Rule Changes for 2002-03
With commentary by Dr. Bill Welker, WVSSAC Wrestling Rules Interpreter
Rule 4-1-1a: Language added to define an undershirt when worn under the sleeveless shirt.
With official approval, the undershirt must be a single, solid color, unadorned and with no more than one, visible manufacturer's logo or trademark.
Rule 4-1-3: The requirement for a shoe to have laces has been removed as long as the shoe meets all other regulations.
Simply translated this means that shoes with zippers are permitted in wrestling.
Rule 4-2-1: A wrestler's shaved head must be no more abrasive than a clean-shaven face or the competitor must wear a legal hair cover.
In other words, if there is stubble and it is abrasive, the wrestler must wear a legal hair cover.
Rule 4-4-1: The 215-pound weight class is no longer an option. There now are 14 weight classes.
No change for us.
Rule 4-5: The weigh-in procedure for duals, multiple-dual events and individual tournaments has been modified to reflect the same procedures with the only difference being the l-hour and
2-hour time frames.
I plan to put together a definitive handout for coaches and officials after attending the fall interpreters' meeting in Indianapolis - which will be passed out at the fall wrestling clinics - on how weighing must be conducted.
"If there are multiple scales, the wrestler will step on the first scale twice (immediately). Then he or she will step on all of the other scales in the weigh-in area only once."
Rule 4-5: A gender-specific procedure has been established for weigh-ins.
In essence, from now on, women must weigh-in the female wrestlers.
Rule 4-5: The provision for state associations to establish weigh-in procedures for subsequent days of tournaments has been removed. All regular and post-season tournaments will now be following the 2-hour weigh-in stipulation for each day of a tournament.
The bottom line, there will be weigh-ins prior to the competition each day of the tournament. No more "night-before" weigh-ins.
Rule 4-5: Language has been added that once a wrestler has weighed-in he cannot re-weigh in order to move up to another weight class.
In plain language, a wrestler, after weighing-in, can not drink water and weigh-in again, to move up to heavier weight classes to wrestle for team-strategy reasons.
Rule 5-2-5f,g,&h: Peanlties for illegal holds, unnecessary roughness, and unsportsmanlike conduct have been added to this Article.
This means another point will be added to each stage of the defensive wrestler when he is being turned toward or is in a near-fall criteria situation.
Rule 7-4-2: The throwing of any wrestler's equipment is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Now no matter what the wrestler throws, it is an unsportsmanlike action. To be honest, the good officials have always been penalizing wrestlers for throwing things.
Rule 7-5-3: The restriction of coaching a competitor during an injury time-out has been removed.
Guys, you can now coach your injured wrestler during injury time.
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