High
School Wrestling Rules Changes Announced for 2008-09
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bob Colgate
INDIANAPOLIS,
IN (May 1, 2008) — The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
Wrestling Rules Committee emphasized risk minimization and standardized
procedures to assist both coaches and referees through 16 wrestling rules
changes for the 2008-09 school year. Rules changes were made by the committee
at its April 5-7 meeting in
The
time sequence for the offensive wrestler in assuming the offensive starting
position was standardized with the addition of a note to Rule 5-20-5. First,
the wrestler must set the knee(s) and feet. Second, the wrestler must place the
palm of one hand on the navel. Third, the wrestler must place the palm of the
other hand on or over the near elbow. Fourth, the referee shall pause
momentarily before starting wrestling. This rule change is meant to provide
consistency for coaches, wrestlers and referees. While each action is currently
standard practice, there has not been a written sequence of those events in the
NFHS Wrestling Rules Book.
“These
changes provide further rules support based on interpretations,” said Bob
Colgate, assistant director of the NFHS and liaison to the NFHS Wrestling Rules
Committee. “The clarifications make the rules easier to administer.”
With
an emphasis on sportsmanship, the committee approved two rules changes meant to
encourage sportsmanlike conduct by wrestlers and coaches. An addition to Rule
6-7-1c6 states that an unsportsmanlike act that occurs at anytime during the
match shall take precedence over the first points scored in the regulation
match in determining choice of position in the ultimate tiebreaker. So the
wrestler whose opponent has received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at any time
during the match will now have choice of position in the ultimate tiebreaker.
In
addition, a change to Rule 5-31-1 removes the penalty for coaches whose
wrestlers report to the scorer’s table not in proper uniform, not properly
groomed, not properly equipped or not ready to wrestle.
The
addition of Rule 7-1-5w makes a back flip from a standing position an illegal
maneuver. The rule was added as an effort to minimize risk to all wrestlers.
“Any
time you’re dealing with risk minimization in wrestling, it’s paramount,” Colgate
said. “Someone could have been seriously injured if we did not take that
initiative.”
The
committee also addressed the issue of skin conditions. A revision to Rule 4-2-3
allows an on-site physician to examine a wrestler with a particular skin
condition without a physician’s release form immediately after the weigh-in. A
new Rule 4-2-5 allows a physician’s release form for a non-communicable skin
condition, such as a birthmark or eczema, to be valid for the duration of the
season, with some stipulations.
The
committee also approved the following rules changes:
· A
change to Rule 2-2-2 clarifies the boundary for the restricted zone for
coaches.
· A
revision to Rule 4-1-5 requires the wrestler’s uniform to be worn as
intended/designed by the manufacturer. This change gives rules support to a
previous NFHS interpretation.
· Rule
4-2-1 will state that a wrestler’s hair in the front, in its natural state,
shall not extend below the eyebrows.
· A
change in Rule 4-5-5 allows for a one-pound weight allowance when a competition
is postponed for one calendar day or more due to inclement weather or
unforeseen circumstances. The head coach, principal or athletic director of the
opponent must be notified in advance to be granted the one-pound weight
allowance.
· A
change to Rule 5-15-3 gives referees the option to stop a match if there is no
action at the edge of the mat and to restart wrestling in the center of the
mat.
· A
new addition to Rules 5-25-6c and 7-6-6c provides rules support for the
interpretation of stalling as “repeatedly creates a stalemate situation to
prevent an opponent from scoring.”
· In
Rule 6-6-1, when the wrong wrestler is given choice of position at the start of
the first 30-second tiebreaker in overtime, the opponent will be given the
choice at the start of the second 30-second tiebreaker. Previously, this would
have been considered bad time.
· In
Rule 7-4-1, the committee further defined unnecessary roughness by including “.
. . a forceful slap to the head or face, and/or gouging or poking the eyes.”
· The
committee also approved a new signal for referees to indicate when to start
recovery time during a match.
The
committee adopted four points of emphasis for the upcoming season, including
grooming and medical checks, reporting to the scorer’s table ready to wrestle,
going out of the wrestling area, and referees’ signals and mechanics.
Wrestling
is the sixth-most popular program for high school boys in terms of participants,
with 257,246 boys wrestling in 9,445 schools throughout the country. It is also
gaining popularity among high school girls, with 5,048 girls participating in
1,227 schools, according to the NFHS 2006-07 High School Athletics
Participation Survey.
###
This press release was written by
Cassie Krisher, a spring semester intern in the NFHS
Publications/Communications department and a senior at
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MEDIA
CONTACTS: Bruce Howard or John Gillis, 317-972-6900
National
Federation of
bhoward@nfhs.org or jgillis@nfhs.org