Wrestling Talk Forums supported
USA Wrestling Kansas KWCA
Wrestling Talk Forums supported & maintained by USA Wrestling-Kansas
USAW USA Wrestling Kansas
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#108013 04/18/07 03:25 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 71
T
Member
Member
T Offline
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 71
I am curious as to what everyone thinks about the new rule changes for next year.

I like the new rule allowing the offensive wrestler to choose neutral on a restart. Obviously you would still be giving up an escape. I know I have had people say they don't like to cut kids off the restart and maybe this will be good for them.

Aside from that I'm not in favor of reverting the scoring rules back to 05. I think requiring the score to be correct before the start of the next period was a great thing. It eliminated the need for long draw out conversations as to what happened 2 periods before. Bad move by the NHFS.

Your thoughts?

Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 474
Member
Member
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 474
Since I hadn't seen then, I looked them up on http://www.nfhs.org/web/2007/04/wrestling_rules_changes_aim_for.aspx

Wrestling Rules Changes Aim for Clarity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bob Colgate

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 16, 2007) -- In its ongoing effort to improve high school wrestling rules, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee adopted several rules changes during the group's annual meeting March 25 and 26 in Indianapolis.

Although many of the changes focused on clarifying existing rules, the most notable change offers wrestlers an entirely new option. New Rule 5-20-5a allows an offensive wrestler to request a neutral position restart by signaling his desire to a referee.

"Most of the changes deal with clean-up and rule support, but the new rule regarding the neutral position start is a significant change," said Dave Gannaway, chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee.

Even though the defensive wrestler is awarded an escape if the offensive wrestler utilizes this option, the alternative still might prove advantageous to many participants.

"It gives wrestlers another possible choice from the offensive position," said Bob Colgate, NFHS assistant director and liaison to the rules committee.

Another new rule, 1-1-2a, gives tournament directors an additional option, allowing them to institute a random draw for the championship final matches in an individual regular-season or state championship tournament series. Previously, this option existed only in dual meets.

"This change would create a more consistent format for individuals to go along with team tournaments," Colgate said.

Rule 3-1-1 affords referees a new choice in attire, permitting them to wear a gray shirt with black pinstripes.

Most of the other modifications made by the committee could be classified as clarifications. Perhaps the most extensive change was made to Rule 8-2-1, which pertains to the use of injury time-outs during a match. The existing rule was lengthened substantially by the addition of seven new exceptions.

"Anytime you have a short rule, people can read into it," Colgate said. "We had a lot of states doing something different. Hopefully, now everybody will be on the same page."

The committee altered Rules 6-6-4a1 and 5a1, reverting to wording in the 2005 rules book, which specified that a scoring error by the timekeeper, scorer or referee can be corrected as long the wrestler or coach remains in the mat area. No longer must a scoring correction be made before the start of the next period.

Rule 5-31-1 has been adjusted to penalize the head coach if a wrestler reports to the scorer's table and is not in proper uniform, not properly groomed, not properly equipped or not ready to wrestle.

"Head coaches should be accountable," Colgate said. "They need to have their athletes ready to compete as specified by the rules."

Rule 6-4-4 now specifies that any coach or contestant has the prerogative to default a match at any time by informing the referee.

The remaining rules changes made by the committee deal with protecting the physical health of wrestlers. The committee approved a new rule, 4-2-5, which requires wrestlers with braces or other special orthodontic devices to wear a tooth and mouth protector. The committee clarified Rule 4-2-3, which now states that a wrestler with a suspected communicable skin disease must have a physician fill out an approved form from either the NFHS or a state association affirming that the athlete's participation will not be harmful to any opponent before the participant in question is allowed to wrestle.

Prevention of communicable skin conditions was one of the chief points of emphasis issued by the committee for the 2007-08 season.

Correction of errors was another point of emphasis, as well as stalling.

"Stalling could be a point of emphasis every year," Colgate said. "It's really a work-in-progress."

The committee's final point of emphasis was sportsmanship, another aspect of athletics the NFHS frequently focuses on.

"The intensity and contact in wrestling often lead to things getting heated," Colgate said. "Sportsmanship has been improving, but it's still something we need to work on in the sport of wrestling."

Wrestling ranks sixth in popularity, according to the 2005-06 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, with 251,534 boys participating last year. It ranks eighth for boys in school sponsorship, with 9,744 schools offering wrestling. An additional 4,975 girls in 1,081 schools are involved in wrestling.



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; and serves as a national information resource of interscholastic athletics and activities. For more information, visit the NFHS Web site at http://www.nfhs.org.




MEDIA CONTACTS: Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900

National Federation of State High School Associations

PO Box 690, Indianapolis, Indiana 46206

bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org


Shane Koranda
Towanda, Ks.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 372
S
Member
Member
S Offline
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 372
I also like the idea of being able to give up the escape and go neutral without having to cut. I haven't seen the specifics but I am assuming this can only be done when there is a wrestling stoppage and you are going back to restart.

I'm reserving judgement on the scoring change. I see both sides of the rule and originally thought that the way they changed the rule this year would be good. After seeing it in action I am not so sure. I think for dual meets and meets where you have trained table workers it is a good idea. The challenge we faced a few times this year at the kids level is that the person running the scoreboard had the score right but the official scorekeeper didn't have it right in the book. Therefore, as a coach, you would look at the scoreboard and think you were good to go when you really weren't. Now this happening was an exception and wasn't the norm but usually when it happened it was in the high scoring, really close matches. The only recourse you had as a coach was to go check the score keeper between periods. That can get annoying to everyone involved.

Just my 2 cents.

Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,262
A
Member
Member
A Offline
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 5,262
I like the rule of random draw for weight to start on for Championship Matches in a tournament.

Too often people have packed it up and are out the door leaving the heavyweights wrestling to an empty crowd, at least this way it may change the venue for the big guys with some people sticking around from time to time, other than waiting on their boy to get out of the shower.


Yours in wrestling,

The Swayz
swayz.wrestling@gmail.com recruiting help, promoting the sport& more!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,443
R
Member
Member
R Offline
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,443
2007-2008 Wresting Rules Changes!

UNDERLINED TEXT IS NEW

2007-2008 Wresting Rules Changes

1-1-2a NEW
A random draw for championship final matches for an individual tournament, regular season and/or state high school championship series, may be used for competition.

Rationale: This rule change allows a random draw for championship final matches in individual tournaments conducted during the year. This would create a more consistent format for individuals to go along with team tournaments.

3-1-1
The referee's uniform consists of a short sleeve knit shirt, with alternating black and white 1-inch stripes, or gray with black pinstripes, or an event provided shirt common to all referees at that event...

Rationale: This change would allow referees and states another option for their referee's uniform in wrestling. The gray shirt with black pinstripes has been allowed by other sports organizations in wrestling, and has been well received by the fans, coaches, and referees.

4-2-3
If a participant is suspected by the referee or coach of having a communicable skin disease or any other condition that makes participation appear inadvisable, the coach shall provide current written documentation from a physician as defined by the NFHS or the state associations, stating that the suspected disease or condition is not communicable and that the athlete's participation would not be harmful to any opponent...

Rationale: This rule change would help clarify the current rule in that the current written documentation from a physician needs to be on an approved form from either the NFHS or a state association.

4-2-5 NEW
Each contestant who has braces or has a special orthodontic device on their teeth, shall be required to wear a tooth and mouth protector. A tooth and mouth protector (intraoral) which shall include an occlusal (protecting and separating the biting surfaces) and a labial (protecting the teeth and supporting structures) portion and covers the teeth and all areas of the braces or special orthodontic device with adequate thickness. This would include upper and lower teeth if devices are present on both. It is recommended the protector be properly fitted and:

1. Constructed from a model made from an impression of the individual's teeth and braces or special orthodontic device.

2. Constructed and fitted to the individual by impressing the teeth and braces or special orthodontic device into the tooth and mouth protector itself.


Rationale: The NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee feels that it would be in the best interest from a safety perspective that if a wrestler does have braces, or wears a special orthodontic device on their teeth, they should be covered to protect their opponent from injury when coming in contact with the mouth and teeth. Coaches have expressed concern about frequent stoppage of matches because of blood time-out secondary to brace-inflicted wounds.

5-20-5a NEW
Prior to assuming an offensive starting position, the offensive wrestler may signal to the referee the neutral position. The defensive wrestler is awarded an escape, and wrestling begins from the neutral position.

Rationale: This rule change would now allow the offensive wrestler another choice from the offensive starting position.

5-31-1
Coaches and Team Personnel. Unsportsmanlike conduct of coaches and other team personnel is any act which becomes abusive or interferes with the orderly progress of the match. These acts may occur prior to, during or after a match. This includes violations of the bench decorum rule (7-5-2), taunting, acts of disrespect, or those actions which incite negative reaction by others. The offender shall be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct in accordance with the Penalty Chart. The head coach shall be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct if wrestlers report to the scorer's table not in proper uniform, not properly groomed, not properly equipped or not ready to wrestle. Exception: The head coach shall not be penalized when a wrestler reports to the scorer's table with shoe laces that are not properly secured.

Rationale: This rule change now gives rules support for a penalty that reflects the intent behind Rule 1-2-7, which requires the head coach to verify their wrestlers are in proper uniform, properly groomed, properly equipped and ready to wrestle. It does not penalize the head coach when their wrestlers have improperly secured shoe laces.

6-4-4
The coach of the contestant or the contestant has the prerogative to default a match in progress or during an injury time-out by informing the referee. Any coach of the contestant or the contestant has the prerogative to default a match to the opponent at any time by informing the referee.

Rationale: This rule change allows a coach or a wrestler to default a match to his opponent at any time. Requiring a wrestler injured by illegal action, who wished to default, to return to wrestling prior to the expiration of recovery time in order to be able to default is undesirable and in some cases an unsafe situation.

6-6-4a1, 5a1
Any error, other than Bad Time (Art. 1) ...must be corrected prior to the wrestler/coach leaving the mat area. Errors by the timekeeper, scorer or referee must be corrected prior to the offended contestant leaving the mat area if additional wrestling is necessary. If additional wrestling is not necessary, the error may be corrected as long as the offended contestant or coach remains in the mat area.

Rationale: The previous rule was intended to simplify the process for correction of errors, but instead, it created confusion. This rule change will now allow the referee to correct an error as long as the wrestler or coach remains in the mat area.

8-2-1a-h
An injured or ill contestant is entitled to a maximum injury time-out of 1 ½ minutes which is cumulative throughout the match, including overtime periods. There is a limit of two injury time-outs which may be permitted in any match, provided the total time does not exceed 1 ½ minutes. If a second injury time-out is taken during a regulation period, the opponent shallwill have the choice of top, bottom or neutral position foron the restart. (The up, down or neutral position shall be chosen).

EXCEPTIONS: During the tiebreaker, only the top, bottom or defer options are available.

a. if the second injury time-out is taken at the conclusionoccurs at the endof the first period, the opponent shallwill have the choice at the start of the second and third periods;

b. if the second injury time-out is taken at the conclusion of the second period, the opponent shall have the choice at the start of the third period;

c. if the second injury time-out is taken at the conclusion of the third period, the opponent shall have the choice of any one of the three starting positions at the beginning of the sudden victory period;

d. if the second injury time-out is taken any time during the sudden victory period, the opponent shall have the choice of top, bottom or neutral position on the restart;

e. if the second injury time-out is taken at the conclusion of the sudden victory period, the opponent shall have the choice of either top or bottom position at the start of both 30-second tiebreaker periods.

f. if the second injury time-out is taken at the conclusion of the first 30-second tiebreaker period, the opponent shall have the choice of either top or bottom at the start of the second 30-second tiebreaker period.

g. if the second injury time-out occurs at the conclusion of the second 30-second tiebreaker period, the opponent shall have the choice of top or bottom at the start of the ultimate tiebreaker period.

h. if the second injury time-out occurs during either of the 30-second tiebreaker periods or during the ultimate tiebreaker period, the opponent shall have the choice of top or bottom on the restart.

A third injury time-out shall terminate the match. The opponent shall be declared the winner by default.


Time...

Rationale: This rule change helps to clarify the exact procedure to follow when administering the second injury time-out. Limiting a wrestler to 1 ½ minutes of injury time and two injury time-outs has been successful in reducing the number of unnecessary time-outs. Allowing an opponent the choice of position for all remaining periods, both regulation and overtime is too harsh a penalty. This may cause injured wrestlers to decline necessary and needed injury time which is counter to the NFHS philosophy that safety comes first.

POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Communicable Skin Conditions
Correction of Errors
Stalling
Sportsmanship

*25 -- Editorial Changes for 2007-08


Richard D. Salyer
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 56
G
Member
Member
G Offline
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 56
We did the hydration testing in Kansas last year and there was some discussion at that time that we may be adding some sort of a body fat test in the future. Does anyone have any information or thoughts on that?

Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 245
Member
Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 245
From what I hear the following recommendations were made to the executive council of KSHSAA. I have not heard if they have been adopted. These are not the total recommended changes, just what I can remember from discussions.

Recommendations:

* Keep Hydration testing in the same format as last year.

* Do NOT institute a body fat testing program next year.

* Keep the alpha weigh-in procedure the same (1 week before season).

* Change weigh-ins to an hour prior to school starting, and/or an hour AFTER school is over on days of a competition prior to the certification date. (This should allow for wrestlers to be hydrated, as it is difficult to be hydrated 1st thing in the morning).

* Change the 10% weight loss rule to an 8% weight loss rule OR no more than two weight classes, which ever is LEAST.

* Weight loss waivers will still be available, but they will be more extensive (blood tests, body fat tests, etc). In addition they will not be allowed until the wrestler has lost the 8% and the doctor examines them at that weight.

* Allow multiple certifications prior to the certification date.

Again, that may not be all of the proposed changes, but those are the major ones.


Head Coach- Blue Valley High School

Moderated by  Nate Naasz, RedStorm 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 9 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Super Admin, bvswwrestling, CoachFitzOS, Dluce, Shawn Russell
12,303 Registered Users
Forum Statistics
Forums11
Topics36,091
Posts250,722
Members12,303
Most Online1,305
Mar 13th, 2025
Top Posters
usawks1 8,595
smokeycabin 6,248
Aaron Sweazy 5,262
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 8.0.0
(Release build 20240826)
Responsive Width:

PHP: 8.3.23 Page Time: 0.026s Queries: 28 (0.017s) Memory: 3.0526 MB (Peak: 3.5912 MB) Data Comp: Off Server Time: 2025-08-01 19:25:42 UTC
Valid HTML 5 and Valid CSS