How do wrestle offs work at big schools?

[Blonjuan44]

If two kids are evenly matched at a particular weight would they wrestle off before every meet? Does the coach pick which wrestles? Would they both have record of say 10&10 instead of wrestling 40...? I could see cases where a kid starts most of the season, but then loses a wrestle off before regionals...If a sophmore is better than a senior do they always get a shot to go to state?

[Celtic50]

When I was a sophmore we had 3 189 pounders(this was before 215 was added) and a heavyweights who was going to place at state. Coach would have us wrestle of for the week and whoever won got to wrestle all week. I was cutting down from 225lbs and was drained the first cople of weeks, but then I got used to the weight and started winning the wrestle-offs. Unfortunately the other 2 were juniors and seniors and coach kept them in the lineup eventhough I was beating them. Finally I got my shot but it was against a ranked opponent. Coach told me I was too young and he had to let his upperclassmen wrestle eventhough I continued to win the wrestle-off all year. The other two split who got to wrestle conf. and regionals. They both won their respective tournaments.

[ctdad]

Originally Posted by Blonjuan44

If two kids are evenly matched at a particular weight would they wrestle off before every meet? Does the coach pick which wrestles? Would they both have record of say 10&10 instead of wrestling 40...? I could see cases where a kid starts most of the season, but then loses a wrestle off before regionals...If a sophmore is better than a senior do they always get a shot to go to state?

Can't speak for all schools, but at ours there's a tournament to start the year. The coach sort of seeds it; returning letterman is first, if not, then I think it goes by class year. Once the varsity spot is determined, challanges can take place every 2-3 weeks. Varsity wrestler has to lose twice to lose the spot (prevents a fluke thing, or him losing out because he was sick). Class does not matter as far as who is the varsity wrestler, although you will find, especially at the middle and upper weights that upperclassmen tend to win out on the mat.

As for your scenario on losing the spot late, it happened to my son last year. He (then a sophomore) lost to a senior late in the season. In their case, it wasn't like there was a lot of difference between them. My son won the spot with an escape with under 10 seconds to go. He won the first challange in triple overtime and lost the spot late in the year by a couple of 1-2 point decisions. Although it was tough on my son, it was good to see a senior earn his shot after being JV for almost his whole career. Senior won a huge match against East Moline to give us the conference title.

[MR TWISTER]

Originally Posted by Celtic50

When I was a sophmore we had 3 189 pounders(this was before 215 was added) and a heavyweights who was going to place at state. Coach would have us wrestle of for the week and whoever won got to wrestle all week. I was cutting down from 225lbs and was drained the first cople of weeks, but then I got used to the weight and started winning the wrestle-offs. Unfortunately the other 2 were juniors and seniors and coach kept them in the lineup eventhough I was beating them. Finally I got my shot but it was against a ranked opponent. Coach told me I was too young and he had to let his upperclassmen wrestle eventhough I continued to win the wrestle-off all year. The other two split who got to wrestle conf. and regionals. They both won their respective tournaments.

Well that soulnds like crap. I don't like wrestle offs because in most cases the coach knows who he wants so the wrestle off is a dog and pony show.

[refsforfun]

I am an IHSA official and have been asked by coaches to come into the practice room and do challenge matches. Many coaches also use their Introduction Night as challenges and have officials do those matches. This often happens because they don't want to be accused of exactly what Mr. Twister just mentioned.

[dgn#1]

Originally Posted by MR TWISTER

Well that soulnds like crap. I don't like wrestle offs because in most cases the coach knows who he wants so the wrestle off is a dog and pony show.

Not every kid has to wrestle off. Plus it is just a chance to make sure everyone can have a shot so you don't have to deal with the kids who suck and think they're better then the kid ahead of them beacuse they beat them once at practice.

[Rebel]

Originally Posted by refsforfun

I am an IHSA official and have been asked by coaches to come into the practice room and do challenge matches. Many coaches also use their Introduction Night as challenges and have officials do those matches. This often happens because they don't want to be accused of exactly what Mr. Twister just mentioned.

That's what happen at my son's school. They actually wrestled it as a dual, in front of all the parents and whoever else who wanted to show, winner starts varsity.


Same for the freshman team.

[Spladelman]

I have always felt that you wrestle off the week leading up to a tourny to see who gets to wrestle in that weeks tourny. As far as the dual meets all the wrestlers should be ready to wrestle at the coaches disgression.

I have always felt that the tourny's are for the individual and the duals are for the school. Some duals the coach may need to move kids around to win so why wrestle off when the dual will dictate who will wrestle and at what weight. I think that wrestling off too much (like every week) can be a real negative for the team. Most schools have 4 tournys and then regionals so I would have 5 wrestle offs during the year.

[Blonjuan44]

Originally Posted by MR TWISTER

Well that soulnds like crap. I don't like wrestle offs because in most cases the coach knows who he wants so the wrestle off is a dog and pony show.

Wrestling is one of the few sports that if you win your in: baseball. basketball, etc. are politics (at least based on opinion anyway) - the kid went to coaches camp, is the coaches neighbor, etc...You should be able to win a spot - settled on the mat - whether its jv or varsity, and can be changed for match ups - it takes 6 minutes, who cares, kids wrestle all practice anyway...

[switchedagain]

In some teams, politics do play a roll. I know a kid last year, was a freshman, never got a wrestle off. He could beat the kid at his weight and the one above. He went undefeated as a freshman against other freshman. I think it was a wasted season for him, how much better did he get with no competition ? I would love to hear the coach explain why, then tell him how wrong he is.