I suggest you have someone tape you through a match instead of the six year old and re-evaluate. If you are the exception your child will be just fine and grow into a fine competitor.
We were fortunate to attend the Brute Nationals. With this event following our State Tourn. this year I watched a lot of kids that didn't get a lot of mat time since HS State and I watched a lot of our Freshman that competed through subs, district and State. That Freshman class looked really good. I didn't watch a lot of the So. & Junior Class and know I missed some good wrestling. There is a topic on the forum about the Freshman class. How many of those Freshman wrestled on through Kids State? Somebody run these numbers. I hate seeing wrestlers using injury time because their out of shape and just trying to suck in some air. From what I witnessed a lot of these boys were from States, MO. to name one, that don't allow kids wrestling, states that don't have kids programs or the kids that were above the 16U age group. To repeat myself these kids were idle or didn't get much practice since HS State. Is it on them, or us for not providing them the oppurtunities for more mat time? This is National exposure. Don't we want more Ks. kids in college wrestling. How many posts are there on that topic?
I'm not bashing on 6U, they have time. The parent's have time. How many parents burn out before they get their kids into High School? How many would admit they got tired of hauling their kid around and taking all Saturday every Saturday for how many months. Are they the same ones hollering for the split formats. Lets only spend half of our Sat. at tournaments. Speaking of which. How crowded was it Sat. morning at Baldwin?
That split format needed some fine tunning for sure. Coaches bands meaning absolutely nothing at either one of our qualifiers. Sorry another topic.
Positively we need to keep our 16U on the mats as long as we can. Look at how our seniors did this past weekend and think how our seniors could do in a couple of years. Thanks for the time, I could be wrong on a lot of this. Dan

Sorry I got off on a Tangent. Maybe I was bashing 6U or more so the parents/coaches. My appolagies!
My comments are based of personal oppinion I would suppose rather than any facts but that's how I feel on both 6U & 16U. Our Freshman placed 1st @ the Brute Nationals and I would be curious to the numbers of those who continued on through Kids wrestling up to that National Tournament.
A lot has been said about facility limitations in Topeka. Comments in the past have been to move the tournament to Wichita. To me it's always been something special to wrestle the State Tournament at the State Capital. Wichita has passed and will begin building a new arena. Perhaps Richard would know of the floor space/mat space at this new arena and changes could be made in a couple of years. I beleive even then I would be apposed to 6U at the State Competition. Let them be kids. Why take the chance of burning them out before they could do big things for Kansas Wrestling. Dan

Dan:

I share many of your same reservations about six and under participation at State. I know of kids who either won State or were very high placers at 8&U and they are no longer wrestling. I think there is a strong possibility that the expectations after that early success proved to be too much for those families and it contributed later to them leaving the sport.

It seems though that now we have so many six and under open tournaments in comparison to 8 years ago when my son started wrestling as a 6&U wrestler. In fact I am not even sure they had open 6&U tournaments when my son started 8 years ago. I think 6&U might have been all novice tournaments then. Maybe I am mistaken it was our family's first year in wrestling. The thing is though this 6&U group's participation in Open tournaments is growing. They are at all the big meets Salina, Wichita, Liberty Nationals and now their own Ottawa State-like tournament. Maybe the Board or Ned Price needs to talk to the organizers of some of these big tournaments and see how they think the 6&U kids and parents are doing at their tournaments. I don't know if the momentum for 6&U at State can ever be stopped at this point. I guess I am beginning to feel that even though it may not be that good for the majority of the young kids that we need to let the individual families make that decision to participate or not for themselves.

I would also like to address the other point you brought up about kids not participating in Summer wrestling and how we need more participation. I hate to quote this again but here goes. This was reported in the USAW Kansas Kids Wrestling State Body Minutes 11/03/02: "The KWCA had approached Mike and said that they would like to see the Kids wrestling season end earlier. They would like to see it end before High School State, take a couple of weeks break, and then start the summer freestyle-Greco-roman season. They honestly feel we are going too long!! A brief discussion followed, but it was decided to leave as is."

My question to you, Dan is this: Do you think that the KWCA has a point and that maybe the reason we do not see that much Summer freestyle competition for both grade school and high school kids is that our Folkstyle competition is too long and that if it were shorter for both groups as the KWCA suggested to us back in 2002 that maybe we might have more participation of freestyle at both the grade school and high school level? I think it is true of my son who last year practiced freestyle for two months but felt too burned out to wrestle the meets. He is planning on just doing the same this year and just practice freestyle two nights a week but not wrestle any freestyle meets. The decision not to wrestle the freestyle meets the last two years is his decision not mine.

I do think it's something to look at but a problem with the summer wrestling and the way the rules are towards the coaches they are restricted from working with their kids until after flag day. I do beleive we have some great coaches helping the kids with folkstyle but are very limited themselves with knowledge and their ability to coach summer styles of wrestling. I'm at loss myself. I have wondered if folkstyle wasn't available after HS State more would move into summer wrestling if that was all that was offered. But I still yet wonder what coaches would be available to help them. Our kids club has a tremdous technition in Mark Slyter. Mark and Russ complement each other in teaching the summer styles of wrestling and my feelings they are a couple of the better technicians around. That's why we transferred Matt to Paola. Again although Russ's part-time job of coaching is done after HS State there seem to be many that don't think he should be working with the kids until the school season is over, after memorial weekend.
I think we might get a couple more wrestlers if the season ended for Highschoolers after State.
If the season ended early as their suggesting what shape does that leave us for the Brute Nationals, the Mid American Classic is the next big folkstyle tourament just around the corner drawing National Competition. What kind of shape would any be to particpate in that tournament if the folkstyle season ended. before High School State.
One last thought again on the Brute Nationals. Ks. wrestlers competed extremely well at this tournament. If memory serves me right and stumbling around the CRS syndrom. Our Kansas wrestlers placed or were ranked the best of all classes combined. Juniors were ranked first, Sophmores ranked second and Freshman were also ranked 1st in their class. I don't feel we did this or could do this if the folkstyle season was done before or shortly after HS State. Clubs will be scrambling now to get started in FS/GR. I feel we can do this and compete well with what 3 1/2 months of wrestling before we hit the National tournaments. I have never worked in promotion but I think thats what we need. More promotion, more incentives to build up our summer numbers. Realistically people don't accept change well. I think for many they are understanding the folkstyle system and that CHANGE to summer wrestling in holding more than just a few back. We will be competing with Baseball and summer vacations, especially those who feel they are on summer vacation and aren't going to do anything. Some of these kids are looking at slacking the summer away. These are the ones I worry about getting on a wrong road altogether and not being able to get off of it. To much freedom to try things they have no business trying until their in their thirties or something. I truley don't have the answers and can only speculate. How much differance does it make Southern Plains is in Carlsbad,New Mexico. Even though they can still compete and qualify in Junction City @ the FS/Gr State Tournament. I could only suggest we continue to do what we can to support & promote summer wrestling and then try to do a little more.
We need to keep competing in the National Tournaments drawing attention to our Ks wrestlers. Pushing for more college programs in Ks. That to needs promotion and incentives.
I've got to get thanks for asking Vince. Feels like I'm kind of rambling and getting a little sidtracked. I do think these topics will help with open comunications. Surely can't hurt anything with many sharing their experiance, strength and hope. But about all keeping an open mind. Thanks again for allowing me to take some time. Hope to see you all around the mats soon.

I have really enjoyed reading this topic. So many wonderful suggestions.

I am still looking at weight changes, but over the past couple of weeks my thoughts shifted to think about all of the other issues weight changes could bring to Kansas kids.

Dan and Vince I think you are both right on target. We need to look at how our sport has changed through out the counrty as well as in our own state.

We face competition from many other sports that were not there 10 years ago. We need to make our season fan and wrestler friendly.

Lets introduce the sport to kids a young age and do everything we can to keep them in it till they reach high school. This means no pressure, just have fun and keep wrestling. The pressure will come soon enough.

Lets welcome kids you come out in JR/SR High for the first with the same enthusiasm as we do the younger kids, but lets give them a chance to suceed.

Our families have so many choices to make when comes to finding good competition. Some can afford the time and money to travel to out of state tournaments, while others can not. Lets find away to increase the quality of our tournaments.

What will weight changes do to our Subs and District tournaments?

How do we increase the partcipation in the summer program? It's not easy when baseball starts practice in Febuary, or soccer starts in March. Our kids have been on the mat for 3 months by then, who can blame them for wanting to go outside and play.

I beleive that weights changes are only the begining to many new and wonderful things with Kansas Wrestling.

It's time for Kansas Wrestling to start thinking outside the box and once agian become a leader for other states to follow. We already know we run the best tournaments in the country.

Keep the conversation going, it wonderful!
Ned

Dan:

I am sure you are right that the continued folkstyle wrestling was helpful to the Kansas wrestlers at the Brute nationals. It was probably also helpful in the sense that it kept our wrestlers involved and more likely to participate in the tournament whereas maybe in a few of the other States their high school wrestlers either moved on to other Spring sports like Ned suggested or maybe to full time preparation for Freestyle/greco like the KWCA was suggesting a couple of years ago to Mike. That does not seem like a productive rule about not letting high school wrestling coaches involved to Flag Day and it really does not seem to serve any purpose to me. What is the reason for the restriction?

I don't know what would be better for the high schoolers after their season completes. Is it better for them to go into full time freestyle/greco practice and preparation or to extend their current folkstyle season like most do now. Maybe a combination would be best. I think Kevin Klemm use to have them practice both until Kids State was done. I wish Kevin could see this discussion and weigh in with his thoughts on it. My guess is that some could use more folkstyle especially the freshman and JV wrestlers and possibly varsity wrestlers who are not going to wrestle in college. For those with college potential it might be better to go either full time into freestyle/greco or at least a combination. We do need more participating in the freestyle season. My son tried freestyle at one meet last year and he was outmatched in size and age due to the lack of competitors.

Ned I agree that this is a great conversation about the direction of Kansas wrestling. I think we are very lucky that you are our State competition director and I am excited about our future direction. I think it is tremendous that you are encouraging outside the box thinking on making wrestling thrive in Kansas. I think our State tournament has made some great strides in the last couple of years, but there is always the potential to improve things and we should be open to change that could possibly contribute to the growth of our sport in Kansas. Keep up the good work.

Ned do you see any possibility of a 3 day State tournament Friday thru Sunday to help us include another age group 6&U and maybe have bigger mats for most if not all of the age groups? Are would the cost/benefit of an extra day at the Expocentre be prohibitive?

Edited: With a 3 day tournament, I am not thinking you would have all age groups wrestling all three days but that maybe you could have one age group like 16&U wrestle out fully on one day like Smokeycabin suggested. If you did something like this I think 16&U would be a natural for Friday. It might cause some of them to miss the parade on Saturday but I think for most of them by that age it would not be that big of a deal to miss the parade and they could still participate in it if they wanted to.

Vince:

Maybe we should introduce freestyle/greco during the season to all of our wrestlers. This could get them excited about it before seasons end.

There are many ways to change the State Tournament. But I think we need to wait and see what changes happen over the summer.

1. What weights changes are going to happen.
2. If we want full mats for 12 & under what impact will that have on the tournament.
3. If we add 6 & under.

I am working on plans if any or all three of the above happen. Cost are always a concern. The three day tournament is my last choice cause of added expense to families, and a extra day of work for volunteers. For the tournament committee that makes alomst a full week of work and for some that is taking a week of vacation off from work.

The 16/u on fridays did catch my attention. Could be a nice lead in to East/West Classic.

Keep the good ideas coming!

Ned

Ned:

I also thought it could be a good lead in for the 16&U to go from their tournament to watch some of their teammates and former opponents in the East/West Classic on Friday night.

Sorry if the graph doesnt show up properly.

Just want to point out the number of brackets that are not full at the Kansas State Tournament over the last 8 years.

I would think the number of brackets should be nowhere near this high, considering the fact that we have 2 qualifying tournaments to get here!

8-Under
Weight 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

40 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
43 16 16 16 16 15 16 16 16
46 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
49 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
52 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
55 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
58 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
61 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
64 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
67 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
70 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
73 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
76 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
80 16 16 14 16 16 16 16 16
88 0 0 16 16 16 16 16 16
95 16 16 14 16 15 16 15 15
110 13 13 11 14 16 15 13 15
125 14 8 3 8 9 6 10 13

8 - Under




10-Under
Weight 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

52 12 8 11 13 6 9 4 9
55 14 14 14 14 14 12 10 11
58 16 16 15 16 16 16 16 16
61 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
64 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
67 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
70 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
73 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
76 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
79 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
82 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
85 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
90 16 15 16 16 16 16 16 16
95 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
100 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
110 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
120 16 14 16 15 16 15 16 16
130 13 16 14 12 12 14 15 16
150 15 11 10 11 12 13 11 14
170 6 7 7 6 4 10 7 4

10 - Under

12-Under
Weight 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

60 7 7 5 2 9 7 2 3
64 12 9 12 8 13 12 8 12
68 14 16 16 15 15 11 16 12
72 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
76 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
80 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
84 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
88 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
92 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
96 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
100 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
105 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
110 16 16 16 16 15 16 16 16
115 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
120 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
130 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
140 16 16 16 16 14 16 16 15
150 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15
165 16 16 15 15 16 13 14 16
190 8 13 11 14 12 14 15 13
215 6 6 6 9 5 2 7 9
240 0 1 4 5 3 1 0 2

12 - Under





14-Under
Weight 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

70 0 2 5 3 1 0 3 2
75 6 5 8 6 5 4 4 3
80 11 8 12 9 13 12 11 9
85 15 15 15 15 16 13 14 12
90 14 16 16 15 15 16 16 13
95 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
100 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
105 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
110 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
115 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
120 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
125 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
130 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
135 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
140 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
145 16 16 16 16 16 15 15 16
150 16 16 16 16 16 15 15 16
155 16 15 16 14 16 16 13 16
160 13 16 16 16 16 16 14 14
165 16 14 16 16 14 16 15 13
175 16 16 16 16 16 16 15 14
205 16 15 16 16 16 13 15 16
235 12 13 14 15 14 14 13 14
265 5 8 11 11 8 11 14 7

14 - Under

16-Under
Weight 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

95 5 4 0 5 5 3 3 2
100 6 8 5 2 2 5 6 3
105 12 10 9 10 5 8 8 8
110 11 14 14 10 12 6 13 13
115 15 15 16 13 13 14 13 12
120 16 14 16 16 15 16 12 15
125 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 15
130 16 16 15 16 15 16 14 15
135 16 16 14 16 15 16 16 16
140 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 16
145 16 14 16 16 16 16 16 16
150 16 16 16 15 16 16 16 16
155 15 16 15 16 15 16 16 13
160 15 16 11 16 16 13 15 15
165 14 14 16 16 15 14 15 16
175 16 16 16 15 16 15 16 16
185 16 15 16 16 14 16 15 16
215 16 16 16 16 16 15 16 16
245 12 12 11 12 16 10 15 16
275 13 13 11 9 11 9 7 12

16 - Under

bracket not full


# Brackets Not Full!
Age Group 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

8-under 2* 2* 4 2 3 2 3 3
10-under 6 6 6 6 5 6 5 4
12-under 6 5 6 7 8 7 6 8
14-under 8 9 6 8 7 9 13 10
16-under 10 11 10 9 12 11 13 11

# available

8-under 16 16 18 18 18 18 18 18
10-under 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
12-under 22 22 22 22 22 22 22 22
14-under 24 24 24 24 24 24 24 24
16-under 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20

Thank you Jeff for that information. Actually they look better than I suspected they might. I'm not sure a full bracket at every weight should be the goal as much as enough competitors so that nobody can walk into a placement.
It should be noted that the bottom two weights in 8U, particularly 40#, are most likely made up of 6U wrestlers.

It would be almost as important to know how many entries were in each age/weight division at districts. I suspect some of those 14U and 16U weights while full at state had about 4 entries in each district tournament.

I am still for adding a weight in the heavier side for 12U and 14U. 30# differences is a big difference. I know everyone says there is not enough to fill the brackets in the Heavyweights so why add another one, because 30# is alot of difference. If you have a 14U wrestler that weighs 210 and can't get down to 205, he is wrestling kids that could be 25 pounds heavier. Not to mention at local tournaments when they combine the bracket and they though the 265 kids in too.

I have been a proponent of cutting off the kids state tournament at 14 and under with 8th grade being the limit. It is by no means meaning to stop the older boys and girls from wrestling during that time at all. It is meant to try to get the best of the best to be part of the national teams.

You could even tweak the format if you want the older kids and eliminate the qualifying rounds, have an open state tourney at the same time as kids and divide it like the Brute Nationals by grade. This could even be done in the weeks prior to state--perhaps the Wichita Classic could evolve in to this format and put one of the NATIONAL tags on their tournament by opening it up.

I just think we lose a lot of good potential freestyle wrestlers for our cadet and junior national teams.

We could start our freestyle/greco season after kids state and if we had our state freestyle/greco tourney in May as opposed to June you could get your national teams set earlier. Have a series of weekend clinics/camps at various parts of the state that lead up to the national events.

Just an idea is all, i have seen similar formats work in other states. I think the key difference in those states are that folkstyle was basically a high school thing and freestyle/greco was the offseason emphasis.


Klint

I support Klint's idea of getting our kids into Freestyle and Greco earlier in the Spring!

I recall however, the KWCA recommendation to end the folkstyle season earlier, was not supported by Kansas Kids.

Randy,

Is there any thought now that some think the season is lasting far too long?! Is this something that is put to a vote at the State Body Meeting?

Sorry guys, had to dig out some old stuff. :-)

Jeff Broadbent -
Mill Valley Wrestling Club

nonononononono

I support shortening the season. I also support shortening the qualifying series to help shorten the season. This might happen when the districts are restructured. Districts might be bigger tournaments and subs might go away. The Kids season, 14U and below, needs to end the weekend before High School districts. KSHSAA needs to back off of regulating Jr. High?MS wrestling so that all of these kids would be eligible to participate. State could be rotated every year from Hays to Wichita, to Topeka. Kids could then wrestle open tournaments or go to the HS events before hitting the national events and team dual events. If kids want to get ready for the FS/GR season then they could focus on those styles. The season is WAY too long right now.

Just an idea. What about an earlier state tournament for 6U, 8U, 10U, and 12U (not yet in middle school) and then a later state tournament, after High School State, for a Middle School Division, and one or two High School Divisions? There should be plenty of room at a site for both and you shorten the season for the younger kids, plus you've now added the 6U.

how many kids can qualify for state at each weight