I put the number 20 up to initiate a discussion. In that sense it was successful. A little strong in some posts, but all are good, thought out comments.

Reference Husker Fan's last comment, I find it very difficult to believe that anyone anywhere is advocating reducing the number of HS weight brackets. Makes absolutely no sense to me. I would like to read the rationale if some one has a web address where it is being discussed.

The Montana system has its merits, so do several other systems. Montana adopted their system because of their low number of schools (lots of land few people). If they did not allow double team entries they could not have a system of qualifying regional/divisional tournaments. Two points about the Montana system. #1, the 2d team of wrestlers they are entering are by definition 2d team/JV wrestlers. Agreed, some of these JV wrestler will beat some varsity wrestlers from other schools--gonna happen!. Point #2. How do you seed JV into a varsity tournament. I can hear the cat fight now. Coach #1--"my freshman JV is undefeated at 10 and 0 (100%), and should be seeded higher than that senior wrestler with a 24 and 6 record (80%)". Coach #2-- "B--L S--T"!!!!! The solution may have to be a coaches wrestle off.

Now, as for the number of brackets. What is a "more" realistic number of brackets to best improve HS wrestling--if the number of brackets are Important? Something must be important if wrestlers/ex-wrestlers, fans, coaches , refs, and others seem to agree that something needs to be done to bring more kids into the wrestling room- or the sport is going to wither and possibly die at many scools and communities. I opened with 20 brackets, other called, raised, or dropped out. If 20 is not the number, what is-thats the problem. If more brackets may be needed , each of us has an idea on how the brackets are split. My idea is primarily leave everything below 160 alone. Now, before we can bracket, who are we trying to attract to wrestling. I don't think we are getting the HS football players into wrestling--the 170 and up kids. Back in the day you played football, then BB or wrestling , and in the spring baseball or track. Today kids are specialist, participating in one sport. Why? One reason is coaches make them do that. I know several coaches who tell their kids if you play X sport you can't play on my Y team---"you need to go to camps or play our Y sport in the off season on a club or AAU team". Happens!!! Pushy dad's who think junior is an potential All State/All American are also guilty of steering their student athletes to only one sport. HS sports are HS sports, and very few HS athletes are going on to college or the pros. So/ lets encourage them to participate in multiple HS sports. To me that equates to having a system you can recruit kids into. In wrestling, that may be more brackets with smaller splits. As for the bigger guys, I personally would not want any weight split over 25 or 30 pounds, and then only one at the very top 260 to 285). Novak makes a very good point. Why is the HS top weight 285 and the international top weight 264. Where does the US college heavyweights top out?

Enough said. All comments valid and all comments appreciated. What ever you position--keep it going!!!