good job tj,grant martin sends his best he,s getting ready to go to reno,hope to see you guy,s later.

Average_Joe:

KCWrestlerMom's son actually was a Varsity wrestler on a high school state championship team - actually one of his matches was key in our teams win! I'm coming to her defense since she is not one to "gloat" about her son - so I'm gloating for her!

Wrestlingmom,

Start a new thread and gloat all you want. Maybe your 97th post or babble will have something worth reading.

wrestlingmom - you can't win this argument - you already have 96 posts. You need something like 11 and have joined the forum last month in order to be "right". Maybe the post about KCWrestlerMom will be edited now - the one about me was. I don't understand the nastiness that include comments like "go back in your hole" or making it seem like being JV is shameful.

Average_joe:

Obviously you don't realize that wrestling mom's have to be pretty thick skinned to tolerate this sport so your little snide remarks won't run me off.

You have been the only one to bring "negative" comments to this thread. So YOU need to start a new thread that we can all ignore.

KCWrestlers Mom only voiced her opinion. That is the purpose of this board. If you would have been around for any length of time you might have known that.

And to Jab44 your comments "Thank you average joe. this situation is not even comparable to High School. First of all if these ladies had any idea about wrestling or sports in general they would know there is a huge difference in maturity between 6 & 8 year olds. As these kids get older i.e. 8, 10, 12, 14,16 that gap becomes less and less aparent." Have you ever been to a high school wrestling match? Put a freshman and senior side by side and I will show you a difference in maturity. By the way, I know a h*** of a lot about this sport and other sports. You obviously have never met me or other wrestling mom's otherwise you would not be so quick to insult us on our lack of knowledge. Trust me, we're not out getting our hair and nails done on Saturday - we are in a stinky wrestling gym watching our boys.

I will gladly sign my name since most people that I care about already know who I am - I challenge those who want to insult us wrestling mom's to sign their names also.

Sharon Henes

We have a 6 yr. old. Not saying that they should be held out of the big dance, but there's not a lot of them that could handle the pressure. The second year of wrestling, with a very good record, We had one loss to Acacia, 2 losses to T.J. and one to Grant Hillard that has never been mentioned " he knows his stuff." Instead of discouraging these kids, try the 6u State Champ at Ottawa. It was the most amazing experiance, all the attention was on 6u. They run it better then the big boys, and one weight bracket has their own mat all day. You enjoy watching kids you've never seen before. They are all in you bracket, and you want to watch you competition all day. We do understand the point of paying all year, and getting kicked out at the end. Raise your head and find better things.
OTTAWA!!!

My oldest son has been in kids wrestling for 9 years now, and next year he will be first year 16 and under. I too once was adimate about getting 6 year olds invovled in their own class in the state tournement. And was willing to see 16 year olds being eliminated if that was what it took. Now of course, I feel very different. I still have a big stake in seeing 6 year olds being part of the state tourney in Topeka as I have a 4 year old boy who wants to wrestle like his brothers, but our stake in keeping 16 year olds involved is just as great. After 7 or 8 continuous years at state with my older sons, there is no doubt that there is plenty of time to be successful after you become 8 years old. I wonder if all of you who are promoting eliminating 16 and under at state will feel the same way in 8 or 9 years. Careful, what you do today may not serve you well tomorrow.

I don't think most people are saying to eliminate the 16 year olds, just saying to add the 6U. The point is simply being made that if 16U who spend 3 or 4 weeks in the club have a shot, the 6U that spend the time should have a shot too. It also would help unite some clubs if the 6 year olds had a bracket to compete at "real" state instead of "little" state as some like to refer to it.

Kylesdad, you should read the thread entitled "Kansas weight class thoughts". Sounds to me that there are plenty of people around who would like to see 16U eliminated from the state touney. This discussion happens every year at this time. Most 16U have spent numerous years in the room for numerous complete seasons which should give them some leverage. It's difficult for me to understand how anyone could argue that they somehow don't deserve it as much because they have only been in the room for 3 or four weeks. Again, I would like 6U included, but not at the expense of16U.

5465,

Go read that thread again from beginning to end.

What I would like to see is all the athletes 6 - 16 compete (with kids in their age group) at the State Tourney. I find it to be a joke that there are 22 and 24 weight classes in the 12U and 14U age groups respectively.

It would be possible to see all the athletes compete at the State Tourney, if the weight classes were adjusted to something similar to our parent organization -USAW.

When is it going to end????? Everybody wants the 6 year oldsin state and the 16 year olds gone. Let's say they vote it in. Then in a year or two. We have parents out there who have these stud 3 and 4 year olds. Then Ottawa runs a 4 and under state tournament to take the place of the six year olds now going to the big dance. Then we have parents saying the 4 year olds are wrestling all year and being left out. But, I don't want my 3 or 4 year old maybe wrestling a 7 year old. Then we have people saying lets kick the 14 year olds out and get the 4 year olds in. When is it going to stop??? Don't think I have anything against the little guys. Because I have a 3 and a 6 year old along with a 10 year old. My oldest son wrestled in the 8U as a 6 year old. But, he was physically and mentally ready to compete. He's a 4 time qualifer and 2 time placer. My six year old is no way ready. and he's spent 2 years in the wrestling room. He's not even at the same level as my older son in any sport. And I've worked with him the same way as my older son. Now, my 3 year old, I see alot of my older son in him as ability and wanting to do the sports. I'm sorry for dragging this out, but I see the same thing in other famlies that have several children as I do. The physical and mental abilities are quite different.
As far as the weight changes. I don't like the proposed weight changes. Because that's just promoting weight cutting. The weights start out 5lbs. apart and get up to 15lbs. in the lower age groups. I coach other sports and I've tried to talk parents into signing up their kids for wrestling. A lot of these parents know nothing about the sport of wrestling but, they sure do know about the weight cutting. I try to explain it to them and give them my point of view. We just can't have that much weight changes between weights. We need to promote our sport of wrestling and stay away from negatives as much as we can so our sport will grow. I like how the weights are broke down right now.

Stop the presses and help me out. I am one that is in favor of 6-year-olds at state but have thought of something that might cause me to think more about this decision. I can't believe no one has brought up the numbers issues. For example, there are many more kids who get the opportunity to experience "State" at Ottawa than there would be at Topeka. Now not meaning to give ammunition to the other side, but this is a decent argument. I don't know if there is a solution to how to do this but the reality of it is that there is already a 6 and under state, the question becomes, where is it held and how many kids get to go there. I am still in favor of finding a way to have 6 & Under and 16 & Under at the big show at Topeka. But I am moved by the fact that so many 6 & Under kids get to experience the concept at their own tournament. Don't have any easy answers just a few questions.

If you really want the 6 & u state tournament to be like the Big Kids then there needs to be qualifing tournaments and allow 2 days for it. I think it is unrealistic to expect these kids to wrestle 32 and 64 man brackets in one day. Which is exactly how it is now. If you had qualifers and a 2 day tournament then it WOULD be just like the big kids but in a different location.

Mike, I posted a comment about this in one of the other topics. I questioned on how parents would choose tournaments - or would Ottawa become the consolation tournament for those who didn't qualify in districts?

Dustin Winter from Clearwater made it. He was a little guy, like 60 lbs or so.

Packerholic, you seem to go to the absurd to try and make your point. You ask "where will it end". The fact is, there is currently a 6U bracket for the kids to wrestle all year long. Then, in order to qualify for the state tourney, they must wrestle up to the best 8u kids in the state. The state tourney should match the age brackets that the kids wrestle in all year long.

The Ottawa tourney is a mixed bag. They do a great job, but allowing everyone to go to state without earning it, takes some of the luster off of going. In most cases though, if you place at Ottawa, it is harder to do because of the number of entries and matches. My son will wrestle 8u next year, so I have no personal gain from having 6u added, but I still fully support adding 6u at state. Give the 6u kids a fair chance at a reward for all their hard work for the year.

Packerholic, you seem to go to the absurd to try and make your point. You ask "where will it end". The fact is, there is currently a 6U bracket for the kids to wrestle all year long. Then, in order to qualify for the state tourney, they must wrestle up to the best 8u kids in the state. The state tourney should match the age brackets that the kids wrestle in all year long.

The Ottawa tourney is a mixed bag. They do a great job, but allowing everyone to go to state without earning it, takes some of the luster off of going. In most cases though, if you place at Ottawa, it is harder to do because of the number of entries and matches. My son will wrestle 8u next year, so I have no personal gain from having 6u added, but I still fully support adding 6u at state. Give the 6u kids a fair chance at a reward for all their hard work for the year.

kylesdad - how old is your son? Is he 6U? Do you have any other children? From reading your comments, it seems to be that you are defending adding 6U to State only because you have a 6U.
Someone said earlier on this topic that using the numbers of kids in a category to justify adding 6U was wrong. I agree. Most 6U join wrestling, get their wrestling card and try the sport out. Many drop out their first year. Many others just go to a few tournaments. There are even some clubs that limit the number of tournaments a young child can go to so that they don't get burned out as they get bigger (and some of these clubs have excellent high school programs). There are only about 100-200 kids in 6U who are dedicated enough to go to all of the tournaments and to compete at the state level.
This has already been voted on and it wasn't even close. If it is voted on again this year, it will have the same result. So let's find something else to talk about.

Mom4 My boy will be moving up to 10& under next year and my younger son is 7 and does not wrestle so I have nothing to gain by wanting to see the 6 & under added to State.I do think they should be added, they pay the same amount for their wrestling card pay the same amount for tournament fees and from what I have witnessed over the last 5 years work just as hard in practice as the older kids.Iam not saying the 16 & under should be dropped but If I had to choose one or the other I would choose the 6 n under

Mom4 please don't presume to know my situation. My youngest is 7 years old and will not be wrestling 6u next year. I am in support of the 6u kids having a division at state for several reasons. Primarily, because I see several 6u kids working thier butts off all year, only to be tossed aside at the end of the year so the coaches can work on the kids "going to Topeka" There is a division for 6u all year long until state. Go to Ottawa and observe the drive and desire of the 6u kids in the 32 and 64 man brackets. There are plenty of 6u kids that are up to the challenge and deserve the chance to qualify and wrestle state just like the older kids. The only reason I bring up the 16u is because at least in our club, the 16u kids come in for 3 weeks of the season and then are welcomed at state. It sucks that the kids that work IN THE CLUB all year don't have the same opportunity. I am not in favor of pulling 16u, but I do fully support adding 6u to state, even though I would not be personally affected.