Yes this is his first year wrestling and I didn't see this match due to my son wrestling for 3rd/4th, but he was doing just as his coaches were instructing I'm sure he didn't know any better! Also it wouldn't have made a difference if they called another stall on him. A first year wrestler making it to the finals at this tournament is a feat in itself!
FYI- I DO NOT like stall tactics either!

It was not a real pretty win but it did get him first at a national tourny & a trophy & singlet & wristwatch & a shot of confidence. The old man even got a brute adaias shirt.

After reading all of these posts it occurred to me that my boy did engage in stalling himself a couple of times at the beginning of the year. The coach had forbid him to throw a headlock - and he was ahead in points - but there he was on his back for a little while... after he got done stalling and won the match I asked him what, exactly, it was that he was doing leisurely lying there on his back. He informed me that he was "thinking"... I sure wish he'd of done his thinking on top!!

Allie, I think theres a different term for it when the kid is stalling from his back. I call it survival!

Hmmm.... he called it Thinking!!

Stalling is a part of the sport.....A good coach/wrestler knows how to use this tactic. I love to see a match where both wrestlers are getting after it from the beginning until the end....But that is not always the case......I have seen wrestler who attack, attack and attack and lose. Not because the other wrestler is better than him/her, but because the other wrestler has great defense and a good understanding of position, time, and mat awareness. He/she knows where the edge of the mat is, when the other wrestler takes a bad shot, or when there is short time...And then you have wrestlers who are not particularly great at anything, except for stalling. These are the wrestler who are boring to watch/coach, because they do not try to win, they wrestle not to lose. They will not do well in freestyle or greco, b/c they would be penalized for not engaging. These wrestlers are the ones who lose when they have to go get a take down.......Stalling is a problem w/ folk style in Ks, but the wrestlers who win while stalling usally are good wrestler, but know how to use the tactic. Do not get mad at staller; just know how to attack a staller. If you are in the lead let them stall, they are losing. When a match is officiated correctly, the best wrestler normally wins, now that we are in districts, the bad refs should be done. It is the coaches’ job to teach his/her wrestler to adjust to the ref he/she has. We know there are certain refs who call stalling, and refs who will not call it, ever! A bigger problem is the ref does who does not call stalemate. Keep in mind a period is either 1 min. or 1 1/2 min. I have coached matches and the wrestlers were in the same position for 35 seconds of a one min. match. That is ridiculous!......I am an official too, so I know how critical the decision making process is....So, parents teach your wrestler that they are going to get a bad call in every match, so when it happens they won't be surprise and will continue to work through it.

If anyone wants to know, I am Gaylen Taylor. One of the coaches of TOHK.

that explains it all

Taylorman,

I enjoyed your post. It was very knowledgeable, informative and honest. I enjoy watching aggressive wrestling, but I have also witnessed wrestlers go into a survival mode when the score is tight. Some are just better at it than others, and the ones that aren't, they often lose in a close match.

Gaylen Taylor? What do you know about wrestling!

DPloyd I also enjoy aggressive wrestling,,,,
not dirty wrestling

thanks for servin

If stalling is "a part of the sport", then why do wrestlers get warned and then penalized for it? It seems simple to me that the rules of folk style wrestling are intended to encourage aggressive wrestling. The wrestler should always be trying to improve their position i.e score.

agree FWC

I totally agree with stalling if you have the lead why not stall dont put yourself in a bad position and let the wrestler that is down by points work. My son has lost alot of matches against kids who know how to stall really really well, i have no complaints about it theres a reason why they are stalling the kid that is down by points made a mistake somehow some way. My son is a agrressive type wrestler usually doesnt stall but i have seen him on occasions stall and i think to myself what comes around goes around espeacially with the kids who have beat him i know my son wants to get ahead on points and stall out on the ones who have stalled out on him. The thing i have seen more of this year than anything is this CRY BABY rule kinda makes me upset. I swear some coaches have to be telling there wrestlers if they get put on there back to start crying then maybe the ref will award the other kid 4 points and you get a fresh start! I can understand if the kid is actually hurt but it has happened to my 8 yr old son 5 times this year the kid starts ro cry but some how some way when he jumps up off the matt he is no longer crying and then there not even taking a injury time out which i thought was supposed to happen.I just hope the refs in subs,districts and state dont fall foe this cry baby stuff i say if the kid is crying because he is on his back that should be a VERY quick pin

Stalling is just as much a part of wrestling as a take down or a pinning combination. If your in the 3rd period and ahead by 2 why would you try a move that would jeporidize your lead..I'm not saying just lay on your opponent but you can work a good tight waist or arm bar from behind. I've seen too many matches this year lost or go into over time due to wild wrestling by the kid who was ahead in points. I've also seen numerous kids behind in points curl up in the fetal postion so the top wrestler cann't work a move and their coach starts yelling "top man is stalling" My opinion bottom man should be the one working his tail off he's behind not the top man, he's just trying to survive!!!!

I agree that "mat savy", as I have heard it called, has a place in the sport of wrestling. You can call it dirty or whatever you like, but I have to say that when it is used and not abused it is smart wrestling. So to each of you that don't like stalling, you are going to tell me that with 10-15 secs left in a match and your kid is up by 1pt you would have them take another shot.

Well, I am the Parent of the 12U 190lb boy the first writer is talking about. I filmed the entire match and have proof not one person, not his parents (because I'm holding the camera and didn't say a word during the whole match) or his coaches (which can be seen the entire match)instructed him to stall. The plain and simple truth is the match was a very good match, our wrestler appeared to be the more agressive opponent, the points (9 to 2) and the film both show this. Both boys were good wrestlers. I wouldn't take this away from either of them. We, as parents, teach both of our boys, you win some, you lose some but you will do both with good sportsmanship. I don't know what match this first writer saw, but it sure wasn't the same one I recorded on film. I'll gladly send you a copy if you'd like to review it!

i went to the bronze clinic in salina this weekend. randy talked about not teaching your kids to lie about age to get tickets cheaper. stalling is no different. you still get something that you did not totaly earn at someone elses sxpense.

how does it add up to not being earned? the points have to be earned in the first place. unless wrestler A got his point cause wrestler B was stalling and then wrestler A just rides out wrestler B well enough that the ref can't tell he's not "working a move".

Funny thing about this whole stalling conversation. My son is in his seventh year wrestling and the only thing he knows about stalling is that wrestlers can get called for it by the referee. My wife sent me some video of him wrestling at a few of the early tournaments this year. He was ahead in a match 3-2 going into the third period and the other kid chose both wrestlers starting up. My father-in-law was taping and I could here him telling my son he didn't have to shoot. I have to admit I was a little embarrased to hear what he was saying. My son ends up shooting and after a brief scramble in which he was almost in trouble, he ended up getting the takedown winning the match 5-2. I was proud of him for staying aggressive. I would have been more upset had he been taken down while trying not to than had he lost by staying on the offensive.