I have not looked at the entries this year but every year I see several high school state placers in the 14U division. I tried to suggest, when we created HS divsion, to disallow HS kids in 14U period but at the very least we should encourage HS state placers to wrestle the HS division. It is an unfair advantage that HS wrestlers have a better practice situation and wrestle kids up to three or four years older than them during the past three months. What are everyone else's thoughts?

I agree completely, Will. Why should someone that did not Win or place high enough to their satisfactory come back and wrestle down in my eyes at the Kids level after they have wrestled against their equivalents or above for the last three months. You improve by wrestling better opponents who make you work.

Brian J. Bigelow

WHOA!!! If we shouldn't have lower weight classes in High School to cater to Freshmen. Then lets not whine and cry when they wrestle their age division in kids. They are doing this for fun, they aren't cutting a ton of weight or working out 2 hours a day. Let them have fun and be kids, they are only 14.

Well said!!! FUN is the name of the game. This is NOT the Olympics! KEEP IT FUN or you will kill them with burn out . . . I have seen many 14 year old STUDS . . . that don't even finish there senior year of HS wrestling. Why? Because it is just no fun any more. After years and years of being over-controlled by their parents, they simply (and understandably) hate the sport we all love.

Back off and let them have fun!!!

Maybe they should just flunk 8th grade on purpose. That makes much more sense.

X 2! Great point. I know the post is about State Placers but is it safe to say half of the freshmen are still in 14 and Under? Each kid goes through the top and bottom half of the age groups each year. Why should a freshman not get his chance?

I thought this sport was to get the kids at the same age and weight? Why wouldn't you let let the kid on his up yr of 14 wrestle 14 under. Let them have 1 more chance at true kids club state championship, before HS division the next year. Let them decide 14 or HS. I see a few this year that elected to go up to the HS division, but it is their choice!!!

A little off topic - but at Brute they do it by grade. Well you could have a 15 or 16 year old 8th grader. Granted not many 8th graders are over 13/14 but a few are.

If the State Body makes it a rule - will we increase or decrease participation? Or just leave it as an individual choice/option.

I agree leave it an individual choice. Not everything has to be dictated to make it FAIR.(I really hate that word)

Or go back to 16under and add 18 under but I bet the brackets will be small

Leave it the way it is. Before this High School division was created the only option available to freshman 14 & Unders was to wrestle their age division. It didn't matter whether they were a high school state placer or not.

I like that they have an option to go up to the high school division, but it shouldn't be a requirement. If it keeps them wrestling for an extra month who cares if they are in the 14 & Under division? For the record I have seen several freshman high school state placers come back and end up getting beat by an 8th grader over the years.

Your age is your age. Shouldn't matter what grade your in unless it's crazy like a 20 year highschooler. Heck I've seen 16 year old 8th graders as well as kids that were 16 in their Senior year, they should both be in 16u. Let the kids decide, and maybe parents would quit redshirting their kindergardeners in hopes of haveing the biggest, fastest, strongest, and not to mention oldest Kindergardener.

Will, you say, "It is an unfair advantage that HS wrestlers have a better practice situation and wrestle kids up to three or four years older than them during the past three months."

Have those kids not paid their dues wrestling kids 3+ years older than them for three months?

You also consider it an advantage for them to have faced older opponents, and yet you don't want the 8th graders to have to wrestle someone one year older than them. If its such an advantage to wrestle older kids, let the 8th graders wrestle older kids too.

Wow--i argee with Will---world must really be coming to end this year. If you spent the season as a starting varsity wreslter-what do have to gain confidence wise wrestling kids division. I am betting if you placed at hs state--you probably won or placed at kids state several times already--what do you gain adding another? Is it parents or wrestler choosing? It should be up to wrestler. Pretty sure college scouts don't care what you did at kids level. As for fun--what fun is it for the 7/8 graders that have to wrestle high school level guys. Not sure what next year holds for us--but if we wrestle varsity-will not come back and take chance away from a youth level kid to make it to there state. Which builds confidence/skill--going 3-2 at hs level or placing at kids level?

Somebody much smarter than I said it best "prepare them for the road--not the road for them". My 2 cents anyway.

Your right college coaches don't care so why should we?

Rusty, We will see if you still feel that way next year as it may be my son that is in your sons bracket. I beleive they are this year or close anyway. However, that being said, my son understands that he will be competing against some high school freshman. He did it at Iola and got his clock cleaned. Honestly it made him realize the level of competition in high school and may have been the best thing for him. The younger kids will have to work harder.

Part of the reason for the HS division was to hope we get some HS champions/placers, from different classes (321a, 4a, 5a, 6a) to wrestle each other. There is nothing written that says who "should" wrestle HS instead of 14u, but I would think that folks should look at the big picture. A tough, state placing freshman should wrestle HS, IMO, to push him self against tougher competition.


Something that could have an impact is a kids' club coach that is after the state team title at Topeka, telling the kid to wrestle 14u for team points.

I am one that is frustrated when I see kids wrestling 14u instead of HS, but I can only make my own kid do what I feel is right, and best for him. I can't determine what I think is right for someone else's kids.

Just remember, ANY kid, when given an option, will take the easier road. This crap about "he's a kid, let him make some decisions and learn", is crap. Kids need to be told what decision to make, so that when they get older, and are faced with the ole' "when you have frogs to swallow, swallow the biggest one first", they are prepared........

my $.02

Very well said Doug!

This is a little off the original topic but I agree with Doug. If I gave my boy choices...he wouldn't go to church, go to school, take a shower, brush his teeth, go to practice, study homework, and he would eat candy every meal...etc


Jeff Martin
Brawlers
761-7139