new rules question middle school vs youth division

[coastietrooper]

I have a question. My son started wrestling late this season and is on the middle school team, though he has not wrestled any middle school matches yet. He has to have 14 practices before he can represent the school. I was going to enter him in a couple youth tournaments as an independent before the 14 practices can be accomplished to get him some mat time, plus I'm not sure if he should participate in the new state tournament and qualifiers as a youth wrestler or middle school division. So, if my son, who is 12, enters a youth tournament, then wrestles middle school, does that disqualify him either way under the new rules? Does it have to be either or? So confused.

[mscoach64]

Yes he can wrestle youth open tourneys. I believe the restrictions include the following;

Permission from the ms coach/principal
Can not skip any ms function (practice, event) for anything youth
Can not wear any ms gear in a youth event
Can not be coached by ms coach(es)
Can not participate in a youth league (which is different than a youth open)

[mike.carman]

Couple of corrections to the above post.
Permission from the ms principal is mandatory. The coach may deny you as far as that team is concerned but you only need the principal's permission.
Can not skip any ms competition for anything youth.(Practice is not considered a competition: In order for an athlete to be eligible to compete for MS they only need 14 practices and cannot have missed 14 consecutive practices. Therefore they do not have to attend every practice. Practices are governed under a different section of the SSAC rules regarding eligibility.)
Can not wear any ms gear in a youth event
Can not be coached by ms coach(es)
Can not participate in a youth league (which is different than a youth open). This is false, as Wrestling is an exempt sport according to WVSSAC Rule. The first 2 stipulations are the only ones that apply.

This is my fourth year dealing with this rule in conjunction with wrestling. If brought to the SSAC they will ask if you have Principal's permission, and it does not state that you have to have it in writing, verbal consent is good enough but I would get something in writing. And then they will ask if you have participated in all of you ms competitions. They do not consider practices as competitions.

Here is the rule.
§127-2-10. Non-school Participation.
10.1. During the school year and while a member of a school team, a student shall neither participate,
which would include, but not limited to, fund-raising activities, team picture, tryouts, etc., on any formally
organized non-school team in the same sport, nor shall the student compete as an individual unattached in
non-school formally organized competition in the same sport. [color=#008000]The following sports are exempted from the
provisions of this rule: cross country, golf, swimming, tennis, track, and wrestling, providing: (revised 2011-12)
10.1.a. participation is approved by the student’s principal.
10.1.b. the student misses no school-sponsored athletic contest involving a team in that sport.[/color]

Here is the rule governing Practice(As long as you don't break this rule there is nothing they can say about eligibility)
§127-2-13. Practice.
13.4.c A student athlete who is absent from practice with their team for non-medical reasons, not
under a doctor care, for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days must have the required full fourteen (14)
practice days before resuming participation in a contest. Students participating in football must follow the
practice progression as set forth in Rule 127-3-23.

Now with all of that said, your coach can still choose to not let your child compete. So you should, most definitely, include him in making this decision. Just because this is the State's rule does not mean the coach can't impose his own rules in regards to his/her team.