As Information, not too many changes for the next season.
The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee emphasized risk minimization and standardized procedures to assist both coaches and referees through 16 wrestling rules changes for the 2008-09 school year.
Rules changes were made by the committee at its April 5-7 meeting in Indianapolis and subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The time sequence for the offensive wrestler in assuming the offensive starting position was standardized with the addition of a note to Rule 5-20-5.
First, the wrestler must set the knee(s) and feet. Second, the wrestler must place the palm of one hand on the navel. Third, the wrestler must place the palm of the other hand on or over the near elbow. Fourth, the referee shall pause momentarily before starting wrestling. This rule change is meant to provide consistency for coaches, wrestlers and referees. While each action is currently standard practice, there has not been a written sequence of those events in the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book. “These changes provide further rules support based on interpretations,” said Bob Colgate, assistant director of the NFHS and liaison to the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee. “The clarifications make the rules easier to administer.”
With an emphasis on sportsmanship, the committee approved two rules changes meant to encourage sportsmanlike conduct by wrestlers and coaches.
An addition to Rule 6-7-1c6 states that an unsportsmanlike act that occurs at anytime during the match shall take precedence over the first points scored in the regulation match in determining choice of position in the ultimate tiebreaker.
So the wrestler whose opponent has received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at any time during the match will now have choice of position in the ultimate tiebreaker. In addition, a change to Rule 5-31-1 removes the penalty for coaches whose wrestlers report to the scorer’s table not in proper uniform, not properly groomed, not properly equipped or not ready to wrestle.
The addition of Rule 7-1-5w makes a back flip from a standing position an illegal maneuver. The rule was added as an effort to minimize risk to all wrestlers.
“Any time you’re dealing with risk minimization in wrestling, it’s paramount,” Colgate said. “Someone could have been seriously injured if we did not take that initiative.”
The committee also addressed the issue of skin conditions. A revision to Rule 4-2-3 allows an on-site physician to examine a wrestler with a particular skin condition without a physician’s release form immediately after the weigh-in. A new Rule 4-2-5 allows a physician’s release form for a non-communicable skin condition, such as a birthmark or eczema, to be valid for the duration of the season, with some stipulations.
The committee also approved the following rules changes:
A change to Rule 2-2-2 clarifies the boundary for the restricted zone for coaches.
A revision to Rule 4-1-5 requires the wrestler’s uniform to be worn as intended/designed by the manufacturer. This change gives rules support to a previous NFHS interpretation.
Rule 4-2-1 will state that a wrestler’s hair in the front, in its natural state, shall not extend below the eyebrows.
A change in Rule 4-5-5 allows for a one-pound weight allowance when a competition is postponed for one calendar day or more due to inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances. The head coach, principal or athletic director of the opponent must be notified in advance to be granted the one-pound weight allowance.
A change to Rule 5-15-3 gives referees the option to stop a match if there is no action at the edge of the mat and to restart wrestling in the center of the mat.
A new addition to Rules 5-25-6c and 7-6-6c provides rules support for the interpretation of stalling as “repeatedly creates a stalemate situation to prevent an opponent from scoring.”
In Rule 6-6-1, when the wrong wrestler is given choice of position at the start of the first 30-second tiebreaker in overtime, the opponent will be given the choice at the start of the second 30-second tiebreaker. Previously, this would have been considered bad time.
In Rule 7-4-1, the committee further defined unnecessary roughness by including “. . . a forceful slap to the head or face, and/or gouging or poking the eyes.” The committee also approved a new signal for referees to indicate when to start recovery time during a match.
The committee adopted four points of emphasis for the upcoming season, including grooming and medical checks, reporting to the scorer’s table ready to wrestle, going out of the wrestling area, and referees’ signals and mechanics.
Wrestling is the sixth-most popular program for high school boys in terms of participants, with 257,246 boys wrestling in 9,445 schools throughout the country. It is also gaining popularity among high school girls, with 5,048 girls participating in 1,227 schools, according to the NFHS 2006-07 High School Athletics Participation Survey.
About the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities. Since 1920, the NFHS has led the development of education-based interscholastic sports and fine arts activities that help students succeed in their lives. The NFHS sets direction for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS writes playing rules for 17 sports for boys and girls at the high school level. Through its 50 member state associations and the District of Columbia, the NFHS reaches more than 18,500 high schools and 11 million participants in high school activity programs, including more than 7 million in high school sports. As the recognized national authority on interscholastic activity programs, the NFHS conducts national meetings; sanctions interstate events; produces publications for high school coaches, officials and athletic directors; sponsors professional organizations for high school coaches, officials, spirit coaches, speech and debate coaches and music adjudicators; serves as the national source for interscholastic coach training; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at www.nfhs.org.
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I understand that they are trying to minimize injuries but i beleive that the backflip move mostly of a single leg is exactly the type of thing wrestling needs. Look what happened when that kid made the news for hitting it in a tournoment. (Dont remember where he was from or were the tourny was) but it made the news, was in the newspaper, and put wrestling into the eyes of everyone watching. Thats the type of exposure wrestling needs to become more mainstream like the three most popualr sports (football, bball, and baseball)
And yes Dnowa thank god dad got it on tape lol.
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it is a good point to say tha a backflip in a match making news, like earlier this year is good for wrestling, but in defense of the new rule, what happens when a kid breaks his neck on the mat doing a backflip and that makes the news. Even though that would not be good for the sport, i still think this rule is not nessacary because a wrestler should be aware of his capabilities and risks on the mat, and therefore be responsible for his own injuries
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I do have a concern that I think needs to be addressed. It probably is going to get me thrown out of some matches next year, but I have never been one to hold it back.LOL
The cost or refs!!!
I understand the cost per dual meet. Making anything less that $65.00 would be a waist of time.
My concern is the weekend tournaments. Where refs are making $400 to $500.00 a day. How many of us make $500.00 day??? Try adding 2 or more refs on to that large bill. At a small tournament the bill for refs are $1500.00 or more. Eagle Classic must be $3000.00 or more.
The cost of these refs are only hurting the programs paying for them. It drives up the cost of team entry fees, which in most cases are $200.00 or more. Which in turn is going to limit, and restrict programs from getting full schedules.
We wonder why programs are getting cut, pay to play has become so huge, and less kids are coming out for sports. Things are only going to get worse, budgets are only going to get tighter. I think we need to look at this before we have to many refs and no teams to wrestle.
This would be one post where u can hide your name. I wish I did!!!!!!
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Why!! I never claimed to be perfect. Spell check!!! Ha! Ha!
Nowa,
I am aware this is not part of the NFHS. I put it here because I thought it would tie into the format. Most of us concerned with the sport will be looking under this post. I just think it is something we need to look at.
U have been very involved with tournaments, ran many yourself. I bet u never made close to that much money running one.
Oklastate, do me a favor!! Spell check for me!!
Thanks bud.
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sorry, I have had this discussion in the past, and the officials know that I favor different formats, especially for tournaments. I think it is inherently wrong for a tourney to run on a per match fee (seen too many quick pins called late in the consi rounds to think otherwise). I would much rather pay a high hourly rate, from the time the get there at weigh ins until the end of the last bout. This rate would vary from youth, middle school, JV and varsity (10/15/20/25??). As great a concern is multis, since I fully agree with a fair amount for a dual. However, for a quad to be 3 times that amount is too high, since there are elements of a meet that do not increase proportionally with a multi (travel to and from, time needed to be there prior to bout, pre-speeches, nails etc). With all this said, I do think the vast majority of our CT refs are not in it for the money, and that they do an admirable job in what is probably the most difficult sport to officiate.
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I have done both Coaching and am a ref in Connecticut and I suggest to both Coach Fitch and Nowa take the test and ref for a season or two and then comment on how overpaid the ref's are.
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I agree Dave, I have nothing against the refs as most of them know. I just see the negative results coming from such high pays.
It has nothing to do with taken the test. I know there is more too it than just blowing the whistle, but we do ref wrestle off's every week. I know it isn't the same, but it also isn't a specialized trade, or computer science either.
I look at it as being a little steep. Not to take anything away from the refs because I try to get as much as I can on every job I quote. But look at it this way!!!
I try to average $75.00 an hour on a job. I have two employees most of the time at $12.00 hr each. I have taxes, workers comp,insurance#1, insurance #2, gas, office rent, Elect, license. $45,000 in equipment. That is just start up!!
A ref has?????
$50 hr is what they average. Times that by 40 hr's = $2000.00 a week, times by 52 weeks==$104,000.00. We all know they don't work that many hr's, just an example.
Again nothing against getting what they can get. It isn't any refs fault, and I would do the same in my business. The client needs to speak up, or it is his loss. Right now I think we as the client are losing on this. Budgets are only getting tighter. I think we need to at least look into this.
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My opinion, refs are not overpaid. I respect what they do. Considering the responsibility they have and the BS they take while peforming their job, I just don't understand how they could be overpaid.
I would like to see this thread turn back to an exchange of opinions on some of the new rules and the affect they may have on the sport as we know it.
I do support the ban on the flip move that may result in some kid getting his teeth knocked out. No offense intended to those that support the move. I just don't think a video on youtube of a kid's coach picking his teeth up off the mat would be good for the sport. As a parent of a young athlete, I would reconsider letting my kid start a sport where that was considered cool.
As far as my spelling goes, I really am a good speller. As a typist, I'm a hunter and pecker and too lazy to go back and check my spelling half the time. My grammar, on the other hand, is terrible. Hope Beef doesn't ban me from the site for my grammar. *Wonder if he has any scholarship money available at Pomfret for an old fat guy (could make 215) that needs grammatical learnin'*
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