I just heard tonight that there is a rules change for overtime this year. I just wanted to know if anyone else had heard the same thing. This is what I heard.

At the end of regulation a one minute overtime period will be wrestled from the feet (I do not know if it is still sudden victory or not).

If that period does not determine a winner, then 2, 30 sec periods will be wrestled, each wrestler will be on bottom and top once. If one wrestler scores more points than the other in the 2 periods they will win. I do not know how who gets the first choice will be determined (first points or coin flip?).

If no one scores or the score is still tied at the end of those 2 periods, then the 30 second tie break will be wrestled, like it has been in the past. Again, I don't know what the criteria to determine who gets first choice is.

If anyone has any info on this could they enlighten the rest of us.

Here are my specific questions.

1. Is the above description somewhat accurate or am I way off base.

2. Will the 1st 1 min overtime period be sudden victory (1st points scored wins the match) or will the 1 min period be wrestled out.

3. How will who gets first choice in the 2 30 sec periods be determined (1st points scored, coin flip, or some other criteria).

4. How will who gets first choice in the tie-break be determined (1st points scored, coin flip, or some other criteria).

5. What was the reasoning behind changing the rule. It seems to me that if you are going to still have the TB as the final deciding factor, there is no need to add 2 30 sec periods prior to that. The wrestlers had 7 min prior to that to settle it and hadn't. I am just not clear on the reason for a change.

I would appreciate some insight on this.

I have not heard of the rule change but, it sounds alot like overtime in college. I would assume 1st period is not sudden death. Then both wrestlers get a chance to score from the down position. If still tied that is when it would go to a coin toss. Again I am just assuming.

I hadn't heard that either but agree, that it sounds like the collegiate ot!

I'm just glad someone is actually alive and talking wrestling!!!

It was discussed here:

New Rules

I belive the first OT period is still sudden victory, first score wins. Check the link for the other answers because after reading it again, I think I am still a little unsure.

Good call

2006-2007 NFHS Wrestling Rules Book
Rule 6: Conduct of Matches
Section 7: Overtime
Article 1
Page 34

Article 1 . . . When the contestants are tied at the end of the three regular periods, they will wrestle overtime. Overtime will consist of a one-minute sudden victory period, and if needed two 30-second tiebreakers. If the score remains tied at the end of the two 30-second tiebreakers, a 30-second ultimate tiebreaker shall take place. The procedure will be:

a. no rest between the regulation match and the sudden victory;

b. wrestlers in the neutral position;

c. the wrestler who scores the first point(s) will be declared the winner; if no winner is declared by the end of the sudden victory, then the following procedure will be used:

1. two 30-seconds tiebreakers will be wrestled to completion and score kept as in the regular match;

2. the referee shall flip a disk to determine which wrestler has the choice of starting position for the first tiebreaker;

3.the wrestler who has choice in the first tiebreaker may select top, bottom, or defer the choice to the opponent;

4. at the conclusion of the first 30-second tiebreaker, the opponent will have the choice of positions as stated in 3;

5. whichever wrestler has scored the most points in the two 30-second tiebreakers will be declared the winner;

6. if the score is tied at the end of the two 30-second tiebreakers; the choice of position for the ultimate tiebreaker will be granted to the wrestler who scored the first point(s) in the regulation match; if no points are scored in the regulation match, a flip of the disk shall determine the wrestler who has the choice (points for double-stalling or simultaneous penalties shall be considered as no points for the purpose of the tiebreaker choice);

7. the wrestler who has choice may select top, bottom or defer the choice to the opponent;

8. the wrestler who scores the first point(s) during the ultimate tiebreaker will be declared the winner. If no scoring occurs during the ultimate tiebreaker, the offensive wrestler will be declared the winner and one match point shall be added to the offensive wrestler's score.

d. a fall terminates any overtime period.