Fleeing the mat

[marco_coach]

Has anyone ever seen this rule used in a IKWF competition? I have witnessed matches where a kid was called for stalling and got penalized 1 point the point tied the match. At this point, that kid pushed the action and the other wrestler would hop to the edge to keep from getting taken down after a shot on him repeatedly. Would this not be a perfect time to call fleeing the mat?

I know fleeing the mat was supposed to be enforced more starting a couple years back. But I never see this called: even if the kids are dragging themselves out of bounds or hopping out of bounds with a coach telling them too. I do not understand the difference between calling stalling and fleeing the mat. If you are calling one you should call both. Just my opinion... Any other opinions?

[coachgonzalez]

i see it called sometimes, not as often as it should though

[FOXVALLEYDAD]

Has anyone ever seen this rule used in a IKWF competition? I have witnessed matches where a kid was called for stalling and got penalized 1 point the point tied the match. At this point, that kid pushed the action and the other wrestler would hop to the edge to keep from getting taken down after a shot on him repeatedly. Would this not be a perfect time to call fleeing the mat?

I know fleeing the mat was supposed to be enforced more starting a couple years back. But I never see this called: even if the kids are dragging themselves out of bounds or hopping out of bounds with a coach telling them too. I do not understand the difference between calling stalling and fleeing the mat. If you are calling one you should call both. Just my opinion... Any other opinions?

It is supposed to be called. I first saw it called at the IKWF Yorkville Tournamnent 3 years ago. The official was IHSA patched (as most are) and apparently knew the rule. I did not see it much after that in the IKWF or much this year in high school (at any level).

[Nelson*0.5]

They really are very different calls. Stalling is avoiding wrestling to score points. Fleeing the mat is leaving the circle to prevent your opponent from scoring. If you REPEATEDLY go out of bounds to avoid wrestling, that's stalling. If you go out of bound EVEN ONCE to prevent your opponent from scoring, that is fleeing the mat. Stalling is much more subjective because of how different refs interpret the word "repeatedly". It's SHOULD be much easier to identify fleeing the mat. You look to see if a guy is about to score. Then you look to see what options the defending wrestler has. If he has only one option and that is to go out of bounds, a flee should not be called. If there is anyway for the defending wrestler to stay in bounds while he continues to defend and he still chooses to go out of bounds, that should be called a flee. It should be called more than what it is, but I think it's a pretty obvious ommission when it is missed. That means it should be an easy call to challenge or question if you are a coach. The question to the ref should be "Did you feel that the kid could have stayed in bounds to defend the move?" If the ref answer is yes, you pull out your handy dandy rule book and show him the rule for Fleeing the Mat and he has to reverse his call. If the ref says no, you say thank you very much and return to your seat.

[BIGFISH]

In general refs won't call fleeing the mat. When you see a kid go out bounds 4 or 5 times in the first period, it's very frustrating. One way would be to take it out of the ref’s hand and install the push out rule used in freestyle. That would keep the kids from running out of bounds.

[I_THINK]

I think the most common time I have seen it called is after the bottom wrestler stands up. The top wrestler simply "runs" them out of bounds in order to keep them from escaping. This was actually called on my 8 yo a couple of years ago. Since then, that is the situation that sticks out to me ...
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[PapaBearSLIM]

I think the most common time I have seen it called is after the bottom wrestler stands up. The top wrestler simply "runs" them out of bounds in order to keep them from escaping. This was actually called on my 8 yo a couple of years ago. Since then, that is the situation that sticks out to me ...

At the Midwest Classic, in the 3rd period and down 3-2, my son was riding a kid that never attempted an escape or reversal. Repeatedly the kid on bottom would make an obvious attempt to run or crawl out of bounds (not grabbing hands, not trying to switch near the edge, not trying to roll away, sometimes literally diving out) and in the process eat clock, get reset, and coast to victory. Finally, after the 7th or 8th dive out of bounds, the ref awarded my son 1 point because he said the bottom guy was fleeing the mat.

They really are very different calls. Stalling is avoiding wrestling to score points. Fleeing the mat is leaving the circle to prevent your opponent from scoring. If you REPEATEDLY go out of bounds to avoid wrestling, that's stalling. If you go out of bound EVEN ONCE to prevent your opponent from scoring, that is fleeing the mat. Stalling is much more subjective because of how different refs interpret the word "repeatedly". It's SHOULD be much easier to identify fleeing the mat. You look to see if a guy is about to score. Then you look to see what options the defending wrestler has. If he has only one option and that is to go out of bounds, a flee should not be called. If there is anyway for the defending wrestler to stay in bounds while he continues to defend and he still chooses to go out of bounds, that should be called a flee.

He never warned the kid for stalling and used the term "fleeing the mat" when he awarded the point. This rule and it interpretation throws me for a loop. The bottom guy was literally fleeing the mat, but my son was not in a position to score (already in control and not close to a turn). But if the ref did believe that the bottom guy was fleeing the mat, why didn't he call it the numerous other times it happened as the 3 of em walked back to the center of the circle (that ref lost 10lbs from all the trips to the edge of the circle and back to the center)

[marco_coach]

At the Midwest Classic, in the 3rd period and down 3-2, my son was riding a kid that never attempted an escape or reversal. Repeatedly the kid on bottom would make an obvious attempt to run or crawl out of bounds (not grabbing hands, not trying to switch near the edge, not trying to roll away, sometimes literally diving out) and in the process eat clock, get reset, and coast to victory. Finally, after the 7th or 8th dive out of bounds, the ref awarded my son 1 point because he said the bottom guy was fleeing the mat.



He never warned the kid for stalling and used the term "fleeing the mat" when he awarded the point. This rule and it interpretation throws me for a loop. The bottom guy was literally fleeing the mat, but my son was not in a position to score (already in control and not close to a turn). But if the ref did believe that the bottom guy was fleeing the mat, why didn't he call it the numerous other times it happened as the 3 of em walked back to the center of the circle (that ref lost 10lbs from all the trips to the edge of the circle and back to the center)


The ref was right in not calling stalling. The kid was fleeing the mat. He was trying to do something alright. Get out of bounds so he could not be scored on... The 2 calls are different. But, here is what I am saying. If a ref is willing to call stalling on one kid, then he must be willing to call fleeing the mat on the other kid. When the kid is trying not to be scored on, and actually fleeing the mat to keep from being scored on... If stalling is good for one then fleeing the mat not to be scored on is good for the other one. Lets make the wrestlers, wrestle guys. Not run off the mat because they are about to get taken down...

Yes in my opinion if the kid crawled off the mat that many times at the end he should have been called the 2nd time he did it...Warn 1st and then nail him. But just my opinion...

[marco_coach]

The ref was right in not calling stalling. The kid was fleeing the mat. He was trying to do something alright. Get out of bounds so he could not be scored on... The 2 calls are different. But, here is what I am saying. If a ref is willing to call stalling on one kid, then he must be willing to call fleeing the mat on the other kid. When the kid is trying not to be scored on, and actually fleeing the mat to keep from being scored on... If stalling is good for one then fleeing the mat not to be scored on is good for the other one. Lets make the wrestlers, wrestle guys. Not run off the mat because they are about to get taken down...

Yes in my opinion if the kid crawled off the mat that many times at the end he should have been called the 2nd time he did it...Warn 1st and then nail him. But just my opinion...

If it will take them that long to call it and your kid is up in the last period by 2 or more. Maybe people should actually tell their kids to flee the mat. OOOOPPPPSSSS some people do... I have seen it so many times.

Look where your at...
New start...
Crawl forward...
etc...

Just a few I have heard this year... And yes I have told my wrestlers this a couple times. But never to the extent just describe. That is crazy. 8 times to get a fleeing call...

[DoubleLeg145]

Ive seen it several times this season.