Currently, the lowest weight class in WIAA high school wrestling is 106 lbs, which becomes 109 after the 3lb weight allowance during the season. While this may seem small to the general public, it creates a significant barrier for naturally smaller athletes.

A student entering high school at 90–95 lbs is forced to compete against opponents who often cut weight to reach 106 lbs and may "walk around" at 120+ lbs. This creates a massive physical disadvantage that discourages participation and denies smaller athletes the opportunity to compete on the "even footing" that is the foundational promise of wrestling.

My Personal Experience:

I started wrestling at 5 and wrestled through high school at Wisconsin Rapids.  I went into my freshman year weighing a bit over 90 lbs, and at the time 103 lbs was the lowest weight class in high school, which obviously I was too small for.  My sophomore year I weighed about 100 lbs and finally got my shot at varsity. We had several good kids at 103 but luckily I won the spot and was able to fulfill a childhood dream of wrestling for the Wisconsin Rapids Red Raiders.  My junior year I finally got a little bigger and after weight allowances I was able to slim down to 106 and be a little “big” for the weight class.  It made a huge difference, as I was able to qualify for individual state.  For those detractors who say these lower weights are only for underclassman my state bracket at 103 had a wide variety with 2 freshman, 6 sophomores, 3 juniors, and 3 seniors.  I ended up just off the podium, but the team brought home the team state title the following weekend.  I only mention my personal experience because I want as many other kids to enjoy these same incredible life experiences as well.  

Fast forward to 2026 and I have a son in 12u that is following in my footsteps both in size and passion for wrestling.  With the growing prevalence of private wrestling clubs, kids in this era are practicing 3+ times per week, many year-round getting into the Olympic styles at an early age.  The quality of wrestling at these lower weights is incredible to watch.  We were recently at the class of X tournament and the lower weight classes were packed with quality wrestlers.  The same will be true at the youth state tournament later in March this year where in 12u(5th/6th grade) there will be a 64, 67, 70, 73 lb, ect brackets all packed with excellent wrestlers, these kids have just 2 more years of youth wrestling and most of them will likely be well undersized going into high school for the current 106 lb weight class.

Why This Matters

•  Inclusivity in Athletics: For students weighing 100 lbs or less, traditional sports like football or       basketball offer few opportunities to excel. Wrestling has historically been the sanctuary for the "small but mighty" athlete.
• The Talent Pipeline: Wisconsin’s youth wrestling scene is thriving. Tournaments for 12U and middle schoolers feature packed brackets at lower weight classes. Without a sub-106 lb class, many of these highly skilled, dedicated athletes will be "too small" for high school varsity for half of their prep careers.
• Competitive Integrity: Lower weight classes are not just for underclassmen. Historical data shows these brackets are filled with seasoned juniors and seniors, proving that there is a permanent demographic of athletes who naturally fall into this range.
• Safety and Fair Play: When the gap between an athlete’s natural weight and the minimum weight class is too large, the "equal footing" of the sport is lost. Lowering the minimum weight ensures that matches are decided by skill and grit, not just physical displacement.
• A lower weight class would add to the sport and provide an extremely competitive and fun to watch weight class that all wrestling fans would enjoy and these smaller kids deserve.
• To be clear I am not advocating adding an additional weight class, but to lower the current 106 lb class to back to 103 or even a bit lower.  The 109 lb weight class currently sits just 4lbs below the next class up of 113 and temps the bigger kids to cut down to the lower weight bracket.  A bigger gap would discourage the bigger weight cuts and give the smaller kids the fair shot they deserve.

Our Request

We, the undersigned members of the Wisconsin wrestling community—coaches, parents, alumni, and fans—urge the NFHS & WIAA to:

Adjust the current 106 lb floor to a lower threshold closer to 100 lbs that reflects the diverse physical makeup of our incoming student-athletes.

Every kid who puts in the work in the room deserves a chance to see their hand raised on the mat. Let’s give our smallest wrestlers the same chance to become legends that their predecessors enjoyed.