1st set of rankings are here!

[KidGloves]

Piper Fowler as #1 at 185lbs is too high IMO. She’s 5th at best. 😆

[TotallynotLEO]

42 minutes ago, KidGloves said:

It’s only k-12 and 6-12 schools that allow it, right? I’m fuzzy on the rule. But if that’s the case, I’m not sure I see the unfair advantage because those schools are generally so small that they probably wouldn’t fill a full team without the 8th graders. 
 

I’m speaking as it pertains to public schools. Private schools can always find someone. 

If they use 8th graders the middle school has to be co-located on the same grounds as the high school.  The 8th grade class enrollment numbers also count towards the high school numbers for classification purposes. 

 

I know Signal does this but they're small enough it doesn't get them close to having to move up.  I'm not sure who else does this on the public school side. 

[KidGloves]

1 hour ago, TotallynotLEO said:

If they use 8th graders the middle school has to be co-located on the same grounds as the high school.  The 8th grade class enrollment numbers also count towards the high school numbers for classification purposes. 

 

I know Signal does this but they're small enough it doesn't get them close to having to move up.  I'm not sure who else does this on the public school side. 

Thanks. 

[ObseverW]

2 hours ago, TotallynotLEO said:

If they use 8th graders the middle school has to be co-located on the same grounds as the high school.  The 8th grade class enrollment numbers also count towards the high school numbers for classification purposes. 

 

I know Signal does this but they're small enough it doesn't get them close to having to move up.  I'm not sure who else does this on the public school side. 

I don’t see that at all on TSSAA bylaws for classification. Signal has 800 students in high school up there and over 600 in middle school for total over 1400 students 6-12.  Their classification numbers were 799 also, so although even with 8th grade counted they wouldn’t be in AA, but again how fair is that to schools like Whitwell, Marion and countless others that can never really fill a full lineup and don’t have a choice to pull kids from their 8th grade on campus? Eagleville has about 350 high school kids and they can do this while Whitwell cannot with the same 350 or so students. Maybe allow small schools like Whitwell or Eagleville to join another small school and make a combined team. I just don’t see the fairness of allowing 8th graders at one but no choice at others. Private schools can do whatever they want like they already do lol. 

[LoveWrestling]

42 minutes ago, ObseverW said:

I don’t see that at all on TSSAA bylaws for classification. Signal has 800 students in high school up there and over 600 in middle school for total over 1400 students 6-12.  Their classification numbers were 799 also, so although even with 8th grade counted they wouldn’t be in AA, but again how fair is that to schools like Whitwell, Marion and countless others that can never really fill a full lineup and don’t have a choice to pull kids from their 8th grade on campus? Eagleville has about 350 high school kids and they can do this while Whitwell cannot with the same 350 or so students. Maybe allow small schools like Whitwell or Eagleville to join another small school and make a combined team. I just don’t see the fairness of allowing 8th graders at one but no choice at others. Private schools can do whatever they want like they already do lol. 

Just my opinion of course, but I don’t see using 8th graders as an unfair advantage. There are large schools that can’t field a full team and small schools that easily field a full team. It’s more about how these programs promote wrestling from youth on up and less about the size of the school. I’ve seen the same argument in AAU. “The only reason this club or that club is so successful is because of how big the club is”. My point is - If any school wants to have a successful program, promote it better. Have a good feeder system. Build the program better.

[ObseverW]

1 hour ago, LoveWrestling said:

Just my opinion of course, but I don’t see using 8th graders as an unfair advantage. There are large schools that can’t field a full team and small schools that easily field a full team. It’s more about how these programs promote wrestling from youth on up and less about the size of the school. I’ve seen the same argument in AAU. “The only reason this club or that club is so successful is because of how big the club is”. My point is - If any school wants to have a successful program, promote it better. Have a good feeder system. Build the program better.

No joke, I mean the best schools have a good feeder program for the most part or like Signal have a bunch of boys from the same family that are almost automatic wins when they step on the mat lol(it’s a joke, they have some really good wrestlers). However, if you don’t think an 8th grader that gets to take part everyday in high school practice and travels with them and gets to be on the team helps them grow faster than say a team that does not have that choice(8th graders per TSSAA that I read) do not allow 8th graders to practice with the high school team unless they are on the team and considering middle school season is like a month long and is a joke, that is a really nice extra for those 8th graders given the chance. I mean if you don’t think it’s an advantage for  better competition why do you think Correll wrestles up at tournaments age group wise?  It’s the same here but only a select few are given that choice compared to most other schools. 

[TotallynotLEO]

I know a couple years ago several coaches tried to get it passed to be able to use any 8th grade student that is in a feeder middle school for that high school.  It got shot down. 

It is an advantage to some degree.  The level of competition from middle to high school is huge.  Getting that extra year in is pretty big for the kids that want it.  

Back on the topic of rankings... anyone know when they might update the girls rankings? 

[LoveWrestling]

1 hour ago, ObseverW said:

No joke, I mean the best schools have a good feeder program for the most part or like Signal have a bunch of boys from the same family that are almost automatic wins when they step on the mat lol(it’s a joke, they have some really good wrestlers). However, if you don’t think an 8th grader that gets to take part everyday in high school practice and travels with them and gets to be on the team helps them grow faster than say a team that does not have that choice(8th graders per TSSAA that I read) do not allow 8th graders to practice with the high school team unless they are on the team and considering middle school season is like a month long and is a joke, that is a really nice extra for those 8th graders given the chance. I mean if you don’t think it’s an advantage for  better competition why do you think Correll wrestles up at tournaments age group wise?  It’s the same here but only a select few are given that choice compared to most other schools. 

Very valid point on that degree of an advantage. Honestly, the only thing I would say to those kids who don’t get the opportunity to wrestle on a high school team as 8th graders is, make the opportunity. If you want that level of competition early on, compete in high school divisions in the offseason and during opens while in season. It’s tough, I get it, but any kid who wants it can go get the competition. I get that it’s not the same as being on a high school team, but at least for a year, any kid can go hunting to get that extra edge.

[cbg]

19 hours ago, LoveWrestling said:

Just my opinion of course, but I don’t see using 8th graders as an unfair advantage.

It's not an advantage it's just another excuse used by schools that fail to field a full team.  When schools with enrollments over 1000 kids can't field a full team there is a major problem.

[ObseverW]

54 minutes ago, cbg said:

It's not an advantage it's just another excuse used by schools that fail to field a full team.  When schools with enrollments over 1000 kids can't field a full team there is a major problem.

lol, yes it is! No it’s not an excuse! Also those schools with over 1000 lots of times don’t spend the money or effort on wrestling, just facts, they would rather spend the money on sports like football or basketball. Always depends on what priorities a school wants to make OR what a school’s alumni want to pour their money into. But to say it’s not an advantage is hilarious. Rules state MS can’t practice with high school teams or they can face not being elig. Any idea how long high school season is compared to Middle School? MS is about a month and half with practices. High school is much longer. Also high school kids cannot participate in AAU tourneys during high school season so MS kids can’t move up and wrestle higher age groups for better competition during that time, while 8th graders that can participate for their high schools get all of that. I mean do you not think that even teams with full rosters like a Soddy would love to be able to groom their 8th graders to be better prepared for their 9th grade season? I mean Cleveland has some stud 8th graders I’m sure would love to be able to participate with their high school practices and tournaments! It’s one of those good for me but not for thee. So let’s help those schools out that can’t fill a full roster and let them all let 8th graders wrestle for their high school teams. MS wrestling is a joke in this state so I think it would help everyone. 

[LoveWrestling]

9 hours ago, ObseverW said:

lol, yes it is! No it’s not an excuse! Also those schools with over 1000 lots of times don’t spend the money or effort on wrestling, just facts, they would rather spend the money on sports like football or basketball. Always depends on what priorities a school wants to make OR what a school’s alumni want to pour their money into. But to say it’s not an advantage is hilarious. Rules state MS can’t practice with high school teams or they can face not being elig. Any idea how long high school season is compared to Middle School? MS is about a month and half with practices. High school is much longer. Also high school kids cannot participate in AAU tourneys during high school season so MS kids can’t move up and wrestle higher age groups for better competition during that time, while 8th graders that can participate for their high schools get all of that. I mean do you not think that even teams with full rosters like a Soddy would love to be able to groom their 8th graders to be better prepared for their 9th grade season? I mean Cleveland has some stud 8th graders I’m sure would love to be able to participate with their high school practices and tournaments! It’s one of those good for me but not for thee. So let’s help those schools out that can’t fill a full roster and let them all let 8th graders wrestle for their high school teams. MS wrestling is a joke in this state so I think it would help everyone. 

8th graders absolutely can participate in AAU during the high school season. USA as well.

[ObseverW]

5 hours ago, LoveWrestling said:

8th graders absolutely can participate in AAU during the high school season. USA as well.

High schoolers can not though, that is the point, so while you have 8th graders at some schools that can wrestle with high schoolers during high school season, 8th graders at prob 95% of schools cannot and High schoolers wrestlers cannot wrestle AAU during season so it’s not like an 8th grader can wrestle up to high schoolers during high school season which lasts about 1/4 or more of a year. That’s what I’m talking about