Board Shorts/Compression Shirt vs Singlets

[aaacoach42]

I saw an article on flo that another two states are joining the list in favor of Shorts and Shirts over singlets. What is your thoughts on this?

As for me, I am in favor. I think the change would increase participation. I myself in the past have competed in BJJ/ Submission grappling tournaments and there was never an issue. Hopefully West Virginia will not be the last to implement a change for the better. However, this will probably be the case.

[Repoman1304]

I think it would be a welcome change. I have ask at least 500 kids about why they don't wrestle and the first thing they spout out is they don't want to wear the uniform. I don't know what kind of problem it would cause the refs but I think at least the choice would help increase participation..

[aacoach62]

2000s: Two-piece Spandex/Lyrca uniform

Early in the new millennium, an alternative to the traditional one-piece singlet made its appearance in college wrestling. The key aspect of the uniform approved by the NCAA about a decade ago: it consisted of two pieces. But did that make this new uniform twice as nice as the traditional singlet?

Marketed by various brand names such as DoubleSport, the uniform is referred to in the NCAA wrestling rule book as a “two-piece Spandex/Lycra uniform.” The two pieces: a shirt, which according to NCAA rules, must be either sleeveless or short-sleeved, with a body that must be long enough to stay tucked in place during a match… and shorts with a minimum 4” inseam, but cannot extend beyond the top of the knees. Both the shirt and shorts are made from form-fitting synthetic fabric, and resemble compression gear such as that sold under the UnderArmor brand name.

The two-piece Spandex/Lycra uniform was adopted by a number of colleges, mostly in the East, for a couple seasons in the early 2000s… but seems to have pretty much disappeared from college wrestling mats.

The photo from the 2009 NCAA wrestling rulebook shows front and back views of a typical two-piece Spandex/Lycra uniform with the Lehigh name emblazoned on it; the Pennsylvania-based university was one school to use the two-piece uniform for some events, including a dual meet vs. University of Missouri at the New York Athletic Club during the 2004-05 season, the 75th anniversary of NCAA wrestling.
http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/defaul ... k=aE9SMO1g

[Goldenponyboy]

It might increase the numbers, but if they can't handle a wearing a singlet I'm sure they can't handle wrestling in general. I'm sure change is good, but I say stick to singlets.

[guard0544]

Id be all for making the change. It certainly would increase the number of students willing to come out for the wrestling team.

[Newton]

It might increase the numbers, but if they can't handle a wearing a singlet I'm sure they can't handle wrestling in general. I'm sure change is good, but I say stick to singlets.

This is a flawed, fallacious argument, and this type of belief is detrimental to the sport. It's clear that participation would increase substantially with the change, which would positively impact the lives of thousands of children, adolescents, and young adults. Sure, some of these new participants may not even make it a whole season, but that's irrelevant.

[Frank]

I would like to see it tested in the middle school division. I say make it an option.

[mscoach84]

Frank, in the flo article that he is referring to the middle schools in those states has already tested them and are seeing good results. That is why the high schools are petitioning to get them instated as an option."The board shorts and tight fitting short sleeve shirt alternative is having extremely positive results in the middle-school level, with many schools reporting numbers doubling in size."

http://www.flowrestling.org/article/40808-multiple-states-considering-shorts-shirt-uniform-change

[coach_williams]

I don't like the loose-fitting shorts. I envision broken fingers, hands getting stuck in them, feet getting stuck in them while trying to put a leg in, etc. if they were snug fitting like compression shorts then I would be OK with it, but loose fitting makes me cringe. Wearing looser clothing in practice is easier to deal with because you can always tell your drill partner that your hand or finger is caught and he will let up while you get untangled. Are wrestlers going to let up during a major match when someone's finger is caught in their shorts and about to be broken and risk giving up a dominant position or control?

[J.W.]

I don't believe it will help. The excuse you hear are I'm not wearing that g@# uniform and I am not rolling around with a sweaty guy. Neither one are true statements. The people making the statements are afraid of the hardwork and dedication it takes to be good at this sport, much less to make it to the top. Keep the singlet, the uniform is not the problem. This is not going to fix numbers of quality wrestlers. Youth are allowed to wear shorts and t-shirts now but still choose to wear singlets. The military has not went to cargo shorts and tank tops to try to recruit because they want dedicated hardworking people. College wrestling is filling their weight classes and wearing singlets. Great clubs still fill their weight classes and are wearing singlets. Let's go full blown MMA and shorts, no shirt, and barefooted too. Keep the singlet.

[Newton]

I don't believe it will help. The excuse you hear are I'm not wearing that g@# uniform and I am not rolling around with a sweaty guy. Neither one are true statements. The people making the statements are afraid of the hardwork and dedication it takes to be good at this sport, much less to make it to the top. Keep the singlet, the uniform is not the problem. This is not going to fix numbers of quality wrestlers. Youth are allowed to wear shorts and t-shirts now but still choose to wear singlets. The military has not went to cargo shorts and tank tops to try to recruit because they want dedicated hardworking people. College wrestling is filling their weight classes and wearing singlets. Great clubs still fill their weight classes and are wearing singlets. Let's go full blown MMA and shorts, no shirt, and barefooted too. Keep the singlet.

The primary goal should be to increase the number of wrestlers, period. The quality of the wrestlers is irrelevant.

Fairly certain the military does not choose uniforms based on recruitment potential. Military uniforms serve a functional purpose. Wrestling singlets do not. College and "great club" wrestlers are the elite. Again, the primary goal should not be to increase the amount of elite wrestlers; it should be to increase the amount of wrestlers.

[Realwrestling]

My club team wear the shorts and compressed long, short sleeve shirts in every practice ( part of their $450 a month package deal) The shorts are pain because a wrestler can use it to his advantage by gripping the inside of the top shorts and lifting.
A singlet to me is the best and why change something because you want to get a bunch of kids to come out.
If they don't have the mindset of being the true warrior the first place, then good luck playing volleyball slick!

[Gator]

Do you get baseball style caps with these new uni's?

I agree J.W. on this one. It also makes the refs job more difficult if you have loose clothing to grab for an advantage and they have to enforce that while looking at everything else that goes on in a match. Keep the singlets please.

[admin]

I didn't like it when they ditched the leotards.
Tee-shirts and trunks is what most kids practice in every day of the week. (I think. Any teams wear singlets to practice in?)

I like the new uniforms. Time to change.

[guard0544]

Anyone saying kids who wont come out because they do not want to wear a singlet do not have the mindset to wrestle to begin with...you are trying to oversimplify it...with a "we're tough wrestlers mentality"

First, if they are young, its the parents who would be opting to not have their kid wrestle due to the uniform, not the kid.

Second, you fail to understand how self-conscience kids can be. For a middle school or high school kid...they may be worried about showing a fat belly in their singlet, or worried about the entire world seeing their junk. I dont think that has anything to do with not having the right mindset. Its just normal self-conscience awareness things most middle school or high schoolers, and even adults would give thought to. I know I wouldnt want my fat self out there in a singlet. That doesnt mean they lack a mindset that could lead to being a successful wrestler.

As long as the shirt and shorts are relatively tight fitting, I dont see much increase in the risk of injury. They wrestle everyday in practice in shorts and a tshirt. I see people commenting that your practice partner can stop if your hand gets caught...and the opponent may not in a match....but there is a ref in the match watching every second of the action. On the rare occurrence someones hand gets caught the ref could stop the action....just as he currently does when someones hand gets caught in the opponents singlet (it happens).

[coach_williams]

Anyone saying kids who wont come out because they do not want to wear a singlet do not have the mindset to wrestle to begin with...you are trying to oversimplify it...with a "we're tough wrestlers mentality"

First, if they are young, its the parents who would be opting to not have their kid wrestle due to the uniform, not the kid.

Second, you fail to understand how self-conscience kids can be. For a middle school or high school kid...they may be worried about showing a fat belly in their singlet, or worried about the entire world seeing their junk. I dont think that has anything to do with not having the right mindset. Its just normal self-conscience awareness things most middle school or high schoolers, and even adults would give thought to. I know I wouldnt want my fat self out there in a singlet. That doesnt mean they lack a mindset that could lead to being a successful wrestler.

As long as the shirt and shorts are relatively tight fitting, I dont see much increase in the risk of injury. They wrestle everyday in practice in shorts and a tshirt. I see people commenting that your practice partner can stop if your hand gets caught...and the opponent may not in a match....but there is a ref in the match watching every second of the action. On the rare occurrence someones hand gets caught the ref could stop the action....just as he currently does when someones hand gets caught in the opponents singlet (it happens).

Not trashing any refs here, but refs are constantly missing way too much for me to trust them to notice my kid's finger is caught in a loose-fitting pair of shorts and stop the match in time to prevent injury. It only takes one significant injury to end a season and no dedicated wrestler should risk having his season ruined because some other kid is too self-conscious about his weight or body type to wear a tight-fitting singlet.

I appreciate what you are saying and agree that a lot of kids have body image issues, but instead of changing the sport to accommodate their low self-esteem how about we do something novel like coach them to be conditioned for the sport and help them build their self-esteem? What next? Make the high-jump the low-jump so the chubby kids can get over the bar? Make the 100 yard dash the 25 yard dash so the slow kids can compete with the fast ones? Lower the basketball rim to 6 feet so the short kids can dunk the ball during a game? At some point we need to stop lowering the bar and start raising expectations.

[Realwrestling]

J.W.
That was actually pretty funny !
I think the problem is that these kids and some parents are too sensitive for this sport!

[guard0544]

I dont consider simply changing a uniform to be...changing a sport.

[J.W.]

Newton, not sure what your background is but I just retired from the military after 21 plus years, so fairly certain I have something you don't on the topic and oh yes they do change for recruiting purposes. The PT uniform changed 3 times in 20 years and the Article in the Army times stated that they wanted a more popular athletic under Armour look and feel to reach out to the younger generation. The combat uniform changed 3 times, not for functionlity, for a different look. The old uniforms stood up to Vietnam and world war 2. The ACU only functioned well to blend in to a computer screen saver and lasted less than 6 months in combat. Same thing here. Trying to change to appeal to the excuses rather than understanding the excuses are from those who are afraid to lose, afraid of hardwork, afraid of the world's oldest and toughest competition.

If they want to wear fight shorts, join the local MMA training center. Bet same kid will say I don't want to get punched in the face, that is too hard. No way they train too much.

[Frank]

Frank, in the flo article that he is referring to the middle schools in those states has already tested them and are seeing good results. That is why the high schools are petitioning to get them instated as an option."The board shorts and tight fitting short sleeve shirt alternative is having extremely positive results in the middle-school level, with many schools reporting numbers doubling in size."

http://www.flowrestling.org/article/40808-multiple-states-considering-shorts-shirt-uniform-change

If its been tested in other states and has shown positive results, I believe we go with it here in WVa. We need to try something to keep our sport from shrinking, and fight shorts or compression shorts are a easy alternative. If to many unseen, unsolvable problem arise we can always go back to the singlet. Its not going anywhere. They keep making them. Change is not always bad and is very seldom devastating.

[J.W.]

Frank, our sport is not shrinking over singlets in West Virginia.

Google WV population declining fastest of lower 48 states. That is why our numbers are shrinking.

We took Coal Mines from a coal state and people moved away. There is a shrinking jobare and people moved away. Less population, less kids with guts to wrestle.

Maybe we can get rid of wrestling shoes and let them wear LeBron James shoes and that will help also.

C'mon Man!

[Frank]

Frank, our sport is not shrinking over singlets in West Virginia.

Google WV population declining fastest of lower 48 states. That is why our numbers are shrinking.

We took Coal Mines from a coal state and people moved away. There is a shrinking jobare and people moved away. Less population, less kids with guts to wrestle.

Maybe we can get rid of wrestling shoes and let them wear LeBron James shoes and that will help also.

C'mon Man!

Your sarcasms is cool, I like it. But no matter if its generational work ethic or declining population, the problem is the problem. And we should look at solutions. And by the way all kids think wrestling shoes are cool. And so do most adults.

[guard0544]

I imagine there were similar arguments made in the 6th century when some tried to get it changed so Olympic athletes could wear loincloths instead of being nude. Eventually, the singlets will be gone in exchange for the shorts and shirt. Its just a matter of time.

[gbender1wv]

Remember tights? Same arguments. That was a good change. I think most teams practice in t -shirts and shorts anyway.
Good luck you all

[aaacoach42]

Thanks for all the responses. A little background about myself. Not only have I been involved in wrestling, but I have also been heavily involved in the past in BJJ AND MMA. I have rarely seen a match effected by grabbing of clothes, or an injury. Yes, I agree that kids need a special fire for Wrestling. Especially in the Middle School and High School levels. Kids now have serious self esteem issues and wrestling in singlets can have negative effects. Not for the kids we see today in wrestling because that as I mentioned they have that special fire. However, sports in general in West Virginia are really falling short of the mark compared to all states. Some can use the excuse of population size. I am not trying to blast any organization about their rules on coaching only in seasons. Aside from this obvious shortfall. Population size is not the case. This in my opinion, however it shouldn't matter. Especially in wrestling. This has always been a small team sport and only the true dedicated have been elite. My point again is other states have used out of the box thinking and have prospered. It's time WV step it up. A uniform change can only help. Set the traditions aside and get in that sharp point of the spear. These uniforms are popular, and won't hurt the sport.

[hurrmat1]

I have also competed in several BJJ tournaments in the no gi division, where board shorts and rash guards are being worn. The issue of fingers or toes being caught is a non factor. The shorts have no pockets, for that reason, and they are relatively close fitting, and the material they are made of isn't something that fingers and toes get wrapped in. As for the grabbing of the shorts? That will happen, no doubt. It is just something for the refs to have to watch and keep in check. The shirts/rash guards are also safe and not something that will lend itself to injury. I have never suffered an injury training BJJ/Submission Grappling due to the clothing I was wearing.

[aacoach17]

Wrestling apparel has changed several times since its inception and it is still alive. If it will help participation then I am for change. I agree that many children only use the uniform as an excuse and will not participate no matter what, but if we can get just a few here or there then it is worth the change. I can't believe wrestling will die either way, but the more we can get to participate the better for our communities and schools. We all know that wrestling promotes a self-discipline that is on the decline in the world. If we have to "sugar coat" it a little bit then so be it. People, the children of today are different, period.

[mscoach84]

Wrestling apparel has changed several times since its inception and it is still alive. If it will help participation then I am for change. I agree that many children only use the uniform as an excuse and will not participate no matter what, but if we can get just a few here or there then it is worth the change. I can't believe wrestling will die either way, but the more we can get to participate the better for our communities and schools. We all know that wrestling promotes a self-discipline that is on the decline in the world. If we have to "sugar coat" it a little bit then so be it. People, the children of today are different, period.

This is pretty much my thoughts as well.

[CrossPick]

I'm a current college wrestler... so I'll give a "kids" view on the subject. My view is somewhat conflicting. I love the tight fitting shirts, because they are natural and not as easy to grab as a singlet, but I am not a fan of the shorts. I have broken a finger before getting my fingers lodged in shorts at practice, and I know others who have as well. The statement that most kids practice in shorts and shirt is not totally accurate. Many wrestlers of today's age practice in compression shorts or shorter shorts than standard board shorts. I'd like to see how a compression short/shirt combination would work.

[troutmaster]

I like the idea, what is the cost and how hard would it be to get the schools to buy the uniforms?