I was looking at some of the entries in Track Wrestling for the Mill Valley tournament this weekend. I immediately noticed how many wrestlers were entered without being rated under separation criteria. In fact, I looked at the biggest group in the U12 division. Out of fourteen wrestlers, only four were rated, 4 out of 14 (less than 30%).
Let's say that all these kids show up and get thrown into a sixteen man bracket. How is Track Wrestling going to know where to seed everyone? Am I missing something here? Shouldn't all wrestlers be rated when entered into any tournament? Maybe it really doesn't matter because the cream will always rise to the top. Why don't clubs rate their wresters when they enter them? The ratings will normally be consistent all year with very few kids changing from say a C to a B wrestler during the season. Is it people being lazy, is it apathy on the part of the club, it is the person entering the wrestlers not being educated on the importance of the rating system for seeding purposes, or does it really matter at all?
I don't know Track Wrestling from the users standpoint. Maybe it recognizes names of wrestlers who have been put in Track Wrestling at other tournaments and how they did (wins, losses, places, who beat who and by what spread). If not, how does it know the separation criteria when so many wrestlers are entered unrated? Maybe, it just doesn't matter.