My recommendation or idea is to approach this from the perspective of what is best for the kids. We are lucky in the northeastern part of the state in that we can have our cake and eat it too.

Our MS season is only 6 weeks long and is over by Christmas. Our serious wrestlers actually get to do both the middle school and majority of the kids club season (just not at the same time). The only real big tournament that they miss if doing MS is the Kick off Classic.

This helps the sport of wrestling all the way around. I have seen the number of kids that come out for wrestling in 7th grade for Middle School and then join our club after the school season is over. It also gives our experienced kids a chance to learn leadership and how to work with the other kids that will be their team members in high school. I also see wrestling as a team sport so I think that is important.

I do not understand administrators in other parts of the state that say they want what is best for the kids and then are unwilling to change to a pre-Christmas season for the Middle Schoolers. Seems to me they are only paying lip service to the idea of what is best for the kids.

Bet those same administrators think it is a good idea to have 7th and 8th graders choose between wrestling and basketball. Having a pre-Christmas season allows the kids to try both if they want.