WEST VIRGINIA MAT THOUGHTS

New Mat Rules Include Some "Weighty" Issues

The 2001-2002 wrestling season will be comprised of many National Federation (NF) rule revisions. At the apex of the list is the new procedure for weigh-ins at dual meets and tournaments.

Dual Meets

Should a wrestler(s) fail to make weight on the first attempt, he must stay by the scale and immediately try two more times. If he does not make weight, the wrestler must move up or not wrestle in that meet. Wrestlers cannot leave the weigh-in area or workout to lose weight.

Tournaments

Tournament weigh-ins will be conducted in the same manner as dual meets, with one exception. After every 275-pounder has weighed-in, the wrestler(s) who is overweight may attempt to make weight on all the other scales utilized for the tournament weigh-ins – but only once on each scale. Wrestlers cannot leave the weigh-in area or workout to lose weight.

Important Points:

Wrestlers are allowed to check their weight anytime prior to the official weigh-ins.

West Virginia Adoption: We will use the new weigh-in procedures in dual meets, tris, and quads only. With dual meets only one scale can be used. With tris and quads, two scales may be used. If a wrestler does not make weight on his three simultaneous attempts on the one scale, after the 275 pounders have weighed in, he or she shall have only one attempt on the other scale to make weight.

However, all West Virginia tournament weigh-ins this season (individual-team tournaments and dual meet tournaments; for example, The Park Duals) will be conducted as in the past.

Below are the remaining major rule changes for wrestling.

• There will be a random drawing in dual meets to determine who will wrestle first. For example, if the 135-pound weight class is drawn, the order of matches would be as follows: 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215, 275, 103, 112, 119, 125, and finally 130.

  In Tri's, Quad's, or Dual Meet Tournaments, all teams would start at 135 pounds that entire day. If the competition is more than one day, a new random drawing would take place each day of the event.

• The Overtime Period has been reduced from two minutes to one minute.

• Should the match reach the 30-second tiebreaker, the wrestler who scored the first point(s) in the regular match will have the "choice of position" (top or bottom).

• A coach is prohibited from communicating electronically with his wrestler during the match.

• If a wrestler appears on the mat improperly equipped, he will be penalized one match point for unsportsmanlike conduct. The coach will also be hit with a team point for unsportsmanlike conduct.