wvmat.com

Below are the numbers (by weight class) of WV's first year using our new middle school weight class system for the WSAZ tournament:

WT Class - # of WSAZ Entries
70 lbs - 30 entries
78 lbs - 46 entries
86 lbs - 56 entries
94 lbs - 71 entries (7 wrestlers had to be removed to fit a 64-man bracket)
102 lbs - 70 entries (6 wrestlers had to be removed to fit a 64-man bracket)
110 lbs - 64 entries (Full bracket)
116 lbs - 60 entries
123 lbs - 64 entries (Full bracket)
128 lbs - 63 entries
135 lbs - 59 entries
145 lbs - 56 entries
155 lbs - 46 entries
171 lbs - 49 entries
190 lbs - 45 entries
215 lbs - 28 entries
285 lbs - 34 entries

Might have been better off adding another weight around the 94-102 range as opposed to adding the 215 class - at least for this season

I'm more surprised at the number of 70 lb in there. I feel like I have seen barely any at that weight all year long.

WVU wrote:Might have been better off adding another weight around the 94-102 range as opposed to adding the 215 class - at least for this season

By my count there are 15 JV wrestlers in 94lbs, meaning only 49 teams had at least one 94 to enter. That leaves 24 of the 73 teams entered in the tournament without a 94. I don't think adding an extra weight class is justified. All an extra weight class would do is create room for 49 teams to fill another weight class with their JV wrestlers while everyone else has two unfilled weight classes.

However, I agree that adding an upper weight class looks unjustified. I have seen evidence of this at every tournament this year. My 171/190 is a first-year wrestler that placed in several tournaments because he was in a pool with just one or two other wrestlers. Merging 171, 190, 215 and 285 into three classes would better fill those. Perhaps 180, 220 and 285?

I actually think the Ohio class system is better for that busy weight area. It doesn’t really matter where the kids come from, it’s the total number that counts. Of our 20 kids we have 3-86’s, 3-94’s and 3-102’s. There’s just way more kids in that age bracket between 90 and 105lbs. Ohio goes 86,92,98,104,110. It eliminates the 8lb gap from 102-110 and adds that extra weight in the 90-100 range.

Love Coach Hughes Idea. Out of 10 JV wrestlers, we have 6 that are in between 88-100 pounds.

We are going to keep an eye on this for a couple years and make adjustments if necessary.

Coaches and tournament directors please keep notes on this for a future data call.

This will assist in determining if and where adjustments need to be made moving forward.

Thanks
Jeremy Callen

One thing to consider, as more and more girls enter the sport and as long as they compete in the same events as the guys, the lower weights should continue to grow. There are simply more smaller middle school age girls who will choose to compete. I am glad to see that folks are keeping track of entries and that Jeremy (as always) is on top of things. Anything we can to to increase participation at all levels of both sexes is a good thing. Kids needs wrestling and the life lessons it teaches.

Jeremy_Callen wrote:We are going to keep an eye on this for a couple years and make adjustments if necessary.

Coaches and tournament directors please keep notes on this for a future data call.

This will assist in determining if and where adjustments need to be made moving forward.

Thanks
Jeremy Callen

If it's known that someone is going to be evaluating this in the future, they probably should be actively gathering the data in real time and not retrospectively trying to go back and dig up the information. This would be a more accurate and actually an easier way to access the data than doing it anecdotally. Just a thought.