I have found it odd that
youth tournaments generally make less than logical choices to determine the age
distinctions for young wrestlers.
Option One: Age on the day of the tournament.
Option Two: Age at the end of the calendar year; i.e.
December 31st, 2009.
Options one & two often lead to the
same confusing result; a wrestler begins the season in one category and at some
random point during the season, his/her classification changes. A Pee-Wee becomes a Bantam, a Bantam
becomes a Midget, and so on … Why?
It makes no sense? In High
School, a wrestler who begins the season on J.V. isn’t forced to enter Varsity
competition starting in January or, even more randomly, whenever their birthday
falls.
The Logical Choice: Age as of the start of the season or if
it’s easier, the scholastic year.
I have encountered only one tournament director who has adopted this,
logical method, Jack Roller, and he has been producing quality tournaments for
thirty years.
This is by no means an attempt to provide
an advertisement for Roller Productions, but merely to create a forum to hear
from other parents/coaches and perhaps some tournament organizers as to why the
current system is being used.
Hopefully it will lead to a better system across the region.
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