Back east you have the luxury of having novice tournaments. In the wild west we have one novice tournament that is close. That is in Dec. . So we don't have to worry about who is a novice after that you wrestle opens. The chips fall where they may. Novice tournaments are a good idea BUT then you mess them up by getting adults involved and that is where the problem lies. The Mom's and Dad's want that throphy or medal more than the kid does. They don't have novice basketball games or baseball games or football games you are in the pit from the beginning.