Galagore,
Ok, I will offer a response...... putting in "TIME", is different for each individual and different according to weight class. I think a kid that has wrestled since 7 years old, maybe "TIME" doesn't have to be spent on the mat at all in the spring, summer, and fall. Maybe he just hits the weights hard and stays flexible. Then theres the kid that has not spent that much time on the mat, maybe started 7-8th grade. I think some quality time in the summer will make him more familiar with more areas of wrestling and allow him to be better in more positions. Have you ever noticed how an Alex Tsirtsis can score from a ton of positions? This is from spending "TIME" on that mat and putting "TIME" in each of these positions. You could also spend "TIME" watching videos of technique or videos of yourself in the offseason. I think all of this would no doubt improve your wrestling. Be careful counting "TIME" by just being in a fall or spring sport. The majority of the time you are working so hard in those practices that you don't get the proper rest cycle to allow yourself to truly benefit from the lifting or what not. Best of luck, just opinions!
duck_and_run,
Again, just an opinion, one I don't share, but can agree with. That is, some top notch programs really don't have a elementary program. That is the high school coach does not want to put a ton of time in a 6-7 year old and then have him not even wrestle when he reaches high school. Lets agree on this, wrestling is an extremely hard sport. One that, at times, shows very little pay off. We as coaches and parents can see the lifeskills that a child aquires through this sport so we want them to do it. But for the kid, it is just down right nasty at times. So in these programs it is left up to the motivated parent to search out training and competition. I think having a feeder program at elementary increases your state qualifiers, but only because you have more numbers. Best of luck to all!