Principles for Regional and State Refs

1)Check your ego at the door.
2)Call stalemates, especially in overtime
3)Token stall calls at the end of a match are worthless.
4)Call stalling early and often. If a kid is nursing a lead or trying to win without wrestling, call stalling right away.
5)Don't let wrestlers play the edge.
6)Look closely for nearfalls, the first count or two might happen before you get into position to start counting but count on your way there.
7)Don't allow criticism from coaches to keep you from doing a good job for the kids.
8)Do not allow your feelings about a coach or wrestler effect your judgement.
9)The double stall call is usually gutless.
10)Smile when your judgement is questioned. Pat the coach on the back and then apologize for having to give him his warning.
11)If you don't know if it was in bounds, give the benefit of the doubt to the offensive wrestler.
12)A ride that does not lead to a pinning combination becomes either a stalemate or a stall tactic. Don't let kids be inactive for the majority of a period.
13)It's your job to make the kids wrestle.
14)There are a bunch of stitches that come at KS State. More so than any other tournament. Head-to-head banging is not just hand fighting it is head butting. Look for head butters and other cheap shot artists early and penalize them.
15)Don't be too quick to call a) a defensive pin, b) pts. during scrambles and flurries,
c)stop the match for potentially dangerous-- slap the kids hands and verbalize what you want. Let the action continue if possible.