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Want to know what you all think about the future of D-5/D-6 wrestling in the years to come. I am curious because with the advent (and the increasing size) of clubs like Young Guns, do you think this area will catch up to the more powerful areas like D-7 and D-3? We go to a couple clubs throughout the year, and each club seems to be growing in size, and the kids are getting more talented, and recognized on a state level.

I think you are starting to see some of these kids coming up through high school now, and I think that is playing a big part in the recent success of this area.

I didn't grow up around here, but I understood there weren't many clubs around 5-10 years ago--so kids pretty much only trained with their High School teams. Now I think you are seeing alot more club kids coming up through, hence the recent success (and I think future success).

I don't think d-6 needs to "catch up" to d7. If you go by percentages of qualifiers for regionals and state qualifiers we are ahead. Dist 7 gets 7 kids per wt to the regional. that's 98 kids, they qualified 36.7 % of them to states. Dist 6 got 56 kids 4per wt. and qualified 43% to Hershey.It was a down year team wise mostly because everyone had at least 3-5 good kids so there wasn't any runaway teams.

Maybe D7 can manage to take away another of our regional qualifiers to "boost" their PCT. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, right?

Devil's advocate here.....(known too much for that in my parts)....
let's face it...an 0 for 14 qualifiers from the d-6 5th placers would have lowered the pct ..although it woud have been nice to see 14 others I might have known competeing at the War memorial,,,
just checked...a sampling of 5th place winners included 3 Huntingdon kids, 2 West Branch, 2 Juniata..
Of course too no 7th from WPIAL would have raised their pct.

Those places are in it for the $$$.

I meant more skill-level wise rather than qualifier numbers/state medalists. It seems D5 doesn't get alot of respect throughout the state (until recently), and I was curious if you all think that will increase because of good quality clubs/coaching that are now in our area.

It seems the skill level of our area wrestlers is increasing, and I think (hope) that will continue with more kids getting into the local clubs. I know everyone is not a fan of club wrestling, but I really think the recent results are indicative of the quality we now have around here.

Do you all think D5/D6 will continue to get better, or was this year a peak year?

Before I'd have kids paying to hear things that they as well as parents want to hear, I'd try to set up ways guys can get together with the terrific coaches in D5!! There is no need to send kids to paid lessons with guys around here like Lazor, Marko, Dutchcot, Easter, Deputy, Conley, etc... NS has some guys that seem great too I don't know much about the guys up the mountain though. Saturday sessions twice a month that rotated around would be pretty awesome....

Lazor is all for additional club practices, because he knows how it benefits the kids

It's not just about the coaching at a club, its about the practice partners, opportunities to wrestle all over the country, socially for these kids its fantastic to branch out and as good as the coaches at your home school are a different voice can be sometimes us what a kid needs. Not to mention you have local club in you back yard being run by a 4x ncaa all American who teaches technique but more importantly doesn't mold works with each individual style, I'm biased though I like young guns a lot but that's my opinion. FYI two young guns kids in ncaa finals last night

Sneakers wrote:Devil's advocate here.....(known too much for that in my parts)....
let's face it...an 0 for 14 qualifiers from the d-6 5th placers would have lowered the pct ..although it woud have been nice to see 14 others I might have known competeing at the War memorial,,,
just checked...a sampling of 5th place winners included 3 Huntingdon kids, 2 West Branch, 2 Juniata..
Of course too no 7th from WPIAL would have raised their pct.

Mertiff a few years ago was a 5th place ended up 4th in Hershey, FH Rangers and I came up with quite a few when we discussed it. My reason for the percentage arguement is ..thats the same arguement d7 used when they lobbied to get another qualifier. I honestly think it oughtta be a wildcard system like the NCAA uses to avoid WPIAL sending 3 kids with losing records at 1 weight when d5 and d6 had 20 win kids at home.