NFHS Wrestling Points of Emphasis - 2014-15

AVOIDING WRESTLING AND ENCOURAGING WRESTLING IN CENTER OF MAT Going out of the wrestling area by either wrestler or forcing an opponent out of the wrestling area at any time as a means of avoiding wrestling is a technical violation (Rule 7-3-1). There are many occasions when this happens and no call is made or a wrestler is called for stalling when the appropriate call would be a technical violation for fleeing the mat. There can be no technical violation of fleeing the mat if near-fall points have been earned.

One common scenario that occurs is often initiated from the offensive/defensive starting position in the center of the mat when both wrestlers work their way to their feet and the action goes out of bounds. It can be difficult to determine if the offensive wrestler is pushing the defensive wrestler out of bounds, if the defensive wrestling is running out of bounds to make it look like the offensive wrestler is pushing him/her out, or if it is aggressive action by both wrestlers. Another common scenario is when one wrestler has a single leg in the air near the out-of-bounds line, and the other wrestler tries to jump or spin out of the situation and ends up out of bounds.
In the above situations as well as similar situations where a wrestler may be using the edge of the mat to get out of a situation, judgment is required by the referee with the primary question being “Was the wrestler wrestling aggressively and trying to stay in bounds or using the edge of the mat as a means to avoiding wrestling?” If he/she was using the edge of the mat as a means of avoiding wrestling, a technical violation should be called. Good wrestling action requires both wrestlers to make an honest attempt to stay within the wrestling area.

 PREVENTING FALSE STARTS FROM CREATING INJURIES – PREVENTIVE OFFICIATING
Preventive officiating must be on every referee’s mind. One area of concern is injuries that occur during false starts from the neutral position. To avoid such injuries, the referee should stretch his/her arm(s) out between and parallel to the starting lines before blowing the whistle. By doing so, the referee can block either wrestler who false starts prior to the whistle, thus reducing the potential for injury to one or both wrestlers.

 AUTHORITY/RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFF-MAT REFEREE TO CALL FLAGRANT/UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
The jurisdiction time of the referee begins when he/she arrives at the site of the competition and concludes with the approval of the scorebook in dual-meet competition and after signing the bout sheet after the last match in tournament competition. In either dual meets or individual tournaments, when a referee is not on the mat working, he/she still has jurisdiction in the mat area and responsibility for enforcing NFHS wrestling rules associated with the mat area. The referee on the mat is responsible for his/her match, but other referees involved in the competition should offer assistance in the mat area when necessary. Referees are reminded that just because they are not officiating a match, they still have responsibilities for enforcement of rules that extend beyond officiating a match.

 HAIR COVERINGS
The NFHS wrestling rules define special equipment as any equipment worn that is not required by rule. Whenever a wrestler has hair that does not conform to the rule, a legal hair covering must be worn. Because of the physical contact in the sport of wrestling, hair that does not meet the rule is considered a safety issue as it may pose a risk to an opponent. Using a legal hair covering for hair that does not meet the rule helps to minimize the risk. 

Legal hair coverings must be made of a solid material, must be nonabrasive and must be attached to the wrestling ear guards. The attached legal hair covering may be worn either inside or outside of the wrestling ear guards. The attached legal hair covering must be brought to weigh-ins and inspected by the referee to determine their conformity to proper grooming with the legal hair covering on. The legal hair covering must be removed before the wrestler weighs in. If the referee does not conduct the weigh-ins, then the referee must check the legal hair covering prior to the meet.
The goal of wrestling is to have a continual match without interruptions except for normal out-of-bounds situations, the end of periods, etc. Legal hair coverings that are secured to the wrestling ear guards have less of a chance of coming off during the match than hair coverings that are not secured to the wrestling ear guards. 

The manufacturers of legal hair coverings and wrestling ear guards have been alerted a year in advance of this rule change and some have chosen to modify their legal hair coverings accordingly. This new rule will significantly improve the continuity of matches whenever a wrestler is required by rule to wear a legal hair covering.

 CLEANING WRESTLING MATS AND WRESTLING EQUIPMENT
Communicable diseases are a major concern in the sport of wrestling. It is imperative that ALL schools continually use best practices to control the spread of communicable diseases. A major aid in preventing the spread of communicable disease is to properly clean all wrestling mats and wrestling equipment.
Practice and competition wrestling mats must be cleaned prior to practicing or competing on them. Cleaning wrestling mats prior to use is highly recommended. An effective disinfectant is a solution of 1:100 chlorine bleach and water (¼ cup chlorine bleach to each gallon of water, or 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach to each quart of water). There is no advantage of using a stronger chlorine bleach and water solution than what is recommended above. Commercial disinfectant products are also available.

When cleaning wrestling mats, it is beneficial to walk backwards in an effort to minimize contamination from the shoes of the individual who is cleaning the wrestling mat. Be sure that any product used states that it is effective against viruses, fungi and bacteria. Typically, the label will state the cleaner is bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal. Please follow the label directions closely for the best effectiveness.

Several items should be kept at wrestling mat side to effectively deal with blood or other body fluids, including disposable towels and/or gauze pads, spray bottles containing a 1:100 chlorine bleach and water solution or a commercially prepared disinfectant solution. Protective gloves and disposable plastic bags must also be readily available to clean up blood or bodily fluids.
Likewise, it is imperative to clean all wrestling equipment daily. All workout gear should be cleaned after each practice. This includes towels, clothing, headgear, shoes, knee pads and any bags used to transport this equipment. In addition to cleaning wrestling equipment and wrestling mats properly, a few basic steps must be taken by all involved in the sport in order to minimize the risk of spreading communicable diseases.

• Educate coaches, athletes, referees and parents about communicable skin conditions and how they are spread.
• Maintain proper ventilation in the wrestling room to prevent the build-up of heat and humidity.
• Emphasize to the athletes the importance of showering immediately after each practice and competition with antibacterial soap.
• Wash all workout clothing and personal gear after each practice.
• Perform daily skin checks to ensure early recognition of potential communicable skin conditions. Athletes cannot be allowed to practice or compete if an active infection is suspected, even if the infection is covered.
• Do not share towels or personal hygiene products (razors) with others.
• Refrain from full body (chest, arms, abdomen) cosmetic shaving.
Communicable diseases are preventable. Following these steps can certainly decrease the chance that these communicable diseases will be spread among the athletes in the wrestling room and/or during competition.

NFHS High School Wrestling Rules Changes Approved for 2014-15

High school wrestling rules changes focused on changes in the definition of bad time and advancement of wrestlers in the consolation bracket.

Changes to Rules 5-1-1 and 10-2-9 were recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 14-16 meeting in Indianapolis. The committee’s recommendations were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. 

In addition to previous language in Rule 5-1-1, the committee agreed that bad time is wrestled with the wrestlers in the wrong position or the wrong wrestler being given choice of position “at the start of the second 30-second tiebreaker” and “at the start of the ultimate tiebreaker.”

The previous definition did not include situations where the wrong wrestler was given choice of position at the start of the second 30-second tiebreaker or the start of the ultimate tiebreaker. 

Rule 10-2-9 previously addressed the protocol when two wrestlers in the championship bracket simultaneously could not continue the match but did not address a plan for advancement to the consolation bracket when points had been scored in the match. 

The additional language will state that if the match is tied at the time of termination, the wrestler who scored the first point(s) in the match (first three periods, or first or second 30-second tiebreaker) will continue in the consolation bracket. If no points were scored, neither wrestler will continue. 

“I am very proud of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee’s work,” said Alan Beste, chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee and assistant executive director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association. “Oftentimes, people think successful committee meetings are only accomplished when numerous changes are made. This year, the rules committee reviewed many aspects of the high school wrestling program and determined there was no need for a large number of rules changes. We will continue to monitor the annual NFHS wrestling rules questionnaire sent to state associations, coaches and referees to determine the need for future changes.”

Wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 270,163 participants in 10,488 schools during the 2012-13 season, according to the NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. In addition, 8,727 girls were involved in wrestling in 1,602 high schools.

NCAA Committee proposes three new experimental rules pending approval

The NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee recommended three experimental rules, including two that involve stalling, be implemented at the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star Classic Nov. 1 at the University of Pennsylvania.
The committee met this month in Indianapolis. All rules proposals, including rules used on an experimental basis, must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss wrestling recommendations during a conference call June 25.
The first experimental rule focuses on wrestlers who step out of bounds with both feet while in a neutral position. In this scenario, the referee will call stalling on that wrestler.
The other experimental rule will result when, from a kneeling starting position on the mat, the wrestler in the top position drops to a lower extremity or uses a side headlock. In either of these situations, the referee will make a visual five-second count using his arm. If the wrestler who started in the top position doesn’t make an attempt to engage in action before the referee reaches the count of five, the referee will call stalling. 

The protocol for all stalling calls includes a warning for a first offense and a point awarded to the opponent on the next offense. The stalling penalty sequence is warning, one point, one point, one point, disqualification.
Both of the rules are being looked at on an experimental basis because the Wrestling Rules Committee wants to encourage the wrestlers to create action and not use stalling tactics to preserve a lead.

“The Wrestling Rules Committee is trying to be forward-thinking in their approach to potential new rules,” said Ron Beaschler, the NCAA secretary-rules editor for wrestling and the head coach at Ohio Northern. “The committee is looking at ways to ensure there is action during matches to make it fun and exciting to watch and easier to understand to the casual fan, yet easier for the officials to officiate.”

The final experimental rule involves a wrestler earning a position of control, such as a takedown or a reversal to earn the top position, and the action comes to a natural stoppage. An example of a natural stoppage would be when the wrestlers go out of bounds.

In the proposed experimental rule, instead of beginning in a kneeling position on the re-start, the wrestler who earned the top position can indicate to the referee that he elects for the next action to begin in the neutral position.

Currently, the referee awards a point to the opponent of a wrestler who makes this choice. Under the experimental rule, the point will not be awarded.

In positions of control that are not earned – for example, at the start of the second or third periods – a wrestler can elect to release his opponent after a break in the action, and the opponent will receive a point.

Committee members want to gather data on the matches at the NWCA All-Star Classic, a one-day event featuring one all-star matchup in each of the 10 weight classes, to see if the experimental rules should be something they consider for permanent changes in the future.

Mat-side video option approval among wrestling rules changes for 2013-14

Greg Johnson, Special to NCAA.com

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which met via conference call Monday, approved making the mat-side video review rule an option for use beginning in the 2013-14 season.

There will be no mat-side video review in open tournaments.

Wrestlers will be allowed to go to their respective corner while the review is taking place.

The process was in place last season as an experimental rule. Wrestlers were required to remain in the center of the wrestling area while the referee conducted the review.

Coaches wishing to challenge a call/non-call via video review must immediately go to the head scorer at the mat-side table and declare they are making a challenge. The referee will conduct the review when there is no significant action after the request has been made.

The number of coaches’ challenges will also be changed in tournament competition. A coach who has seven to 10 wrestlers competing will start with three challenges available; a coach with four to six wrestlers in a tournament will start with two challenges; and a coach with one to three wrestlers participating will have one challenge.

Previously in tournaments, coaches were allowed three video challenges regardless of how many wrestlers they had competing.

Coaches will still have only one challenge available during dual matches. In all cases, the coach retains the challenge when an outcome is ruled positively.

Additionally, falls remain the only exception to a coach’s video challenge.

The referee can call for a video review at any time. To alleviate any financial impact of the video review, the match referees are the only individuals who will review the call.

At the 2013 Division I Wrestling Championships, coaches made 51 challenges. Thirty-eight of the calls were upheld, 10 were reversed, two were inconclusive and one was a deemed a video error. The average time per review was 1 minute, 9 seconds.

Mat area
The panel approved a change that the matted apron around the wrestling area must extend at least 5 feet between out-of-bounds lines when two mats are side-by-side. Additionally, the apron must extend at least 5 feet from the out-of-bounds line and any obstruction such as a table, bleachers or wall.

Previously, it was recommended that the apron extend 5 feet, but the committee wants to make it a requirement to enhance student-athlete safety.

Edge of wrestling area
In a progression of the rule that allows wrestlers to score takedowns on the edge of the wrestling area, it was approved that near-falls and pins can occur as long as any part of either wrestler remains inbounds.

In recent years, a rules change was invoked in regards to takedowns in that area of the mat, and the Wrestling Rules Committee believes expanding the rule to include more ways to score points will enhance the sport.

In addition, the committee developed a point of emphasis for referees to be quicker to call a stalemate when neither wrestler is improving position.

Reaction-time takedowns
Panel members approved a rule allowing a more liberal definition for takedowns when wrestlers are in neutral positions.

If the defensive wrestler’s hand comes in contact with the mat, it is considered control and a takedown should be awarded.

Previously, it was the referee’s judgment on whether there was a significant portion of the defensive wrestler’s weight borne on his hand/hands in order for control to be established.

This change makes this call clearer for the referee.

Stalling
The panel approved a separate section in the penalty table that addresses stalling and to add disqualification back into the sequence.

The first stalling violation results in a warning; additional violations are 1 point, 1 point, 1 point, then disqualification.

2013-14 NFHS Wrestling Rules Interpretations

Robert B. Gardner, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2013

2013-14 NFHS Wrestling Rules Book Clarification(Underlining shows additions; strikethrough shows deletions.)

Page 47, Rule 9-2-2b:
ART. 2 . . . In dual-meet competition, if teams have identical scores, the following team tie-breaking system shall be used to determine the winner. …
 b. The team whose opposing head coach has been penalized the greater number of team points for coach misconduct shall be declared the winner. …

2013-14 NFHS Wrestling Case Book and Manual Clarifications
(Underlining shows additions; strikethrough shows deletions.)

Page 25, 5.11.2 SITUATION G:  Wrestler A has Wrestler B in a pinning situation and the referee is holding three near-fall points when B grasps A's ear guards. The referee removes the hand, but allows action to continue to give A the opportunity to secure the fall. If (a) time expires or (b) the action is stopped due to the fact the wrestlers went out of bounds, how many points should be awarded? RULING:Whether the period ends or an out of bounds situation occurs, the point awards would be the same. The referee shall award three fourpoints for the near-fall and one point for grasping the ear guards. The offending wrestler shall not be allowed to profit from illegal action. (6-4-6; 7-3-2)

Page 26, 5.11.4 SITUATION C: In a dual meet, Wrestler A is ahead by a score of 14 to 4 with both wrestlers on their feet. Wrestler A is able to initiate a takedown on Wrestler B straight into a pinning situation. The referee completes the five-second near-fall count. Before B can be pinned he/she reverses A directly into a pinning situation and A bites B. RULING: When this situation occurs, scoring must be reconstructed as it actually occurred. Wrestler A won the match by technical fall but was disqualified from the dual meet due to the flagrant misconduct which occurred after the match was over. The five team points earned by Wrestler A from the technical fall are removed. Three more team points will also be deducted from Team A. Even though Wrestler A has earned a technical fall, he/she loses the match due to flagrant misconduct and is disqualified from the dual meet. Three team points would be deducted from Team A. Wrestler B is the winner due to the flagrant misconduct by A, which occurred during the match. (5-12-2c; 7-4-3)

Pages 64-65, 9.2.3 SITUATION C: In the finals of a wrestling tournament the two wrestlers are both disqualified from the match because of a double stalling call. How would this affect the results of team scoring? RULING: If an individual qualifies for the finals the wrestler will receive the placement points for second place as long as there is no disqualification from the tournament. In this situation the two individuals are disqualified from the match but it is not a tournament disqualification, therefore, they would both receive second place points. If this happens in the first round there would be no advancement in either the championship bracket or the consolation bracket. In dual meet competition if this same situation would occur there would be no points earned by either wrestler.
 

NCAA Rule Changes for 2013-14 Season

By Adam Morris

It seems like the NCAA is taking a page out of FILA’s plan to make wrestling more exciting by the looks of their new rule changes. The NCAA has announced four new rule changes going into the 2013-2014 season, with two changes for the neutral position and two changes for the top/bottom. 

The first rule change comes in the neutral position, and has been nicknamed on the wrestling forums the J.O. rule. The rule does seem to correct exactly what happened in Jordan Oliver and Logan Steiber’s controversial NCAA final two years ago, where Oliver seemingly had a match winning takedown in the closing seconds, but the referee said because Oliver’s head was buried he did not earn the takedown. The new rules that the NCAA put into place changes the rule so a wrestler’s head may be buried and still earn a takedown.

The second rule from neutral also has to do with changing with way a takedown is earned. Prior to the new changes if a wrestler was in position to have a takedown scored against them they were given an opportunity of a second or so to react before the takedown was awarded. This allowed for wrestlers to initiate scrambles and continue wrestling from the neutral position even if they briefly had three points of contact on the mat. The new changes eliminates the reaction time allowed to defensive wrestlers, and if the offensive wrestler is in control of a take down, and  the defensive wrestler has three points of contact on the mat (ex: two feet and a hand) the take down will be awarded. 

The third rule, and in my opinion the best change, will change the out of bounds rules in the top/bottom position. Instead of the defensive wrestler having to have his back inside of the circle in order for the offensive wrestler to score back points, the neutral out of bounds rule will be applied to top/bottom as well. Now as long as one of the two wrestlers has a point of contact inside the boundaries back points can be scored and a pin can be called. 

Finally, the last rule deals with the neck bow that James Fleming popularized. If the top wrestler grabs the head and armpit, in the same way he would for a merkle, and attempts to somersault over the top wrestling will now be stopped, and the move will be called illegal. Also, if a referee deems a merkle type hold is causing unnecessary pressure to the neck or head the action can be stopped.

Overall, I think the new rules are beneficial to college wrestling. Although I am certainly going to miss some of the exciting scrambles that result out of wrestlers wrestling through the reaction time, I think overall it will improve the sport. Both of the new takedown rules encourage wrestlers to be much more offensive, while at the same time decreasing the ability of defensive wrestlers to be able to create crazy scrambles. Again, although these scrambles are a lot of fun to watch, the encouragement of offense is better for the sport, and may be beneficial to the US international efforts down the road by discouraging scrambling defenses in college. Personally, I love the new back points rule. As a top guy I can not count how many times I would have scored back points had my opponent been a few inches closer to the center of the mat. 

Additionally, this eliminates the possibility of the bottom wrestler crawling toward the edge to escape giving up back points or a pin, and therefore encourages more scoring. The only rule I have a real problem with is the NCAA choosing to deem the neck bow as illegal. There have been at the most only a few injuries from the move, and although it is very uncomfortable to the bottom wrestler it is unlikely to actually injure him. The NCAA also put into place a rule last year where the referee could call the move as potentially dangerous if they thought the move was choking or causing excessive pressure on the neck, which in my opinion did plenty to ensure the safety of the bottom wrestler. 

NFHS Rules: Forfeits No Longer Affect Wrestler’s One-day Limit

Effective with the 2013-14 season, forfeits in high school wrestling will no longer count toward a wrestler’s daily match limit. Currently, wrestlers are limited by rule to five matches in one day.

This change in Rule 1-4-2 was one of five rules changes made by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 8-10 meeting in Indianapolis. The changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

“The limit on the number of matches permitted in any one calendar day was established as a safeguard to prevent any wrestler from undo fatigue, thus increasing the possibility of injury,” said Dale Pleimann, chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee and former assistant executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association. “Since there is no fatigue or exertion involved with accepting a forfeit, the committee felt that it was not necessary to count forfeits in the match total for any wrestler.”

In other revisions, the committee altered Rules 1-1-4 and 10-1-2 to allow the use of electronic devices for video recording and review by the wrestler or coach unless prohibited by the state high school association. Also, the use of electronic devices that enables communication between a coach and athlete during a match is still prohibited (Rule 4-3-6).

In Rule 4-5 regarding weigh-ins, the committee approved a new article concerning wrestlers who have been approved to wear an artificial limb. Rule 4-5-9 states that the wrestler must weigh-in with the artificial limb if he or she chooses to wrestle with it on. In addition, once the wrestler has weighed in while wearing the artificial limb, it cannot be removed during competition. With these revisions, competitors who have been approved by their state associations to wear an artificial limb have the option to wear or not to wear the artificial limb during competition, but must weigh-in accordingly.

“The concern was that if a wrestler weighed-in with an artificial limb (and) then decided to remove the artificial limb for the match, the wrestler’s weight without the artificial limb might not qualify the wrestler for that weight class,” Pleimann said. “The changes require that if the wrestler weighs-in with an artificial limb, then the wrestler shall wear the artificial limb when competing.”

The committee approved an addition to Rule 5-1-1 that allows for bad time if a wrestler is not given the choice of position after a two-point stalling penalty. In addition, Rule 6-6-2d was approved and adds “after a two-point stalling penalty” as an instance when an error occurs in positioning wrestlers that would result in canceled points during bad time.

In other revisions approved by the committee, Rule 4-2-1 states that starting with the 2014-15 season, if a hair cover is worn by a wrestler, it shall be attached to the ear guards. The intent of this rule change is to help maintain continuous action during competition.

“The Rules Committee feels that the sport of high school wrestling is in very good shape and, therefore, made only a few minor changes to the rules for the 2013-14 season,” Pleimann said.

Wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 272,149 participants in 10,407 schools during the 2011-12 season, according to the NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. In addition, 8,235 girls were involved in wrestling in 1,441 high schools.

This press release was written by Taylor Wilkerson, a 2013 spring intern in the NFHS Publications Department. He is a junior at Franklin (Indiana) College studying broadcast journalism and public relations.

Olympics wrestling controversy just part of the confusion

By Tom Beer

Recently, fellow PopCult blogger Erica Marcus bemoaned the demise of the straightforward 10-point judging system in gymnastics, making the sport less dramatic for the viewer at home. I agree — but at least with gymnastics an unschooled eye can see when the gymnast has performed with grace and confidence and avoided awkward mistakes. You don’t need to be an Olympic judge to recognize a shaky performance.

Likewise with so many of the most popular events of the summer games — swimming, diving, track, etc. — the drama is clear-cut and stark, the triumphs instantaneous and self-evident. Who crossed the finish line first? Who dove into the pool cleanly, with minimum splash? When Usain Bolt wins the 100-meter and 200-meter races, you instinctually cheer, because there isn’t a human alive who couldn’t recognize his victory. It’s primal.

Freestyle wrestling, by contrast, is just bewildering for the nonfan. This afternoon I settled in to watch the quarterfinal competition. Now there is something pleasingly Olympic about wrestling. It reeks of antiquity, and we might be watching two grapplers come to life off an ancient Greek vase. Wikipedia tells us that wrestling has been an Olympic event since at least the Olympiad of 704 B.C. The sport has a pedigree.

But this satisfaction quickly gave way to bewilderment. With all the twists and reversals it was difficult to tell who was thrashing whom. How on earth were the points being scored? It was like watching a foreign film without subtitles. True, the NBC commentators kept explaining what was going on, but I couldn’t relate it to what I was seeing on-screen.

Now maybe I’m just dim. But the sport does seem to have a certain amount of confusion built in. And during the quarterfinals of the men’s freestyle 185 lb. class, it wasn’t just me. American Jake Herbert was going head to head against Sharif Sharikov of Azerbaijan. (Just as the Jamaicans rule the track events, the Azerbaijanis seem to have a headlock on wrestling.) During the match there ensued what one commentator called a "rolling scramble," and when it was over, no one seemed to agree on what had happened and what the score was. The judges watched a replay, and frankly, they looked as confused as I felt. But they ruled that the score was 6-0, Sharikov. What?!

The U.S. coach, Zeke Jones, bounded out onto the mat to object. He wound up being handed a yellow card by a ref, and that at least was unambiguous: not good. The judges held to their score, and Sharikov claimed a spot in the semifinals. (He went on to win the gold medal in his weight class.) Jake Herbert and Coach Jones didn’t look too happy, and I wasn't too satisfied either. Maybe I just need to watch more wrestling to get the hang of it. But with the freestyle competition over in London, I guess I’ll just set myself an alert for the 2016 games.