…on Individual Tournaments vs. Team-Formatted Tournaments
By Dr. Bill Welker
We now have a new rule that concerns dual-meet/team-formatted tournaments and team pool-competitions that evolve into individual tournaments, which is Rule 11. Allow me to share with you the important facts regarding them and our traditional individual tournaments.
The Traditional Individual Tournament
The traditional individual tournament permits only one wrestler to weigh-in at each weight classification. They can weigh-in either by weight classes or by teams.
They must weigh in at that weight class each day of the tournament, or be disqualified from the event.
The Dual-Meet/Team-Formatted Tournament
The dual-meet/team-formatted tournament allows more than one wrestler to weigh-in for each weight class. There are some significant points that must be reviewed. First, the wrestlers are required to weigh-in by teams, and the coach needs to verify the weight class in which each of his wrestlers will compete. Next, every wrestler has to weigh-in every day of the competition. Furthermore, they must stay at the same weight class, and not move up to the next weight class each day of the tournament. Prior to this new regulation, some wrestlers were weighing in on the second day only or moving up in weight class after the first day. That is no longer permitted.
The Dual-Meet/Team Pool-Formatted to Individual Tournament
Since this is a dual-meet pool competition that evolves into an individual tournament, each team can only weigh-in the same (one) wrestler per weight class each day of the event. Like dual-meet tournaments, they must weigh-in by teams.
Finally note, scoring the team scores and matches are the same as regular dual meets.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at mattalkwv@hotmail.com.
The Fall
The fall (or pin) terminates the match and no individual match points are necessary. In a dual meet, the winner's team receives six points and during tournament action the victor's team receives two additional points.
A fall occurs when both shoulders are forced to the mat for a period of two seconds in high school and one second in college bouts.
Normally, the offensive wrestler (the man in control) scores the fall but if the offensive wrestler's shoulders are somehow forced to the mat for the required time, his opponent would win with a defensive fall. It's rare, but it does happen.
A fall may be indicated when parts of both shoulders are in-bounds, or one shoulder is completely in-bounds.
Mini-Mat Quiz
Q: Wrestler A, the offensive wrestler, catches Wrestler B in a cradle pinning combination. However, as Wrestler B attempts to fight off his back, Wrestler A rolls completely out-of-bounds. Only the tops of Wrestler B's shoulders remain in-bounds on the mat. What's the call?
A: If Wrestler B was held in that position for the required time, Wrestler A would secure a fall. The match would not be stopped because Wrestler B's shoulders (now considered his supporting points) are in-bounds.
Mat Message
"Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the over-coming of it."
- Helen Keller
(Dr. Bill Welker can be reached via e-mail at: mattalkwv@hotmail.com)