Every year a few people decide to defend mixing high school wrestlers with kids. Too me it just shows our state's overall lack of a true understanding of development in our sport. Middle school wrestling, for the most part, is on par with novice. MOST of the coaches have little or no experience and the good kids pick up bad habits wrestling kids who are not experienced. It is like saying that JV is the same as varsity and Novice is the same as Open. There will be exceptions as some eighth graders have chosen a different preparation path than most so they will compete and possibly defeat some of the experienced high school wrestlers but for the most part it is like putting puppies with the big dogs. Missouri and Oklahoma both have it right maybe the majority will see the injustice and correct it someday. I must say I am not holding my breath though