Kids wrestling can have a considerable impact on High school programs. I believe the greatest impact they have is in getting young kids and parents interested and invoved in the sport of wrestling. They also serve to teach some funamental technique, good sportmanship and, if the wrestler and parents are committed over time, can produce wrestlers who go to camps and learn from instructors who teach a variety of styles. I do believe that 7th and 8th grade scholastic programs do more to develop young wrestlers and help them make the transition to competitive high-school scholastic wrestling. But the kids programs are important in getting them out on the mat and sewing the seeds of desire to train and wrestle at the high school level. Losing our 8th grade program to budget cuts has made it much tougher to help kids make the transition from kids to high-school with nothing in between. The difference in the pace and intensity of practice, the personal discipline and sacrifice required, the mental and physical demands (including staying academically eligible while training and competing) can be a shock to the system. Probably more difficult is the learning curve for instruction in new or different technique. It's tough for some to discontinue their reliance on moves that worked well at the kids level, but have a low probablility of working against good high-school competition such as head-and-arm, fat-man roll, and reaching back from bottom to grab ....... something. Still, many of those who have wrestled kids club and have drilled hard in practice, gone to camps to take advantage of a variety of styles of technique, trained in a disciplined manner to improve their strength and fitness (cardio) are generally quite coachable and can learn and adapt quickly.