Cutting weight most of the time is a great way to get all of your good wrestlers in the line up. Its part of the sport and will always be. When I look back i realize how hard i worked and how much i wanted to win. It makes me love the sport even more becuase of the hard work and self-disipline it takes to be the best. Coaches shouldnt endorce lossing weight, but it should be the wrestlers understanding how he can help the team.

i think cutting weight is an intergal part of wrestling. grant it some wrestlers take it too far and cause injury or even death, but i blame that purely on the coach. it is the coaches job to make sure his wrestlers are cutting weight properly and are not cutting so much they endager themselves. we all can tell some when someone cuts to much weight, thats when the coach needs to step in and say hey you are not wrestling at that weight, even if it effects his team. when wrestlers are down to 5 or 6% body fat if not higher coaches need to say hey thats enough no more cutting or you won't wrestle. I think that as long as coaches do their job i think this shouldn't be an issue. i may be wrong just my view.

This is a great topic and it is important that both sides of the issue are discussed. Personally I cut as much as 22 lbs in 2 weeks many many years ago in High School because I thought I would be quicker and stronger. The truth was that the weight loss (and the way I did it)hurt me at the end of the year. My son has lost as much as 15 pounds but was worried about not making weight and disappointing the coach more than concentrating on his matches. This was even worse on those two day tournaments. The problem as I see it after reflecting back on my experience and watching my son, is that many wrestlers loose and maintain the weight in the wrong manner. Many cut by not eating or drinking then binging on the weekends. This is the killer because the kids don't realize that they have to start all over again every week. Wrestling is a sport of discipline and the wrestlers need to maintain over the weekend. By the time Districts come around their bodies would have adjusted and they would have the energy and stamina to compete without being worried about the weight. The amount of weight a wrestler should loose is a descision that should be made with imput from the Parents and Coach (I know many of the mothers are against any weight loss). Anyway that my two cents for what it's worth.

I agree that weight cutting is a part of wrestling. I'm sure any tough kid who thought it would give them and edge would not object to cutting a few pounds. There is a difference, however, in a small kid cutting a few pounds as opposed to a big kid doing the same. Sometimes your lighter weights have a number of kids who are still growing... and they certainly don't need to jeopardize their health. On the other hand, a heavyweight might be healthier if he DID drop a few. The most profound issue is at both ends of the spectrum. It's tough to watch a true 95-pounder wrestle at 103 against a kid who has cut 10-15 pounds to get to 103. Assuming their skills match up, the small kid hasn't got much of a chance. By the same token, in heavyweight the same thing occurs when two equally skilled wrestlers square off with a 30+ pound gap. Don't know if matside weigh-ins are the answer either...it just might give the macho maniacs more fuel to add to their "if you're tough you can do it" fire. I think the most important factor in the entire issue is the integrity and intent of those resposible for the wrestlers...the parents and coaches. You've got to hope they'll always guide their wrestlers to do what's right and safe.

Tkdown 42
I was just visiting your site and saw the roster you posted for the up coming year. I noticed several of your kids are listed at weights quite of a bit lighter than the football weight on the program.
I know football weights can be off a little but 35 pounds? Whats up???

Fanatic;

To be honest, I haven't looked at the football roster that closely for exactly the reason you mentioned: As a 5-10, 155-pound sophomore, I was listed at 6-3, 190.

As for what is listed on our roster, that was based off of what the kids wrote on the questionaires I made available at our first meeting. As it so often happens, the truth will come out Nov. 18 when they step on the scale the first time.

Weight cutting is not an integral part wrestling. Many good wrestlers went their entire high school careers without cutting weight. I cut 3 pounds last year and took third in the nation. How much you cut does not determine how bad you want it. How you work out in practice and wrestle on the mat does.

Jared Vogel

Some football teams weigh in/measure up with their shoes and clothes on...don't take them too seriously.