Matside Ma

Next year when these pretty good 5th graders CAN wrestle in the M.S. State tournament--will they? Or will this team decide that they (to paraphrase) are not interested in the weigh in situation at M.S. state ,paying the fee to wrestle at IHSWCA or paying the $$$$ to travel two hours away and stay on this already organized good team? If the "big guys" contact you will you turn them away? It seems from you initial post that you were encouraging wrestlers to ditch M.S. state tournament for a easier sign-up process. It isn't even about THIS year as much as is about the future strength and depth of M.S. Team Indiana. You may be the first to form a "unofficial" team Indiana ,but once you do so others will follow--soon our talent will be so diluted that all Indiana teams attending this event will be mediocre at best.

It is not about the rules and weather it is breaking rules--it is about what it will do to the future of Indiana teams and the Indiana wrestling community vs 6 good 5th grade wrestlers. I vs We.

Could be the best is a 5th grader but it is not their time....just yet! Let them bring it as a 6th grader and enjoy the experience for 3 years. Work with the system to grow Indiana wrestling as a whole and not a select group of wrestlers.Their time will come and until then I think you can find tournaments that are intended for them to participate in that will challenge them.

It becomes controlling and not growing when quality wrestlers are placed on a team vs participating in the qualifying tournament. After the tournament if teams would like to form and attend more power to the great competitors of Indiana--but don't dilute the talent so that our best wrestlers are divided and not united. Send the strongest team possible to represent Indiana. This is good for Indiana wrestling and Indiana wrestlers .

Sarah Hildebrandt won boy's state in 2006 as a schoolgirl.

Sorry about the novice attempt at posting--I have never posted before but like all the other guest check out what's going on through the various post but these post inspired me from my passive reader chuckle, shake my head, what are they thinking reader-- to actually respond.. I really don't think it is about$$$$$$ but about CONTROL! This is the type of action that will take our really strong, competitive national runner -up team and decimate it. This group will organize this year with a group of strong mostly 5th graders and then for the next 4 years, if allowed take a team back to the tournament pulling other strong wrestlers from the official INDIANA teams. Currently the middle school program is the only place where this type of hacking the talent pool hasn't occurred and I believe that is why Indiana is competitive at this event. It is bad for our state program and will totally destroy the honor of making "Team Indiana" . Just one Matside Ma's opinion