Quote from TigerPride on November 28, 2022, 11:39 am

This is rather ridiculous. As I understand one of the kids that was denied wrestled a full varsity schedule last year as a 7th grader. This year the kid is told he can't wrestle with the HS program as there is a 4 or 5 week middle school season that will be available to him.

Sorry, but a 4-5 week middle school program won't make this kid better. Being is the HS room certainly would.

Everyone should be signing this petition. Sioux Falls is shooting themselves in the foot once again.

Quote from Viper on November 28, 2022, 7:53 pm

At first I thought this headline meant something else...

I do like that our state does this, but it's a two edged sword. Part of the reason states like Wyoming don't do it is because most kids 12-14 years old get their a** kicked in high school open tournaments and it can be hard on your confidence.

That being said, I've always been a big proponent of just letting kids wrestle. If the coach doesn't think an 8th grader is ready, then they generally won't put them in. Leave it up to the coach and the parents, not just a blanket rule.

It takes a real hammer to place at state as a middle schooler, but it happens so that makes it obvious we shouldn't hold the top kids back from competing if they're ready

Quote from interesting on November 29, 2022, 9:26 am

Quote from Viper on November 28, 2022, 7:53 pm

At first I thought this headline meant something else...

I do like that our state does this, but it's a two edged sword. Part of the reason states like Wyoming don't do it is because most kids 12-14 years old get their a** kicked in high school open tournaments and it can be hard on your confidence.

That being said, I've always been a big proponent of just letting kids wrestle. If the coach doesn't think an 8th grader is ready, then they generally won't put them in. Leave it up to the coach and the parents, not just a blanket rule.

It takes a real hammer to place at state as a middle schooler, but it happens so that makes it obvious we shouldn't hold the top kids back from competing if they're ready

Correlation does not imply causation, but could be related.

Sioux Falls School District sets budget guidelines that could mean up to 4% in cuts

https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/education/2022/11/29/heres-what-sioux-falls-school-district-may-weigh-for-the-2024-budget/69683530007/

Quote from Reaper on December 3, 2022, 10:52 am

As I pull up track wrestling to look at the wresters participating in the Roosevelt Rider Boys Invitational, I noticed that all of the other schools allow 7th and 8th graders to participate in this event. I was told this was the decision of upper sports management for Sioux Falls which if you didn't know is Casey Meile (Coordinator of Athletics in the Sioux Falls School District).

This is a step back from when the petition to Mark Meile (Casey's Dad) passed in 2012 to allow 7th graders to compete.

There was also a petition to allow 6th graders to participate in Middle School Programs this same year, This petition was denied.

I would hope that Casey isn't  discriminating against wrestling but all Sioux Falls school sports. (Tennis, Gymnastics, Golf, Baseball, Track, Cross Country, Basketball, Soccer, Volleyball.)

Quote from Armbar on December 6, 2022, 5:57 pm

It's sad that people in charge make rules to hold back those who just want to be better.   And these people could really care less if they hurt anyone.

Quote from jobro04 on December 13, 2022, 11:57 am

Middle school wrestling in South Dakota is a joke. If you aren’t good enough to make the high school team you get left in the dust. This doesn’t happen with other sports. If they don’t allow them to compete with the high school they better provide them other opportunities.