(Google Doc Version of Wrestling Guide)
REGULAR SEASON:
The first day of wrestling practice is Monday, December 2, 2024
The first day of competition is Saturday, December 13, 2024.
An individual wrestler must have a minimum of 10 practice SESSIONS BUT NO MORE THAN 2 IN ONE DAY before his/ her first competition. If there are two practices in one day, a 3-hour break is required. There can also be no back-to-back days of practice with 2 sessions.
EACH STUDENT-ATHLETE MUST BE PROVIDED ONE DAY OF REST PER WEEK. An individual may participate in 20 interscholastic events (not including scrimmages).
A tournament shall be considered as one event. Multi-meets (double duals, tri-meets) must be counted as one event provided a wrestler does not compete in more than two matches at the same (single) location, Monday-Thursday. Extenuating circumstances may exist.
No school may participate in more than eight regular season tournaments.
Waivers to the eight-tournament limitation must be presented to the VPA Wrestling Committee prior to the start of the wrestling season.
The numbers noted are exclusive of the VPA state tournament and New England Tournament.
SANCTIONING: Contact your Athletic Director in regards to competitions with out-of-state schools to be sure they are sanctioned events. (Duals or Tournaments)
Cooperative Agreements: In Vermont, there are no wrestling cooperatives. Students who wish to practice and travel for wrestling can do so by partnering with another school. However, it is important to note that students must wear the singlet of the school they are enrolled in, whether they are participating in in-state meets or out-of-state sanctioned events.
The National Federation rules will be used. Please read the NFHS Wrestling Rule book to see rule changes for 2024-2025. These rules are to be used at all dual and multiple school regular season events. In addition to the Federation Rules, the following will apply:
In a dual meet elimination of designated coaches will result in a forfeit (1-0) loss to the offending team.
The list of designated coaches will be sent to the VWOA commissioner, Tim Ayer (ayerball@yahoo.com), and signed by the school’s Athletic Director by 12/13/2023.
Only those wrestling coaches and (or) administrators under school contracts are to be on the list.
EJECTION OF PLAYER(S) AND COACH(ES):
A player or coach who is ejected from an event for the following infractions shall be suspended from playing or coaching the next two scheduled (at the time of the ejection) events:
1)Unsportsmanlike Conduct (per NFHS Guidelines)
2) Malicious contact, including fighting
3) Taunting
4) Use of tobacco by wrestlers, coaches, and other team personnel (rule book)
The player(s) or coach(es) may not participate at any other school level in the sport they were ejected from during the suspension. (A player or coach who is ejected twice from events is removed for the remainder of the season.) A team that receives three disqualifications will be required to meet with the Activities Standards Committee before entering the tournament.
All other non-behavioral ejections shall carry the penalty assessed by the rules which govern that sport.
No individual, individual, or team should be permitted to participate in any event without a VPA/school-recognized coach or administrator.
The coach’s Dress Code is based on the New England code. It is recommended that coaches wear a collared/polo shirt with slacks. No hats or jeans are permitted while a coach is actively coaching.
Schools must use the VPA weigh-in form which can be found on the VPA website. Any events that are scheduled to be completed in one day will count as one weigh-in.
Waivers to the weigh-in rule can be requested and will be considered by the Executive Director, the meet director, and the Seeding Committee before or at the seeding meeting.
Weigh-in sheets must be maintained and made available by coaches upon request
There is no limit on the number of wrestlers who may officially weigh in. However, ineligible wrestlers must be declared prior to the weigh-in. Failure to do so will result in the meet being forfeited.
Beginning December 26, 2023, providing a wrestler has made two scratch weigh-ins, a 2lb growth allowance shall be added to each weight class.
After December 26, 2023, wrestlers may still make two scratch weigh-ins. Those scratch weigh-ins must occur at the shoulder-to-shoulder weigh-in, and be witnessed by the opposing coach, official, or tournament director. After the wrestler successfully completes his/her scratch weigh-ins, a 2- 2-pound growth allowance will be added. (50% total still applies to enter the state tournament.)
To be entered in a weight class at the VPA State Tournament;
A wrestler must have made scratch weight twice (2) at that weight AND weighed in at that weight a minimum of 50% of his/her total number of weigh-ins.
Each individual state high school association shall develop and utilize a specified weight-control program that will discourage severe weight reduction and/or wide variations in weight, because this may be harmful to the competitor. Such a program should involve the wrestler, his/her parents, his/her physician, and his/her coach in establishing the minimum certified weight. An ideal program would be one where a medical professional would assist in establishing a minimum weight using both body fat and hydration. The minimum body fat should not be lower than 7 percent for males and not lower than 12 percent for females. The VPA Wrestling Committee that the use of diuretics is strictly prohibited.
See NFHS Rule 1, Section 5; for a complete description of the program requirements Specific Gravity (Test must be passed before proceeding to Fat Analysis)
1) Each wrestler will be tested individually by the coach.
2) The wrestler must fill a clear plastic cup with urine.
3) The coach will test “Specific Gravity” by using a fast strip dipstick. A Reagent Strip for Urinalysis (2304A) is one type is strip that can be used; however, any dipstick for testing urine-specific gravity may be used. (The state should discuss each team using the same dipstick for each program to stay consistent.)
4) If the wrestler passes the test, he/she may continue to the Fat Analysis, if not they have within 48 hours of the failed test to try again. The wrestler may test anytime from the first day of practice and continue up to their first competition.
Fat Analysis (Data to be collected immediately after specific gravity has been passed.) Method of test:
1) Skin fold measurement will be utilized to determine each wrestler’s alpha weight and body fat percentage by measuring the Scapula, Abdominal, and Triceps. A Tanita or similar type scale that measures body fat percentage may also be used.
2) Adjustments of the lowest minimum weight by 5% may be used.
Body Weight (Data to be collected immediately after fat analysis is completed)
1) Record the weight of the wrestler to the nearest ¼ pound.
Formula to Determine Optimal Weight
1) Determine the specific gravity factor which will be 5% if a “pass” is recorded.
2) Determine the body fat factor which is the percentage of body fat over 7% for males, and 12% for females, this factor may never be less than 0%.
3) Add the percent for specific gravity and the percent for body fat to
determine the maximum percent of body weight that may be lost.
4) Multiply the percent of body weight times the body weight to determine the amount of weight that may be lost. Round off to the nearest tenth.
5) Subtract from the body weight the amount of weight that may be lost to determine optimal weight.
If a wrestler passes specific gravity:
Example: Wrestler weighs 154 lbs. passed specific gravity component, and has a body fat equal to 10.6 %
Step 1- Passed specific gravity = 5%
Step 2 – 10.6% – 7% =3.6%
Step 3 – 5% + 3.6% =8.6%
Step 4 – 8.6% x 154 = 13.244 lbs. Rounding off to the nearest tenth 13.0
Step 5 – 154 – 13 = 141 lbs.
A wrestler’s optimal weight is 141 lbs. The lowest weight class in which the wrestler is permitted to WEIGH IN is the 145-pound weight class.
**Note Wrestlers may only certify for scratch weight class, not the growth allowance weight class. EX- 145 or below, not when 145 goes to 147.
The weight control program may begin 2 weeks prior to the season, November 13, 2023.
Weight certification MUST be completed prior to competition but not prior to November 27, 2023.
As stated in NFHS Rule 1; Section 5; Article 3 – “The state weight-control program shall require each wrestler to establish a certified minimum weight and prohibit recertification at a lower weight during the season”
As of 7/1/2015, Vermont State Law requires schools hosting a wrestling event to have appropriate medical personnel (as defined by Title 26 of the Vermont State Statues) at every home event. This person will also be responsible for conducting skin checks before every home event.
The VPA Wrestling Committee strongly recommends that skin checks be done on all wrestlers immediately after practice and before an athlete shower. The wrestling committee strongly recommends that all wrestlers shower after practice and that protocols be put in place to deal with situations where a skin condition exists.
Please see the NFHS Medial Release Form for Wrestlers to Participate with Skin Lesions on the VPA website.
Friday, February 28, 2025, and Saturday, March 1, 2025, hosted by Spaulding at Barre Auditorium.l
For official entry in the VPA State Tournament, schools MUST use forms found on the VPA website and they MUST be typed. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the tournament.
Tournament application documents shall be submitted together and include; the Official Entry Form – Which lists all individuals to be entered and alternates the Individual Seeding Form – Which lists all matches for each entrant and alternate
Errors and/or Omissions on tournament application documents may be subject to penalties, including but not limited to the following:
Examples of Errors and Omissions but not limited to submitting incorrect results, submitting incorrect weights of student-athletes, and omitting matches.
Penalties shall be determined and administered by the seeding committee
A $150 entry fee per school (5 or more) should accompany the application. Individual entries are $30 each (up to and including 4). Make check payable to Vermont Wrestling Coaches’ Association; and mail to PO Box 236, East Montpelier, VT 05651
The last date of the Varsity Competition is Saturday, February 10, 2024.
Entry forms are due Friday, February 16, 2024, by NOON
The Seeding Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 21, 2024
The 2023-2024 New England Tournament will be held March 1 & 2, 2024 at the Providence Career & Technical Academy, Providence, RI
SUGGESTED RESPONSIBILITIES FOR HOSTING VPA STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT
MEET DIRECTOR – Oversee seeding committee (arrange and chair)
(1) pre-meet
(2) on-site seeding meeting (chair)
– Oversee the head table (scoring update)
– Coordinate officials’ duties/payment of via SA
– Chair protest committee
– Oversee scoring tables
– Presentation of awards (rep. VPA)
SITE –Oversee tickets/$
– Programs – Clearing of the gym when needed
– Security – Payment of Workers
– Locker rooms – Oversee breakdown of the site – Coordinate concession arrangements
– Secure medical coverage & payment;
Suggest $75/day total of $150 payment
OTHER DUTIES FOR HOME SITE –
– Wall Charts (and personnel to enter results)
– Mats (set up, transportation)
– Tables (Discs, anklets)
– Weigh-in sheets, scales, etc.
– Coffee/donuts, etc.
– Awards stands
– Paperwork
Other Considerations
– Gym should be large enough to hold at least 2 mats, 42 x 42 recommended, a minimum of 40 x 40
– Need the use of an auditorium and cafeteria
– Need separate locker rooms for male and female competitors – Gym should have Wi-Fi