Rule Changes for the CIAC

After the end of the wrestling season the CIAC Wrestling Committee meets for their annual meeting. Over the years I have heard many complaints about the CIAC t rules governing wrestling in CT as not being fair as compared to other individual sports. In addition, what is allowed in other surrounding states is not allowed in CT putting our kids at a disadvantage when our kids are competing in regional or national tournaments and ultimately for college scholarships. Some of the most concerning are the following:

• Wrestling is defined by the CIAC as an “individual sport”. The CIAC has historically put more restrictions on wrestling than the other individual sports governed by the CIAC.

• The CIAC does not allow for wrestlers to go to an “outside” practice during the high school season, you can only practice with your team. In the past they have allowed the other individual sports to practice outside of their team, provided that it did not interfere with their team’s activities. I truly do not understand why you can go to a club wrestling practice while you are playing high school football, but while you are in the wrestling season you can’t. There are many schools that do not have the same recourses available be it a lack of a quality wrestling partner or the need for advanced coaching techniques; this leaves the kids in a position where they can’t get better. Outside practices are not only allowed in the better states for wrestling but are encouraged.

• The CIAC handbook states that you can receive “tutoring” during the season but leaves the term undefined. Does that mean that you can go to a club and be “tutored” in the sport? What is the difference between that a practice?

• States such as Rhode Island allow wrestlers to compete in USA Wrestling Tournaments on Sundays. If only our JV wrestlers were allowed to do so we would have a lot less kids getting discouraged and not sticking with wrestling if they do not make varsity. By allowing wrestlers to compete on weekends they would get as many matches as the varsity wrestlers and get the chance to develop their potential. Best of all these added opportunities would not cost the schools (taxpayers) anything.

• We should have fewer restrictions in the off season for high school coaches. They should be allowed to work with high school wrestlers in the off season provide it is not with just open to their kids.

• The CIAC allows the other individual sports to compete during the season in national or regional events during the defined season but not wrestling. Why aren’t they the same?

• Our advanced 8th graders are not allowed to practice with our high schools. In New York for example not only are they allowed to do so they are allowed to compete with the high school. At the Ridgefield Challenge an 8th grader actually won (I believe he wrestled for John Jay). Actually this is an example of inconsistency allowing a New York team to wrestle 8th graders at a tournament held by a CIAC team in CT and not allow CT 8th graders to do the same.

Some people on Pin to Win have complained about the wrestling in our state not being as competitive when compared to other states. We should be instead be comparing the opportunities that other states offer their athletes as compared to Connecticut. I believe that we have a chance to make it better by giving the CIAC our suggestions and letting them know how feel.

CIAC Wrestling Committee and email address

Name - School/Organization - Email address
Fred Ashton - Windham Technical High School- Fred.Ashton@ct.gov
Brien Brown - Enrico Fermi High School- bbrown@enfieldschools.org
Jim Day - Berlin High School - jday@berlinschools.org
Mike Goydos - Newington High School-
David Green - Nonnewaug High School- Dgreen@ctreg14.org
Pierre Joseph - Weaver High School -
John Lawless - Nonnewaug High School- Jlawless@ctreg14.org
Brian Manzi -
Steve Merlino - Windham High School - smerlino@windham.k12.ct.us
Eric Misko - Farmington High School-
David Nowakowski- - nowakowski@sbcglobal.net
Pat Risley - Windham High School - prisley@windham.k12.ct.us
Ricky Shook - Danbury High School -
Dennis Siegmann - Northeast Middle School- dennissiegmann@ci.bristol.ct.us
Bob Swan - Jonathan Law High School - rswan@milforded.org
Ross Sward - Bacon Academy -
Peter Veleas - Terryville High School - veleasp@plymouth.k12.ct.us

These are good ideas. Concretely, who do we contact and how? Do you have specific names and addresses to which to address a communication? Are we better off having one petition with multiple signatures, or many individual letters from a widespread group of parents, coaches, wrestlers, principals, etc.?

while some of these issues can be brought up by the wrestling group at the annual spring meeting, it is important to note that any decision regarding THESE issues is not made by the committee, but rather by CIAC Board of Control. They are aware of some current ruling language that is open to interpretation, as well as requests for consistency among "individual" type sports. however, be advised that some issues (such as 8th graders being allowed to compete at high school level) will in all likelihood not be approved...think about a kid from a small town like Canterbury, with no high school...the kids can go to Griswold, NFA, Woodstock etc--at what high school would this student compete? there are other significant issues with that request, but many other of the ideas mentioned are worth noting and considering. for these type issues, not only is contact with the committee suggested, but your best destiantion for a well-thought letter would be ciac directly.

Very well said. I have been in contact with a few different people on these same topics. I was told that they will be very busy looking into most if not all of these concerns. I was suggested to direct my concerns to the Committee member in our conference (ll,l,M,S) If you are a parent I would direct you to your Coach and ask him to follow up.
Like Dave stated some of these we will need to take up with the Ciac board itself, but we can't do that with out our wrestling committee on our side. I will be honest, the board members I spoke with were very eager to hlep and acknowledged we need to get many issues cleared up.

I seriously think we need to get these issues plus more looked into and done once and for all. We may not get all the rules changed in our favor, but at least we all will have a better understanding of what is allowed and what isn't.
Feel free to email me any serious concerns. I will have no problem forwarding them on so they can get addressed.

I think that when the CIAC states in it's rules, that when a team holds out of season clubs, that they cannot have wrestler's of there own team present. they should follow up on those rules. By periodically checking in with these clubs and seeing how many certified coaches are in violation of the rule.

Wizza,
It isn't that simple. Some rules are stated in different ways, then another rule states it the total opposite.

I have spent to much time going thru those pages.

For example. These were taken right out of the ciac hand book. Copied and pasted

During the season, may an athlete obtain individual lessons in the skills of his or her sport
(i.e. pitching lessons)?

Yes, lessons are permissible as long as they are not provided by their member school coach.


1.4 Lessons

a. A student-athlete is permitted to receive individual lessons in his/her sport(s)
during the season.

But then later on it goes on the state this.


F. A student who is a member of a school team
after the first scheduled tournament, meet or game in
any season shall not practice or compete with an outside
team, or participate as an individual in non-CIAC
tournaments, meets, tryouts, skills assessment or games
in the same branch of athletics. After the first
tournament, meet or game of the CIAC seasons a student
competing or practicing with a non-CIAC team or as an
individual in non-team sports is not eligible to become a
member of the CIAC team or squad in the same branch
of athletics. Exceptions to Rule II.E.are: (1)Participation
in parent/child tournaments and caddy tournaments. (2)
Swimming, tennis, gymnastics, golf -- a student may
practice but not compete with a non-CIAC team or as an
individual during the season as long as such practices do
not interfere with or replace member school practices.
G. A student shall not participate as a member
of a team or as an individual in competition from which
he or she receives personal economic gains because of
his or her athletic skill.
A student shall always participate under his

It is even worse about the off season "Open Mat" stuff.

The problem is we have Coaches, Parents, and Adminstrators, that believe one way and think they are right. But in all honesty no one can be 100% correct with all these differences. All we are looking for is a true answer from someone who has taken the time to research it. Not the Joe down the street that wants you to believe it is law because he or she said so.

Now I have read these three things many times and I can't tell you what is allowed and what isn't.

I haven't reviewed it recently (a couple of years) but if you look up tennis, golf, gymnastics, diving etc "individual" but team sports they are allowed to participate and receive training as long as it does not interfere with their in-season participation on the school team. This should be allowed for wrestling also. You can succeed on an individual basis regardless of your team. Kids should not be stifled but allowed to compete and train to be the best where and whenever they want. On a side note many football teams typically run "mandatory practices/training" year round- is this a violation of the rules (everyone looks the other way with football) For those of you who complain that its not fair. Life is not fair. We are just trying to be the best athletes we can be lets all work to change these archaic rules.