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Hearing impaired wrestlers?


rookie78

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I coached a hearing impaired wrestler while at Scottsburg.  Great kid and decided his senior year to come out for team.  I always let the official know before the match that he was deaf and the official is to touch the wrestlers when stopping them.  You will be allowed to move around the mat to coach your wrestler as he will probably need to see you to get any instruction.  So I always made sure i could see his face when coaching him.

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I have refereed for the Indiana Deaf School.  Check with the referee and find out how he starts that matches (whistle and hand signals simultaneously) and ask him if you can move up and down the side of the mat to give instructions to your wrestler. It is more complicated than you think. Good Luck

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I can't see where an interpreter would even be involved in a match unless the kid got hurt.  Every ref should be able to handle a deaf kid very easily and as long as he understands top, bottom, neutral or defer (which would be very easy to convey to the kid during a match by the coach without input from the interpreter) he should do great

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I can't see where an interpreter would even be involved in a match unless the kid got hurt.  Every ref should be able to handle a deaf kid very easily and as long as he understands top, bottom, neutral or defer (which would be very easy to convey to the kid during a match by the coach without input from the interpreter) he should do great

If theres no need for an interpreter then the opposeing teams coach shouldnt be able to talk to his kid at all during the match either?
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If theres no need for an interpreter then the opposeing teams coach shouldnt be able to talk to his kid at all during the match either?

Wasnt trying to start a controversy.  My experience wrestling was there was very little my coach said to me that was helpful during a match.  The only time my coach gave me in match advice that really helped was in my ticket match to go to state.  I was up 1-0 with about 5 secs to go in the match , ref brought us back to center to start us on our feet and my coach pointed his index finger down and made a circular motion. in other words, circle when the ref starts you.  his best advice want verbal, it was a hand signal, lol.

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In matches involving hearing impaired athletes, the referee should make certain to start the match with a hand signal and whistle simultainiously. The referee must also tap the wrestler when he stops the match. I would not have a problem with the interpreter as long as he/she understands they will be treated as and be expected to conduct themselves like any other team member/coach. They are not to interefer or delay the match in any way.

 

I lived in Ohio prior to moving to Indiana in 1996. I had the opportunity to referee some of Matt "The Hammer" Hammil's matches when he competed. I believe the movie about his life opened recently. Matt Hammil is a hearing impaired athlete who became a national champion wrestler and MMA fighter. I vividly recall Matt's intense desire to win and his very competative nature.

 

Tom Clark

IHSAA Rules Interpreter

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