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LOSE "FOLKSTYLE" EMBRACE "FREESTYLE"


WaltHarris

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This was a topic on the USAW Board.  I am copying & pasting the discussion here.  Food for thought...

 

 

LOSE "FOLKSTYLE" EMBRACE "FREESTYLE"

The logistics for embracing 'freestyle' for ALL venues (youth, h.s., & collegiate) are undeniable when "viewing" the BIG picture. It is pitiful to witness the constant lack of stalling calls outside of 'freestyle' competition; and, what is more, it is horrific knowing that CHAMPIONS are rewarded for riding time!!! "How did you win, Champ?"....answer......."I held onto my opponent for one minute more than he held onto me!!!" Also, an athelete's most cherished goal has to be participating in the Olympics. Just watch crowd reactions during a Freestyle competition versus a Folkstyle competition. Soooo....lemme see if any others have the same thoughts........do the POLL - Yes or No

so sez souci

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By riot

After last weekend's NCAA tournament it's easy to see that wrestling is an extremely exciting sport. However, I agree that FS/GR have some rules that can make it more exciting but those styles also have their issues. The new rules generally don't provide for more action. However, push-outs, fleeing, throws, and clinches can be exciting (especially the old clinch!).

However, the excuse that some use for not promoting and marketing the sport.... that wrestling is not exciting... is just that- an excuse.

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By rjs

I am opposed to the idea for a number of reasons:

 

1. We managed to build world beating freestyle wrestlers...even world-level competitive freestyle teams...via the system we are in for literally decades until approximately the late 90's. Folkstyle, as the basis for learning basic wrestling skills, has worked well for us in the past. Before we throw that model for success out with the bathwater, we should really ask ourselves why it hasn't worked for us over the last decade. (Hint: look at who was at the helm of freestyle for most of that period).

 

2. Trying to "fix" American wrestling by making a radical change places our sport at risk. Our collegiate-level programs are already in a precarious position. Making a major style change would likely prove to be the excuse that many schools were looking for to drop their program.

 

I have (in my opinion) a better idea...

 

I believe that a study group made up of our finest American coaches (from middle school level through international level) and athletes (seniors) should address the issue of American wrestling from a more reasoned and logical standpoint. Among their goals should be a planned, developmental approach to American wrestling as a whole that takes folkstyle as the basis and begins making minor rules and/or scoring modifications at each of the natural breaks (middle school, high school, college) that will better mold our wrestlers for the future. For instance, middle school folkstyle would be essentially unchanged, with the possible exception of doing away with the "locked-hands" rule. At the high school level, we could begin introducing strategic elements of the international styles...such as awarding a point for a push-out (to get wrestlers away from the edge-wrestling mindset), and possibly an enhanced "near fall" scoring progression (1 point for any exposure, 2 for two seconds, 3 for 5 seconds). Then, at the collegiate level, add a few more elements...such as points for throws to danger, and possibly a de-emphasizing of "riding time".

 

Such an approach, if time-phased correctly, would make much more sense than a hard-departure from one style to another...and would also allow the experts to design a progression that would feed both freestyle and Greco more effectively at the senior levels.

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By BG

There was a great response to this on the old boards, now lost forever. But the jist of the conversation was this: There are many styles (folkstyles) of wrestling in Russia. They don't wrestle freestyle from the young ages, they do the same as we do in America. The rules may be different from ours and are probably different from region to region and even different from country to country for all the Asian countries but they are definitely folk styles of wrestling.

 

It doesn't seem to affect their ability to be contenders on the world stage. In fact, it probably enhances their abilities as it does for us to learn many different styles of wrestling that incorporate different moves and focus on different strategies. Makes for a well-rounded wrestler.

 

Don't assume that the US is the only country that practices "folkstyle" wrestling.

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By soucie

"rjs" An extemely concise and erudite viewpoint on the sport of amateur wrestling....i hope you are someone that can make a difference....after over 2 decades of functioning as a coach/mentor within the sport i am now merely a spectator - unfortunately! Years ago i was one of the "founding fathers of Adirondack Three Style Wrestling Club" hoping to expose ALL our amateurs to the different styles of wrestling, even fostering the first youth tournaments for Freestyle and Greco. my hope is to produce a dialog to examine just what you have just written about......THANX!! so sez soucie

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The problem lies within the realm that would decide upon this, the athletic directors.  Three things come to mind when thinking about how an athletic director would look at it.

 

1. They don't care much about wrestling at their own school, let alone Olympic wrestling

2. They aren't educated enough about the sport

3. No athletic director would approve freestyle and greco unless the rules about slams and other illegal and potentially dangerous holds would change.  No athletic director in his right might would want to insure kid's safety when doing some of the violent moves that can be done in freestyle and greco.

 

 

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Y2CJ41, I think you are correct about point 1 & 2.

 

However, point 3 I feel differently about.  First off, most of the slams and other illegal and potentially dangerous holds just are not officiated accurately in FS/GR.  (See article 55 below.)  We can certainly get better as a wrestling community about this.  Second, I think the points rjs makes about modifying folkstyle (removing locked hands, etc.) gets us closer FS/GR without killing folkstyle or even going to the point of high amplitute throws.

 

Article 55 - Consequences affecting the bout

The illegal hold of the attacked wrestler shall be stopped by the referee without interrupting the hold if possible. If there is no danger, the referee allows the development of the hold and waits for the result. He then stops the match, gives the points and a caution to the wrestler at fault.

If the hold begins properly and then becomes illegal, the hold should be evaluated up until the beginning of the infraction, then the match should be stopped and wrestling should be made to continue in a standing position with the attacking wrestler receiving an amicable caution. If the wrestler attacks again with an illegal hold, the referee will stop the match, give a caution (0) to the wrestler at fault, one point to his opponent.

In all cases, in the event of any willful butting with the head or any other brutality, the wrestler at fault may be eliminated immediately from the bout by a unanimous decision of the officiating team, or disqualified

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