2018 Wrestling Advisory Committee Board Action Taken
March 5, 2018
1. Committee goes on record to support the Classification Ad-Hoc continuing to look at classification breaks in individual sports with specific support to adding more schools to Class 1 and Class 2 Wrestling to provide improved distribution of number of individual entries to each district. Example: Class 1 – 68 schools, Class 2 – 68 schools, Class 3 – 56 schools, Class 4 – 56 schools.
2. Recommend a change to By-Law 3.29.6 to permit the sport of Wrestling the following Contest Limits
dependent upon the start of Girls Wrestling.
Boys Wrestling: 20 competition dates, a maximum of 10 competition dates can be used for
tournaments.
Girls Wrestling: 20 competition dates, no tournament dates restrictions.
*** 3. Recommend changing By-Law 3.26.1 to reduce the maximum number of matches during the season,
prior to the district tournament, to 45 matches, excluding forfeits. Change to become effective during the
2019-20 season.
Amended: Recommend as a 2019 Area Meeting Topic and 2019 Annual Questionnaire topic a
change to by-law 3.26.1 to reduce the maximum number of matches during the season, prior to
the district tournament, to 45 matches, excluding forfeits. Change to become effective for the
2019-20 season upon passage of vote on the 2019 Annual Ballot.
*** 4. Go on record for supporting the penalizing of choreographed celebrations after matches as
unsportsmanlike conduct after the match resulting in team point deductions. Such celebrations also includes back flips, cart wheels, etc.
Amended: Go on record for supporting the penalizing of choreographed celebrations after matches as unsportsmanlike conduct after the match, resulting in team point deduction(s). Other celebrations such as back flips, cart wheels, etc. may be deemed as unsportsmanlike conduct by the official(s).
*** 5. Recommend a dress code for the state wrestling championships that eliminates the wearing of hats, headbands, shorts, sweat pants, athletic/wind pants.
Amended: Go on record to note in the MSHSAA Wrestling Manual, Online Rules Review and State Tournament Notices that coaches are expected to dress professionally at all times with increased awareness at the state wrestling championships. School attire should be the minimum expectation for all coaches at the championships.
6. Recommend to mandate all wrestlers make weight at their postseason weight class a minimum of half the number of weigh-ins for that wrestler occurring after the certification date (Saturday Week 28 MSHSAA Standardized Calendar). This requirement must be met to maintain the “lowest” weight class for a wrestler to be eligible for postseason.
7. Recommend to set weight certification deadline on Saturday of Week 28 and the start of the 2lb Growth
Allowance for Sunday of Week 29 of the MSHSAA Standardized Calendar.
8. Committee goes on record to support a point of emphasis regarding wrestler conduct if engaging in a handshake with the opposing coach after the conclusion of a match. Handshakes between wrestlers and opposing coaches is not required; therefore, coaches engaging their wrestlers in post-match handshakes must ensure proper sportsmanship from their wrestlers. Officials shall also remain observant in these situations and penalize unsportsmanlike behavior accordingly if witnessed.
* Denied
** Tabled for further study
*** Approved as amended
**** No Action
All others approved
Wrestling Advisory Committee Minutes of March 5, 2018
Members present –John Brown, Jonathan Sumner, Jesse Whitson, Marty Hauck, Dustin Martin, Eric DeVenney, Brad Hubbard. Gayle Adams-Absent (Absent- Sick), Greg Stahl Lou Mazzocco and Samantha Lavy representing the MSHSAA Office.
I. {C}{C}Old Business
A. {C}{C}Stahl welcomed everyone and thanked the committee for the important job they do and the role they play in helping make the MSHSAA wrestling program stronger and better for the organization. He went on to explain the importance of having the advisory committee and the part they play in improving wrestling for the MSHSAA. Stahl went on to introduce members of the Advisory Committee. He next introduced other special guests.
B. {C}{C}Stahl went through the 2017 minutes and the recommendations that went to the board and then he explained the Board actions.
C. {C}{C}Stahl asked for approval of the minutes from the March 6, 2017 meeting and Board actions. Motion to approve by Martin and Seconded by Whitson. Motion passed 7-0.
D. {C}{C}Stahl then gave a report of the State Wrestling Championships. Overall, Stahl said he was pleased with how the championships went and reported that he continues to try and brainstorm ways to make the state championships even better from year to year. Stahl stated that there was no skin condition DQ’s during the 2018 championships. It was the smoothest wrestling championships during Stahl’s current tenure with MSHSAA for many reasons: there was no skin DQ; no very few coaches at the head table with officiating complaints; there weren’t many calls that coaches couldn’t live with; and there was only one disqualification due to an illegal slam followed by flagrant misconduct. The C group officials were professional and did an outstanding job of assuming their roles as “clock officials” from the semifinals through all medal matches, including the state championship matches. There was a great moment during the championship with a Rolla HS athlete who was injured and was unable to continue and his opponent from Rockwood Summit who was awarded the state championships by injury default requested the Rolla HS wrestler to return to the center of the mat in an effort to raise his arm for a spot light moment was an incredible moment and it was reminder to why we do what we do.
II. {C}{C}New Business Agenda:
A. {C}{C}MSHSAA Wrestling Manual:
1. {C}{C}Adding the seeding points system back to the manual (Martin)
I. {C}{C}Stahl wasn’t sure about having it in the manual. Then everyone was in agreement to have the seeding points system on the website as requested during the advisory committee meeting in 2017. Stahl to blame for why the seeding points system was not posted to the website for this past season and assured the committee it would be posted for the 2018-19 season.
B. {C}{C}TrackWrestling: No Agenda Items submitted
1. {C}{C}No discussion
C. {C}{C}NFHS Business:
1. {C}{C}Stahl presented the importance of completing NFHS Rules Questionnaire. He explained the rules changing process and how big of an impact you have when taking the Questionnaire and how it guides to rule changes. No Action Taken.
2. {C}{C}Stahl next explained how an NFHS Wrestling Rule can be changed. He told the committee to make sure that they stay on top of whether someone from their board district is submitting an advisory committee agenda item that the committee can impact or if it is an item that would require an NFHS Wrestling Rules change. No Action Taken.
D. {C}{C}MSHSAA By-Laws and Policies Agenda:
1. {C}{C}Wrestling Classification Breaks-Ad Hoc Classification Committee (Stahl)
I. {C}{C}Stahl stated there have been a number of petitions over the course of the past five years to add more classes to certain sports. It is hard to understand why schools want to petition for more classes or how classification breaks are determined in all sports when there are by-laws in place that MSHSAA member schools voted on to determine these issues. Stahl updated the committee on the different criteria and considerations that the Classifications Ad-Hoc Committee is reviewing for future years with regard to both team sport and individual sport classification breaks.
II. {C}{C}In the classification meetings they have discussed to give team sports points depending on how far they go in post season, referred to as the success factor.
III. {C}{C}In individual sports the classification committee will has discussed and considered the use of previous years number of individual entries in the postseason to assist with where classification should be made.
IV. {C}{C}Lou Mazzocco went through a classification spreadsheet for wrestling with Classes 1-4 showing the number of individual participants in each class for the postseason(district) in 2017-18. This spreadsheet did not have it organized by weight class but did show percentages of the number of wrestlers in a team’s lineup for each of the four classifications. After further discussion, the wrestling committee agreed that there needs to be a continued effort for looking at a better or more equitable way to determine the classification breaks for Wrestling with consideration to the number of individual wrestlers in each district in each classification. Sumner proposed that we bring more schools down to class 1and class 2. Whitson said that Class 1 & 2 are similar to each other with regard to individual entries and Class 3 & 4 are similar as well with the overall lower number of participants falling in classes 1 and 2..
Whitson motioned to Goes on record to support the Classification Ad-Hoc continuing to look at classification breaks in individual sports with specific support to adding more schools to Class 1 and Class 2 Wrestling to provide improved distribution of number of individual entries to each district. Example: Class 1 – 68 schools, Class 2 – 68 schools, Class 3 – 56 schools, Class 4 – 56 schools.
2. By-Law 3.26.1 – 50 match limit is a season. Is this best for our wrestlers
(Stahl)
I. {C}{C}Stahl asked if the current 50 individual match limitation was suitable for 14-18 year old kids. He has seen well-conditioned Division I athletes that are doing less than 30 or less matches. Two day tournaments are a lot for these kids and it gets them close to the 50 match limit. Martin stated that if something was done on this issue, it needs to be in the future because most schools are still committed to certain tournaments for next season(2018-19).
II. {C}{C}After further discussion Hubbard motioned to recommend a change to By-Law 3.29.6 to permit the sport of Wrestling the following Contest Limits dependent upon the start of Girls Wrestling.
Boys Wrestling: 20 competition dates, a maximum of 10 competition dates can be used for tournaments. No more than 6 total tournaments may be
Girls Wrestling: 20 competition dates, no tournament dates restriction. Second by Whitson, Motion passed 7-0.
III. {C}{C}After further discussion Whitson motioned to recommend changing By-Law 3.26.1 to reduce the maximum number of matches during the season, prior to the district tournament, to 45 matches, excluding forfeits. Change to become effective during the 2019-20 season, second by DeVenney. Motion passed 7-0.
3. Girls Wrestling Update (Stahl)
I. {C}{C}Stahl introduced Tennessee’s first girls state wrestling champion. Stahl began discussing four issues that would need to be discussed: Weight Classes, Contest Limits, Qualifying Events, and Competition Regular Season.
i. {C}{C}Weight Classes:
1. {C}{C}Tennessee 103, 112, 119,125,132,140,150,160,170,190,215 (11).
2. {C}{C}Texas 95,102,110,119,128,138,148,165,185,215 (10).
3. {C}{C}Missouri proposed: (floating 2 years) (Weight Assessment Based)
ii. {C}{C}Contest Limits
1. {C}{C}No tourney restrictions to promote competition
2. {C}{C}Individual match limits prior to district, same as boys
3. {C}{C}20 competition dates
iii. {C}{C}Qualifying Events
1. {C}{C}2 districts, one class (East/west or north/south) (Dependent on Geography of schools adding girls wrestling)
2. {C}{C}8 man bracket or 16 man if # of entries make it necessary
3. {C}{C}Top 4 advance to state
4. {C}{C}Districts held on Week 31 of MSHSAA Calendar (IE: Feb 3, 2018 this year) (Least Busy regular season Saturday for boys)
5. {C}{C}Girls teams could still have a regular season competition between District and State.
6. {C}{C}Girls must compete in Girls post season.
iv. {C}{C}Competition Regular Season
1. {C}{C}2-3 year transition period that allows girls to compete in boys line-up during regular season
2. {C}{C}NFHS wrestling rules strictly followed, with exception of weight classes
*Hair cover required, unless length of hair meets NFHS rules.
Stahl asked who supported these proposals as related to Girls Wrestling all committee members were in agreement, 7-0, to proceed with these stipulations for Girls Wrestling. No action taken.
4. By-Law 3.13.6 and 3.14.2: Coaching and instruction outside the season, during the school year. (Stahl)
I. {C}{C}Stahl talked about how coaches are doing what they want to do and it is getting out of control. It is against MSHSAA bylaws for school coaches to be giving coaching/instruction outside the season, during the school year, in non-school competitions and practice during the freestyle/Greco season in the spring. Reminder to the committee that coaching and instructional contact outside the school season can only occur during the defined summertime under the 20 summer contact days allowance.
II. {C}{C}
E. {C}{C}District Tournament: No Agenda Items Submitted
F.{C}{C}State Tournament:
1. {C}{C}Choreographed Celebrations – Ruled as Unsportsmanlike Conduct in 2019 (Stahl)
I. {C}{C}Stahl said that choreographed celebrations at the state championships is of concern and could quick get out of control as well as back flips, cartwheels, etc. becoming questionable. After further discussion the committee agreed that some the displays during the 2018 state championships were unacceptable. Devenney motioned to go on record for supporting the penalizing of choreographed celebrations after matches as unsportsmanlike conduct after the match resulting in team point deductions. Such celebrations also includes back flips, cart wheels, etc. second by Hubbard. Motion passed 7-0.
2. {C}{C}Entry of Non-qualifying wrestlers to state venue (Sumner)
i. {C}{C}Sumner stated that he is responsible for his non-qualifying kids and he doesn’t like leaving them outside of the building by themselves. Stahl said that there is no way that MSHSAA can trust that people are not going to abuse that. Coaches already abuse the manager passes. Stahl shared that he believes there would be too many non-qualifying wrestlers in the arena unsupervised by coaches during the coaches meeting, etc. to chance allowing non-qualifying wrestlers to enter the arena with the school team/managers. No action was taken.
3. {C}{C}Coaches Dress Code (Stahl)
i. {C}{C}Stahl discussed that comfortable dress pants and a school collared shirt should be the expectation for coaches to wear at the state tournament rather than some who are wearing shorts, sweat pant/athletic pants, headwear and a t-shirts. Stahl opened the floor for discussion. Whitson mentioned that some colleges believe they are not allowed to wear jeans. Hauck and Hubbard have had instances where they had to tell people that they are not dressed appropriately. Stahl shared that it should be important for “all” wrestling coaches to recognize the importance of displaying respect to this sport so others will respect this sport and how our coaches appear at the state championships is important. After further discussion, Whitson motioned a dress code for the state wrestling championships that eliminates the wearing of hats, headbands, shorts, sweat pants, and athletic/wind pants; second by Hauck. Motion passed 7-0.
4. {C}{C}State Qualifiers Packet pick-up by Assistant Coaches (Sheretz/Sumner)
i. {C}{C}Stahl said that currently we physically hand the head coach the school’s state qualifier packet that include credentials for wrestlers to enter the arena. We only issue qualifying packets to head coaches because they are individual in charge of their team and accept all responsibilities for their team. Since we are charging for manager passes, it is best if it is the head coach signing off for manager passes that is billed to the school. Committee members shared that they also feel that head coaches should be the individual responsible for picking up the state qualifier packet and signing of on any additional expense charged to the school. No action was taken.
G. {C}{C}Weight Management Program
1. {C}{C}Weight Management Program Update (Stahl)
i. {C}{C}Stahl discussed that the two weight class variance assist with the ability to shuffle your lineup and fill in potential open weight class. It is not intended to crash cut a kid to the lower weight class. As a reminder, Stahl shared that the weight management program had endured scrutiny during the 2016-17 due to the appeal of a weigh certification for a wrestler who did not stay within the two weight class variance. The committee was well aware that there was potential or interest in moving in a direction of new weight management program that would not allow wrestlers to simply stay within a two weight class variance for each calendar date during the season. The committee also discussed the ways to keep the current weight management program but potentially put more accountability on coaches and wrestlers to stay closer to thier lowest eligible or minimum weight class
ii. {C}{C}We began to combine #1 and #3 agenda items. #3 agenda item is Minimum number of weigh-ins at postseason weight class, half? (Sheretz/Sumner/Stahl).
iii. {C}{C}After further discussion, Hubbard motioned to recommend to mandate all wrestlers make weight at their postseason weight class a minimum of half the number of weigh-ins for that wrestler occurring after the January 14th certification date. This requirement must be met to maintain the “lowest” weight class for a wrestler to be eligible for postseason, second by Brown. Motion passed 7-0.
2. {C}{C}Certifying Minimum Weight Class in state (Lowe/Whitson)
i. {C}{C}Whitson shared concerns presented by Bobbe Lowe that there are too many potential unethical methods used by coaches to certify a wrestler(s) at out of state contests. Martin shared that his schedule includes two out of state competitions during the first two weeks January which is typically a common time to certify wrestlers at their lowest weight class, so if the out of state contests were restricted from being able to secure a scratch weigh-in for certification at out of state contests then school such as his would lose a number of opportunities to make scratch weight prior to the certification deadline. No Action
3. {C}{C}Minimum number of weigh-ins at postseason weight class - See discussion under G-1-i. (Sheretz/Sumner/Stahl)
4. {C}{C}2lb Growth Allowance date using MSHSAA Calendar (Hubbard)
i. {C}{C}After further discussion, Devenney motioned to recommend to set weight certification deadline on Saturday of Week 28 and the start of the 2lb Growth Allowance for Sunday of Week 29 of the MSHSAA Standardized Calendar. Seconded by Martin. Motion passed 6-1
5. {C}{C}2lb Growth Allowance date on December 25th (Sheretz/Sumner)
i. {C}{C}Discussion No Action taken
H. {C}{C}Miscellaneous
1. {C}{C}Classification Breaks and District Assignment Release 2018-19 (Stahl)
i. {C}{C}Stahl explained the new timing of the release of classification breaks and district assignments with the single-year cycle and new enrollment collection process. Martin asked about site selection timing. Stahl explained this will be released at the same time. Discussion, no action.
2. {C}{C}Posting advisory committee minutes to the website (Brown/Martin)
i. {C}{C}Discussion regarding advisory committee minutes, proposals being posted to the website in a more timely manner by MSHSAA staff. Discussion, No Action taken.
3. {C}{C}Post match handshake between wrestlers and opposing coaches (Sheretz/Sumner)
i. {C}{C}Sumner explains the issue with the post-match handshake and unsporting behavior. Stahl explains how monitoring this behavior is difficult to police. After further discussion, went on record to support a point of emphasis regarding wrestler conduct if engaging in a handshake with the opposing coach after the conclusion of a match. Handshakes between wrestlers and opposing coaches is not required; therefore, coaches engaging their wrestlers in post-match handshakes must ensure proper sportsmanship from their wrestlers. Officials shall also remain observant in these situations and penalize unsportsmanlike behavior accordingly if witnessed. Motion by Sumner, Second Whitson. Vote 7-0
I. {C}{C}Outgoing Committee Members
Marty Houck (South Central) and Jesse Whitson (Kansas City)