I was prepared for that response when I posted that site as an example. The idea was to look at the way MO does the weight division splits to get an idea of how to break it down so you don't have so many lower brackets and could spread them out to accomodate as many athletes as possible. The entrants entered are an entirely different issue.

But did anyone notice that the 8U 40lb only had 3? So which way do you go with that. Point is none of the kids were turned away. So maybe they had a bad year/turnout. We apparently are not this year and are turning away dozens of potential state wrestlers. The same will be true next year and the year after. Are we so special we cannot crown a victor even if they are the only ones there. National Tournaments do it all the time. $$$ is a huge factor here.

I am pretty conservative most of the time. I think a kid should earn an award and not be given an award. But in this case they have earned the right to go as they have practiced went to other tournaments and done their time. It would just be the culmination of a seasons effort. Besides they hand out medals like candy at the district and sub-district meets anyway. So it wouldn't be like it isn't already being done. If you really want to help people out drop one of the qualifying meets this year and go from there. That would prob save everyone at least $50.00. Figure entry fees, gas, food, lodging in some cases.

If half the state decided that due to the economy (not totally unrealistic and prudent by the way) that they weren't going to shell out the money to go to state. Would you just call it off because the brackets were half empty. I don't think so. Is there a minimum for bracketing for state? So if there are only 2 people entered in the 8U 76 bracket do we just move them up a bracket or age group to make a bracket bigger. I would hope not.

The truth is that we are in a recession and people are out of work. The numbers will most likely be down this year any way you look at it. So doing surveys/polls are not likely to show anything except that numbers are down across the board. Past research is past research you have to live in the now not the last year or the year before that. The fact that big kids have been run off or turned away has undoubtably hurt their numbers over the last few years at least in this state.

Again look at the the way MO does their weight bracketing that is the important message here. Thanks, Troy