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sp3 wrote:9th graders helping formal MS is perfect legal, as I already stated. It is a personal choice, some feel fine and others may not. Do not want to debate here.am just saying I heard top 4 schools only Solon used 9th graders and wondering if that is true for all 4 schools.

Regardless, it was an exciting nationals yesterday and congrats to every team.

I talked to all top 4 schools' coaches/parents on 5/18 and 5/19. Yes, only Solon has been using 9 graders. Solon middle school usually requires each kid to carry 5 to 6 events. The coach tries different combinations in invitationals. Then they finalize the team based on performance of different combinations.

u287772 wrote:Solon middle school usually requires each kid to carry 5 to 6 events.

Are you talking about 9th graders? If so, I can tell you this is most certainly not true. Events are pretty balanced, in fact, to the point where almost every student has 2-4 events, including the 9th graders. Just wanted to clarify.

kentuckyfan1001 wrote:

u287772 wrote:Solon middle school usually requires each kid to carry 5 to 6 events.

Are you talking about 9th graders? If so, I can tell you this is most certainly not true. Events are pretty balanced, in fact, to the point where almost every student has 2-4 events, including the 9th graders. Just wanted to clarify.

No, not 9th graders. Usually the kid is asked to have 5 to 6 events during practices. The coaches try different combinations in different invitationals.
I talked to Solon middle school and Solon high school coaches. I also talked to several Solon middle school parents.
Both coaches and parents were very nice. Last year the Solon middle school Mousetrap Vehicle coach (His son went to MIT last year) helped us to troubleshoot our Mission Possible in the hotel.

u287772 wrote:

kentuckyfan1001 wrote:

u287772 wrote:Solon middle school usually requires each kid to carry 5 to 6 events.

Are you talking about 9th graders? If so, I can tell you this is most certainly not true. Events are pretty balanced, in fact, to the point where almost every student has 2-4 events, including the 9th graders. Just wanted to clarify.

No, not 9th graders. Usually the kid is asked to have 5 to 6 events during practices. The coaches try different combinations in different invitationals.
I talked to Solon middle school and Solon high school coaches. I also talked to several Solon middle school parents.
Both coaches and parents were very nice. Last year the Solon middle school Mousetrap Vehicle coach (His son went to MIT last year) helped us to troubleshoot our Mission Possible in the hotel.

Ah yes. This happens in the high school as well, as invitationals are our way of gauging individuals' ability in events and o the states team.

Thanks for comfirming what I heard - among top 4 this year, only Solon used 9th graders.

To Solon's credits, they are able to get 9th graders back. Somehow, DW, MM,and MM (MI) did not want to or failed to do so. To win the div. B title, you may have to use 9th graders, IMHO. MM last year and DW this year just proved that.

sp3 wrote:To win the div. B title, you may have to use 9th graders, IMHO.

Also to win the Div. B title, you may have to study more. You may have to practice with your partners more. You may have to roll down a hill screaming "MUDSLIDES FOR PANSIES" in an orange T-shirt before every competition. There's not really enough evidence to test the validity of this statement. A seventh grader can do better than a ninth-grade duo if the seventh grader works harder, puts more effort into it, and knows what they're doing!

caseyotis wrote:

sp3 wrote:To win the div. B title, you may have to use 9th graders, IMHO.

Also to win the Div. B title, you may have to study more. You may have to practice with your partners more. You may have to roll down a hill screaming "MUDSLIDES FOR PANSIES" in an orange T-shirt before every competition. There's not really enough evidence to test the validity of this statement. A seventh grader can do better than a ninth-grade duo if the seventh grader works harder, puts more effort into it, and knows what they're doing!

At least Solon does not agree with your arguments, or they have already stopped using 9th graders.

sp3 wrote:Which team would won div. B champ yesterday had 9 graders not come back to their formal school? I think Daniel Wright. What is your answer?

I heard top 4 schools yesterday only Solon used 9 graders (rules permit, of course). Is ithat true?

BTW, congrat everyone at nationals. You all are winners!

You may not be aware, be nationally, there are many school systems where middle school/jr high is 7-8-9 and HS is 10-11-12. This may have had something to do with he origin of grades and divisions. Regardless, Div B is 6-9, everyone is aware with eyes wide open. Max of 5 9th grades per team too. Great year. Long year Peace out!

Regarding the ninth grade argument, I think it's perfectly fair for ninth graders to be on the team. The rules allow it; schools who don't use ninth graders do it by their choice, or they cannot keep their ninth graders. Either way, they shouldn't be complaining about it. Personally, I don't believe a one year difference is anything major. I am in a school which consistently go to nationals, but a team in our state with only 6-8 graders consistently beat us.

sp3 wrote:

caseyotis wrote:

sp3 wrote:To win the div. B title, you may have to use 9th graders, IMHO.

Also to win the Div. B title, you may have to study more. You may have to practice with your partners more. You may have to roll down a hill screaming "MUDSLIDES FOR PANSIES" in an orange T-shirt before every competition. There's not really enough evidence to test the validity of this statement. A seventh grader can do better than a ninth-grade duo if the seventh grader works harder, puts more effort into it, and knows what they're doing!

At least Solon does not agree with your arguments, or they have already stopped using 9th graders.

What? No; just because they happen to use ninth graders and win every year doesn't mean that that's the sole reason that they win. Sure, experience may be a factor, but there are so many others that it's impossible to say which is the deciding factor in a winning team.