Below are the recommendations made to the KSHSAA Executive Board regarding hydration and fat testing and the recommendations regarding the State Tournament series. They have been tabled for consideration of adoption until the June meeting of the Executive Board.

It is common that new regulations are not approved at the meeting at which they are first proposed

Greg Mann
Norton, KS

*********

The following proposals were taken to the KSHSAA Executive Board for presentation at their April, 2007 meeting and for consideration and possible action during their June, 2007 meeting:

1. That the KSHSAA continue to require wrestlers to have a hydration assessment along the guidelines implemented for the 2007-08 season with the following clarifications:
i.Clarification as to the length of time between presenting a urine sample for hydration assessment and having weight recorded;
ii.Formulating into a single document information that is necessary for record keeping (alpha hydration assessment, alpha weight, certification assessment, certification weight, etc.)

2. The KSHSAA weight management plan should continue to include the following:
i.Continue to permit schools to conduct the alpha weigh-in and hydration assessments during the buffer week;
ii. Continue to require hydration assessments at the alpha and the certification weigh-ins.
iii. Continue to require that wrestlers have a minimum of ½ (one-half) of their competition weigh-ins at their certification weight if they wrestle at their certification weight in the state tournament series;
iv. Leave the time length for competition weigh-ins at one
hour;
v. Leave the certification deadline on Saturday of SCW 28 (January 12, 2008);

3. That the following policy changes be made:
i. Setting the minimum weight class for a wrestler at 8% of their alpha weight but not more than 2 (two) weight classes below their alpha weight unless a “waiver” has been approved by a doctor;
ii. Revising the current KSHSAA “waiver” (weight loss permit) to reflect the policy change listed above and to incorporate additional items to be considered before a Physician can sign the waiver;
iii. Establish a policy re: the “waiver” that such waiver can not be considered until a wrestler has reached the 8% weight loss or two weight class below alpha weight point;
iv. Prior to the Certification deadline, permit schools to elect to have either/or competition weigh-ins prior to the start of school or immediately following school;
v. Permit students to participate in a competition weigh-in in either a weigh-in before school or after school or both;
vi. Following the certification deadline, schools do not have the option of an after school weigh-in – all weigh-ins after certification deadline are before school weigh-ins or on site weigh-ins at the competition site;
vii. Permit wrestlers to use their “alpha” weigh-in as their certification weigh-in;
viii. On or before the certification deadline (Saturday of SCW 28) permit students to “re-certify” during the course of the season at a lower weight class (subject to the 8% or two weight class provisions).

The committee also discussed some items pertaining to the structure of the state tournament series. Specifically the committee recommended that:

1. The 4A and 3-2-1A regional competition format be changed to have the championship semifinals moved to Friday evening;

2. At the state tournament, the Saturday morning weigh-in option be done away with (other than for “medical” reasons as approved by the KSHSAA);

3. That the structure of the weigh-in time periods for wrestlers at the regional and state tournaments be changed to permit wrestlers to have a one hour window immediately following the last match in their weight class OR the one-hour following the last match in the 285# class.

They are trying to change the 10% rule down to 8%? Is that what I read in here? Why are they doing this? I also don't like the 2 weight class rule.

I actually like the 2 weight rule... IMHO its crazy to see KIDS drop from 145-150 down to 125-119!!!

For all but three of the fourteen weight classes, 8% would allow a wrestler to drop no more than two weight classes. There was strong feeling among the members of the committee (composed of active coaches, two physicians, a certified athletic trainer, and AD's and school administrators with backgrounds in wrestling) that losing down two weight classes in the amount of time possible (remember, 50% of matches must be wrestled at certified weight and certified weight must be hydrated) is enough for most HS athletes. Therefore, the 8% or two weight classes was arrived at. There was nothing magic or research based about the current 10% rule. We believe the logic used to arrive at 8% is much more sound than nothing!

A Waiver, while proposed to be more stringent than in the past, would still be a possibility.

Greg Mann
Norton, KS

A point of clarification please?

Is the rule 50 percent of a wrestlers weigh-ins must be at the certified weight class, not 50 percent of matches wrestled?

Just curious....

What was the reason for proposal of moving championship semis at Regionals to Friday night? Time or something else? Sounds like an interesting idea, but was wondering where it came from.

Richard, I think you are correct and what should have been written is that 50% of competition weigh-ins must be at the weight at which a wrestler is entered at the regional tournament.

Reason for moving the semifinals at regional from Saturday to Friday is to mirror the procedure used at the State Tournament. In MY OPINION--not the word of the KSHSAA--this will make it very difficult for a school to host 4A or 321A regionals if they are not able due to space limitations to put down three mats for Friday's wrestling.

Greg Mann
Norton, KS

Are there any regionals not using three mats?

Don't think there has been for the past few years; however, it is still a possibility. What I am saying is that this rule change removes that from being possible and will eliminate schools from any consideration whatsoever that cannot put down three mats.

A couple of years ago at Pleasant Ridge we only had two mats for Friday.

I know a lot of smaller schools that can't place three mats in one gym.

IMO there is no reason for 4A to have a regional in a facility that can't hold 3 mats. I am tired of the regionals being awarded to the schools with lesser facilities simply for the excuse of moving them around.

I need some clarification. On the 2 weight class rule, does that mean that a kid that weighs 132 cannot go an lower than 125? Because that would mean 130 is 1 weight class and 125 is another. Or does it mean he can skip 2 weight classes and wrestle the one that is down three? If it is the former, than I think the rule is bogus. A kid that weighs 132 should have no trouble making 119.

If an athlete qualifies at alpha weight for weight class 130--then the rule being contemplated would allow them to wrestle 119.

If the athlete qualifies for 135 then the lowest weight he could wrestler (without a waiver) would be 125.

Whether or not a wrestler that "weighs 132 should have no trouble making 119" is largely dependent upon the wrestler.

There are always "tweeners" regardless of the rule in place.

I agree. Anything wrestling can do to eliminate excessive weight cutting would be a big plus for wrestling. From my conversations with people outside of wrestling this is still a bad image that wrestling carries with the general public and it is often expressed to me as a reason why parents do not want their kids wrestling. More than one of these parents has told me they saw their brother or friend go thru hell in high school trying to lose excessive amounts of weight. There is a topic on the Mat.com website right now about Weight Cutting Horror Stories that is not what you would use as a wrestling recruiting tool and it is pretty bad if all those stories being told are true. I hope young wrestlers and their coaches will avoid this unfortunate syndrome in the future and instead "Wrestle Big and Wrestle Strong". Let their bodies grow like they should be for kids their age. Excessive weight cutting is just wrong and bad for wrestling.