When Southeast Polk and Ankeny high schools squared off on the mats late last week, fans in attendance were asked to leave the premises when they were unable to conduct themselves in a proper manner.

An official kicked all of the fans in the gym due to their unruly conduct. Video from Central Iowa Sports Network shows fans in the floor seats getting loud while another group of spectators file into the stands. An announcer is seen giving spectators a warning to quiet down and, when things don’t change, fans are asked to leave the gym.

A recent report from KCCI.com detailed the decision to kick the fans out of the gym and what led up to that point. Below is an excerpt from the KCCI.com story.

Ankeny and Southeast Polk schools sent KCCI a joint statement but did not clarify why fans were kicked out.

“We recognize that the events that transpired at last night’s wrestling meet between Southeast Polk and Ankeny do not align with the values of sportsmanship and respect expected from all participants and spectators in the CIML,” the statement said. “Both schools are working together as we move forward to foster a positive and respectful environment.”

The Iowa High School Athletics Association said the group’s director of officials and wrestling administrator was unavailable to comment and did not clarify why fans were kicked out.

Retired longtime Ankeny wrestling coach Dave Ewing was at Thursday night’s dual and said the final 10 wrestlers competed in a near-empty gym.

“Ten wrestlers didn’t have their parents or good friends or any fans in the stands to watch them wrestle, and it was after about a 20-minute delay. Those are tough circumstances to try to compete under,” Ewing said.

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Ewing also said in his decades coaching wrestling he’s never seen that happen. He said he witnessed the announcer giving spectators a warning before they were asked to leave.

“It’s a heated rivalry, and it got a little bit chippy in some of the matches,” Ewing said. “The referee was under a lot of pressure, and the situation got to a point where the administration had to get involved and try to resolve things and be reminded of sportsmanship and how important that is.”

To read the full story from KCCI.com, click here. 

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For example, if you are working with young and inexperienced wrestlers, you will need to spend more time on the perfection of fundamental techniques. After that, you can begin to move on to more advanced wrestling skills. 

Preseason and In-Season Practice Formats

The following format demonstrates the similarities and differences between preseason and in-season practices. In both cases, daily practices should never last more than two hours. After that point, scholastic wrestlers tend to lose their ability to concentrate. 

• Conditioning Warm-Up Exercises (10 to 15 minutes) These exercises should stress total-body flexibility, strength, and endurance. Such training will help prevent injuries. The same warm-up should be used for both preseason and in-season practices. 
• Wrestling Drill Work (10 to 15 minutes) Passive to active drills involving skills and moves from all facets of wrestling are the priority during this phase of practice. Use this approach in both preseason and in-season practice. 
• Step-by-Step Analysis of Wrestling Moves (10 to 15 minutes) In this phase, thoroughly demonstrate moves, then let the wrestlers practice the maneuvers’ essential parts step-by-step. Use this technique often in preseason practices but only when necessary during in-season practices. 
• Wrestling Workout Sessions (30 to 60 minutes) The wrestling workout sessions should be much more intense during in-season practices when wrestler conditioning is at its peak. Preseason workouts should last about 30 minutes; in-season wrestling workout sessions should last for nearly an hour. During this time, divide the wrestlers into groups. While one group is wrestling, the other group is running and weight training. Thus, no one is standing around while others are wrestling. (If your wrestlers do lift weights, it should be every other day.)
  
  During the wrestling workout sessions, you should frequently stop wrestlers in the middle of the action with two purposes in mind. First, show the wrestlers how they are inadequately executing moves. Second, if necessary, demonstrate another move that would be more suitable for the same situation. Keep in mind that the wrestling workout sessions are the most important phase of in-season practices. 
• Conditioning Finish Exercises (10 to 15 minutes) These end-of-practice exercises should be “snappy,” with emphasis on strength and endurance skills. This phase would be identical for both preseason and in-season practices. 

Never forget that as a coach, you are also a teacher. You should always entertain any responsible questions from your wrestlers regarding practice drills and moves. If a wrestler does not understand the significance of what he is doing, successful accomplishment of a maneuver will rarely be the result. The following are several teaching tips to ensure your practices are meaningful and produce winning results. 

Teaching New Moves 

When teaching a new move to your wrestlers, you should be able to do the maneuver flawlessly yourself. A step-by-step analysis of the move is your best approach. Emphasize those aspects of the maneuver that make it effective in competition. 

Also, you must stress why a move should be drilled in a certain manner, and what could happen if it is not. The more profound understanding your wrestlers have regarding the purpose behind each move, the easier it will be for them to master it. 

The adept wrestling coach never attempts to demonstrate a move he does not fully understand. There is no shame in admitting to your wrestlers that you will need to do some research involving a certain wrestling skill. Your athletes will respect this course of action much more than if you feign knowledge of a move. You could easily harm your wrestlers’ performance by showing a move you don’t know authoritatively. 

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Conclusion 

The key to a championship wrestling program is how well you organize your daily practice drill and workout sessions to fit the needs of your wrestlers. It is also up to you to develop and enact well-rounded practice strategies that will be of the most benefit to your wrestlers.

A former Pennsylvania state champion and award-winning wrestling coach, Dr. Bill Welker has been selected as a “Master of Wrestling” by Wrestling USA Magazine. He also served as the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission Wrestling Rules Interpreter, Clinician, and Supervision of State Tournament Officials for 28 years and was a member of the NFHS National Wrestling Rules Committee from 2012 until 2015.

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This fundamental change to high school wrestling was one of six major changes impacting almost 30 rules recommended by the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 1-3 meeting in Indianapolis. All recommended changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Previously, high school wrestlers were considered to be inbounds if a total of two supporting points of either wrestler were inside or on the boundary line. The two supporting points could be two supporting points of one wrestler or one supporting point of each wrestler inside or on the boundary line.

“Without increasing risk, this change eliminates the subjectivity of the out-of-bounds call,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and student services and liaison to the Wrestling Rules Committee. “The change also helps officials to call ‘out of bounds’ more consistently, and it provides wrestlers, coaches, and spectators a better understanding of out of bounds.”

While the One Point of Contact change will be noted under the definition of Inbounds in Rule 5-15, it also impacts a number of other sections in Rule 5 on Definitions, as well as Rule 6-4-1 on Stopping and Starting the Match.

In addition to the One Point of Contact change, points awarded for a Near-Fall have been revised in high school wrestling. Overall, the changes simplify the points awarded based on how long the wrestler is held in near-fall criteria. The change in Rule 5-11-3 is as follows:

Two points will be awarded when near-fall criteria are held for two seconds, three points for three seconds, four points for four seconds, and five points if the defensive wrestler is injured, indicating an injury or bleeding occurs after the four-point near-fall has been earned.

These changes will affect other rules including individual match scoring in Rule 9.

“The goal in wrestling is to pin the opponent,” Hopkins said. “Changing the near-fall points should motivate wrestlers to work for a fall.”

In another change in scoring rules, opportunities to earn more points will also be available when executing a Takedown. Beginning next season, wrestlers will be awarded three match points instead of two when securing a takedown.

The committee also approved a change regarding the Technical Fall. Rule 5-11-4a now states that “if a takedown or reversal, straight to near-fall criteria creates a 15-point advantage, the match shall continue until the near-fall criteria are no longer met. Conclusion of the near-fall criteria is immediate.” The change clarifies when the technical fall has concluded in relation to the near-fall criteria being met. Hopkins said the offensive wrestler cannot be penalized appropriately after the technical fall has been earned.

In another change, the 10-foot circle at the center of the wrestling mats is now optional. Wrestlers now will be encouraged to “stay in the center of the mat” instead of “within the 10-foot circle.”

“The committee determined that the starting lines of a mat indicate the center of the mat and the 10-foot circle is no longer needed,” Hopkins said. “With the new mat designs that have a large mascot or logos, it gives a refreshing look to the mats. Wrestlers and officials know where the center of the mat is located without the 10-foot circle.”

Finally, the committee approved a new Referee’s Time-Out Signal. The signal, which is used in many other sports, is both hands/fingers pointing inward to the referee’s chest.

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A complete listing of the wrestling rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Wrestling.”

According to the 2022-23 NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey, wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys with 259,431 participants in 10,962 schools. It also continues to gain popularity among girls with 50,016 participants in 6,545 schools nationwide.

*This is an issued press release from the NFHS. 

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The 13ABC.com report was confirmed through a statement by the Swanton Local School District superintendent, Christopher Lake.

According to Lake, witnesses claimed to have seen Swanton wrestling coach Aaron Brown “put[ting] his hands on a wrestler in an unprofessional manner and people stepped in before the situation could escalate.”

Below is an excerpt from the 13ABC.com story.

The student’s mother Gayline Diller said the incident has left her son traumatized.

“You didn’t just physically touch him but he destroyed my son. He emotionally humiliated him and it’s not ok,” Diller said.

Swanton was competing at the Archbold Invitational Saturday morning at Archbold High School, according to the district’s athletic schedule.

Lake’s entire statement is below:

The Swanton Local School District has concluded its investigation of the incident which took place on Saturday between the head middle school wrestling coach and one of our student-athletes. Based on numerous witness statements the coach has been removed from his position and will no longer be affiliated with the team or the district. The coach understands that his behavior at the tournament was unprofessional and was not in keeping with conduct that reflects positively on himself or the Swanton School Local District. The District would like to thank all of the individuals who came forward to provide witness statements which aided in our investigation and helped us to bring this matter to a swift conclusion.

Additionally, this morning the district administration met with the members of the middle school wrestling team to inform them of the decision made regarding the coach and to offer them any assistance they may need as they process the events of this past weekend. The district’s goal now is to provide the members of the middle school wrestling team with the opportunity to move forward from this event and continue on with their successful wrestling season. We have also reached out to the parent of the student involved to inform them of the decision and to offer assistance to them and their student as they move forward.

— Christopher Lake, Swanton Local School District superintendent 

To read the full story from 13ABC.com about the Ohio wrestling coach’s resignation, click here.

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The study, entitled “Association of in-competition injury risk and the degree of rapid weight cutting prior to competition in Division I collegiate wrestlers,” was published online in The British Journal of Sports Medicine in October and conducted by the University of Wisconsin research team.

The study found that while weight-cutting is thought to give those wrestling a competitive disadvantage, dehydration contributes to higher risks of injury.

A recent story from Ryortho.com detailed the findings of the study. Below is an excerpt from the Ryortho.com article.

The researchers designed their study to measure the extent to which weight cutting is associated with subsequent wrestling injury risk. They pulled data on a cohort of collegiate wrestlers over seven competitive seasons and documented changes in weight, body fat, and lean mass. All measurements were taken in the preseason, at midseason, and before the competition.

Forty-six of the 67 division 1 collegiate wrestlers experienced 53 unique injuries while in competition. The researchers found no difference in absolute weight change, percent weight change, percent body fat change, or percent lean mass change between injured and non-injured wrestlers from the preseason to midseason measurements.

From midseason to competition weight change in body weight was -7.0%±3.2% (-5.3 kg±2.6) in injured athletes compared with -5.7%±3.3% (-4.3 kg±2.5) in non-injured athletes.

For every kilogram of body weight lost, wrestlers had a 14% increased hazard of injury (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.25, p = 0.004).

In addition, wrestlers had an 11% increased hazard of injury (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.19, p = 0.005) for every 1% of body weight lost.

Overall, rapid weight cutting was associated with a higher risk of in-competition injuries in division 1 collegiate wrestlers, the researchers found.

To read the full story from Ryortho.com about the study, click here. 

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