Quote from Beckyvb on March 6, 2022, 6:04 pm

Would love to see rankings for the other divisions!! Thank you!

Quote from jobro04 on March 6, 2022, 9:57 pm

Would like to see rankings from other divisions please.

Quote from lace em up on March 7, 2022, 10:15 am

I'll be the contrarian here, I guess.  This feels a little bit overzealous in ranking eight year olds.  I would ask that if you are going to proceed with these rankings, please do not show them or talk to your wrestler about them.  I feel there is enough pressure on them at this age already.  Please let them mature emotionally before adding more to their plate.  They all want to please you - their parents, more than achieving a ranking in a blog.  Love your child for who they are; do not let them have any indication that they are somehow less important because they might not be #1 on a rankings board.

Quote from thehardway on March 7, 2022, 10:42 am

Quote from lace em up on March 7, 2022, 10:15 am

I'll be the contrarian here, I guess.  This feels a little bit overzealous in ranking eight year olds.  I would ask that if you are going to proceed with these rankings, please do not show them or talk to your wrestler about them.  I feel there is enough pressure on them at this age already.  Please let them mature emotionally before adding more to their plate.  They all want to please you - their parents, more than achieving a ranking in a blog.  Love your child for who they are; do not let them have any indication that they are somehow less important because they might not be #1 on a rankings board.

What age would make the best sense to start ranking?  when they hit 7th grade and can wrestle highschool varsity?   There is absolutely national rankings available for some of our wrestles under that age in this state on trackwrestling (however skewed those rankings can be).  Pretty sure every profile in track gives a ranking point.

I do believe you're right and no adult should be holding any of these rankings over any childs head regardless if they aren't on the list or at the top of it.   I assume 8 year olds aren't accessing DakotaGrappler forums and doubtful many of them would understand what ranking means.   This is for adults to consider/discuss with adults period.  However, I'm no dictator so to each their own.

Quote from Huskers1w on March 7, 2022, 12:27 pm

Love it! Can't wait to see Novice! Thanks for the effort.

Quote from lace em up on March 7, 2022, 12:59 pm

 

Quote from thehardway on March 7, 2022, 10:42 am

What age would make the best sense to start ranking?  when they hit 7th grade and can wrestle highschool varsity?   There is absolutely national rankings available for some of our wrestles under that age in this state on trackwrestling (however skewed those rankings can be).  Pretty sure every profile in track gives a ranking point.

 

Good question.  I don't have an answer to when would be an appropriate age.  Perhaps, as you say, 7th grade would be more appropriate.  Obviously some kids will emotionally mature at different rates than others.  I was just mentioning out of concern for the future wrestlers of the state, that we as adults do what we can to promote an environment of fun and family within the wrestling community to try to grow the sport.  Rankings will be decided on the podium soon enough.

I was simply saying that if the rankings which you propose having done, be done, then be sure to take a bigger picture view of how, or if you ever, present this information to your wrestlers.

On a related topic, anyone can google Norway's winter Olympic results and how they rank or don't rank their children.  How they include everyone in having fun and learning the sport while they're developing.  Wrestling doesn't lend itself to not having a winner and loser of each match, so there is some limitations to how that Norwegian theory could be applied to wrestling, but I do like how they allow for kids to develop physically before slotting kids into select/elite teams, etc.

Norwegians win big at the Winter Olympics, but their youth sports focus on fun - The Washington Post

 

Quote from jobro04 on March 7, 2022, 1:07 pm

Quote from lace em up on March 7, 2022, 10:15 am

I'll be the contrarian here, I guess.  This feels a little bit overzealous in ranking eight year olds.  I would ask that if you are going to proceed with these rankings, please do not show them or talk to your wrestler about them.  I feel there is enough pressure on them at this age already.  Please let them mature emotionally before adding more to their plate.  They all want to please you - their parents, more than achieving a ranking in a blog.  Love your child for who they are; do not let them have any indication that they are somehow less important because they might not be #1 on a rankings board.

There is already youth national rankings and other states put out predictions for the state tournament as well. I agree with you on discussing it with your wrestlers. I think more exposure is a great way to grow the sport.