Referees

[Magumba]

Every rules interpretation and clinic I have ever attended for officials stress that officials should block out fans' comments and try not to be a visible part of the contest. Then why is it that many of the older, state wrestling officials have rabbit ears and need to respond to fans' complaints for making a questionable call? I give the younger officials at Princeton a big compliment for blocking out the fans. They made some rough calls, like all referees, but didn't get caught up in having to explain their call to the audience for fan approval. In addition, some of the state boys find that they must chum with the coaches DURING a match. The younger guys didn't. They just did their job in a very professional manner. Job well done, young referees!

[Zebra 101]

I think that a tournament of the P.I.T.'s talent and toughness, to have NO team points taken and only 1 misconduct warning given for all the coaches this past weekend shows that alittle chat between coaches and the officials is a good thing. Do we get carried away sometime, sure, but the kids come first. I've been to lesser touranments where coaches are nailed left and right because the men in the stripes dont or wont talk. I would like to know what your experiance as an official is. How many regionals, sectionals, and state finals have you done? just wondering? I was a great weekend of wrestling.

[Willy]

What is the call when a coach does not report to his wrestler's mat in a timely fashion? Is it more a courtesy to get him there as fast as possible or is there an actual consequence, like a timeout or penalty point, given? I know of a couple of cases when one wrestler reported and had to wait as long as 5 minutes to wrestle because the other guy's coach was missing. Is there an actual rule in the book for a situation like this? I know a wrestler without taped/enclosed shoe laces can get called for something and an improper uniform can result in something. Thanks for any input.

Willy

[tencan]

There is no set time limit....btu the offending coach could be penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct if the ref felt he needlessly delayed the start of the match. The same rule applies to the wrestler.

[Artheritis]

How long should a ref. wait for a COACH to show up?? I thought the rule only applies to the wrestler. If a coach doesn't show up, can't the ref. just say "let's wrestle" & start the match without the coach?

[refsforfun]

In an IHSA match there must be a representative in the chair. This is mainly a liability issue. I know many kids tournaments or national tournaments they are not there, but in the IHSA a ref should not start the match until someone is in the chair.

[pintawin]

Ok try this one at a tournament earlier this yr a state ref. and a good one in my opinion told all the coaches in a pre tourny meeting with all other refs present that if he hears a coach trying to help him out with a stalling call he would not call it! I was shocked because a coach makes comments that a kid is stalling a state official would decide not to properly officiate a match punish a kid for a coach making comments? This is wrong if it bothers him so much he should warn the coach officiate the match correct all the time. When do coaches get a say in these matters without getting hammered by the ol boy system

[refsforfun]

I assume what he was trying to tell the group is that the coaches should coach their wrestlers and let the officials officiate the matches. I do know that as an official if I am getting ready to call someone for stalling and the other coach yells "HE"S STALLING" and then I put my hand up to call stalling it looks to everyone in the gym like the coach just made the call. I would recommend you let the official call stalling and not try and help him. If you have a question about how a certain ref calls stalling ask him about it during a break between rounds, etc.

A similar situation is the coach "counting" the near fall. As soon as the official feels criteria is met he (she) will begin counting and a coach yelling one, two, three, etc will not help the situation.

I don't think an official would "punish" the wrestler when all he needs to do is penalize the coach.

[Willy]

Magumba's original post said that veteran referees were bantering with the crowd, not the coaches or wrestlers. This has not been addressed by any of the referees that responded. I agree that refs should block out crowd comments and not include them in the match. The minute a referee responds to a fan, stupid comment or not, the focus of the match or meet is diminshed slightly and puts the show on the referee and the crowd, not on the mat where it belongs.

Willy

[pintawin]

if you thought a kid was stalling you make the call regardless if anybody says anything and if it bothers you so much the coach should be warned. If you refuse to make the call you are hurting the kid