Kansas Wrestling Forums General Discussion Kids Folkstyle Frustration in St Joe

I officiate high school but not kids tournaments. I've watched this video now a number to times and I've changed my mind back and forth on the call and so I can't fault the official who had to make the call in less than 5 seconds as time expired. Had time not expired, it would have played out. It was a close call.

The rule book shows this situation (pictures 21 and 22 on page 67). Here is the text under the photo:

Following a shoulder roll,there is a change of control when the wrestler who was in control is concerned about being pinned. There may be control when either leg is picked up. The referee should begin looking for a change of control as soon as either leg and one arm is trapped."


I don't think that the situation in the video ever got to the point contemplated by the rule book. It was close. Initially, I thought it could have been scored a reversal and 2 near fall points if criteria was met for two seconds but from the video it does not look like Red had control or that Green was in criteria for two seconds if control was established. As I've re-watched the video now several times and have no basis to criticize the official for determining that Red failed to establish control of Green at the end so as to justify a reversal.

Watch the video closely and pay attention to the lack of Red's ability to cinch up or lift Green's leg. Red switches his hand-hold on Green's leg and doesn't really have anything there, and Green continues to move and ends up rolling himself out of the situation as time expires. It was close, but I see this as reverse-in-progress that hadn't played out and at best it could have been scored as an escape as time expired. I would not have awarded the 2 NF for Green which is what was signaled at the end. Red, the defensive wrestler, was in the process of a reversal and exposing his back in that situation does not meet criteria.

I would not expect the "head official" or complaining parents to have had any influence in this call, but the two mat-side coaches might have been of some assistance. If they both agreed that a roll with two points was earned, I'm fairly certain the official would have agreed or could have been convinced to put the match into overtime. Green's coach could have come over and said "that was 2 and 2, the score's tied." I have, many times, had a coaches conference with both coaches to sort out a scoring issue and most of the time the coaches can resolve my confusion to their satisfaction. In this situation I don't think Green's coach would agree with any near-fall points though and it would be generous to agree that a reversal occurred.

While the roll looks pretty good, it was loose and not finished by the time expired because the leg of Green was not controlled by Red. Also, the more I review the film, it seems that even if control did change, near fall criteria was not met because Green appears to be rolled up off his back (hard to see b/c of the camera angle.)

I've watched the video a few times and while I initially thought the call was wrong, now I think it was a close, but correct call. Especially at this level of wrestling where often moves are not finished. Time just ran out here before the situation concluded.


Even if a mistake did occur, this one call doesn't mean this official is not a good official. This call does require some judgment and usually you wait to make sure there's really control and its not just slop. You see this fairly often in HS, but I don't know if its all that common in kids. Sometimes as an official you get surprised. This official was probably thinking the kid that had been in control most of the match was still in control and was just looking to make sure that it was a completed move.

Also, kids' officiating is some of the hardest officiating there is. Look at the mat size. The wrestlers and officials are on top of each other, with no safety edge. The normal "out of bounds" marks don't mean anything because the mats are divided into quarters or less and that has to be distracting. There's no room. The kids are squirmy and don't finish their moves. Sometimes it looks like a control situation, but the kid doesn't even know it, so how do you call it? And then there's the "clutter" of people around the mat making it all the more difficult to pay attention. It is a very difficult officiating assignment and my hat's off to those that will do it. I won't. Whatever it pays isn't half enough.