People are so quick to say "You are just saying that because your kid is 6U" or "You just don't know because you don't have a 16 year old"!
I do not have a 6U and my son will wrestle 16U next year!
Don't be so quick to judge everyone and think they have personal interest. My opinions are ones that I think will help better and grow the sport.
Also, the main reason you see the drop at 14 & 16 is because when they move out of kids wrestling and the sport changes. You don't see 3 kids from the same HS at the same weight wrestle in the same event. Kids leave because they don't want to wait 2 or maybe 3 years for serious mat time or a chance to go to state because they are behind an older/stronger wrestler.
If 16 years olds wanted to wrestle for just a kids club and have them in the kids state event then I would be ok with that. They would really be apart of kids wrestling.
BUT, you see these kids come down out of HS (some of them already placing at HS State) and they want to wrestle kids state. What's the purpose of that?
Sometimes they can also throw off the vibe in the kids club practices. They have their own way they prefere to warm up. They feel they are above the some of the drills. They can be hard to coach because they are so used to their style that they had with their other coaches.
THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL 14 & 16 YEAR OLD WRESTLERS OR CLUBS!! SOMETIMES THEY ADD GREAT VALUE AND EVEN HELP WITH YOUNGER WRESTLERS!!
It is just my opinion of what I have seen happen in a few different clubs!
I would love to not have to add or leave out any age group! I just think that developing a stronger/BIGGER foundation of younger wrestlers is more valuable to the growth of the sport then retaining the smaller older group that we have.
SO, if I HAD TO PICK, I would choose educating & growing the younger group!
