thebestthatneverwas

Near fall to quick, not quick enough. Wrestling Scholar, your an official now. It will be interesting when you are working with these guys and you are on here posting this one screwed this guy and this should have been called. With all of your experience some day you can show us what we are doing wrong.

I do the skin checks at the Al Smith and we have 400 plus wrestlers to inspect (and by the way it is good to see that Terryopinionated is back). But even though they have Doctors there, I have to tell them not to touch each individual wrestler as they are inspecting them, because now you have just touched one and then another without using gloves. When it did come to anything that was questionable they would say it is OK "IF THEY COVER IT" to which we tell them that IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, as the sweat or bodily fluids can seep through the gauze or what ever material they use to cover it. We have had wrestlers bring a form that was run off some site on the internet, and not an IHSAA form that is on the IHSAA web site. Bottom line is that this is the end of the season not the beginning of the season, so they should know by now. We had the entire state of Wisconsin SHUT DOWN the sport of wrestling for 3-4 weeks a couple of years ago because of a ring worm epidemic. And we don't want this to happen to our state do we? Especially because someone didn't error on the side of caution. It isn't about the one wrestler, it is about the other wrestlers and officials that are going to be rolling around on the same mat as this questionable wrestler, and the chance he has something that could be either brought home or given to anyone who comes in contact with what ever it is that he has or doesn't have. Doctors don't understand the physical contact involved when two wrestlers are going at it for 6 minutes. The next time you see a match conclude and you see all of the sweat dipping on the mat, come on down and roll around in it then go up and give you wife a big hug and ask yourself if that sweat contained anything other than sweat? We have officials that don't shower afterwards, and we have most wrestlers that don't shower after a dual or multi dual event or even yesterdays sectional. If you want to put a dent in this problem, we have rule changes every year but one that we don't see is making it mandatory that all contestants MUST SHOWER after the end of a dual multi dual or tournament event. You can clean mats every meet or after every round, but if a wrestler just made contact with his opponent who has ring worm or other skin conditions, that clean mat isn't so clean any more. Parents ask your sons if they truly shower after a meet? And I mean truly. We had a discussion when a few of the officials got together last night after our sectionals and this is the one that came up the most, and we even talked about before the weigh in yesterday at our sectional at Elkhart Memorial and how we were going to handle it if it did come up? We decided that if there was a question we would come together and make a decision as a group, but if there was any question we would error on the side of caution. But again, when we are doing this we don't touch the wrestlers; we inspect them as best we can and hope we don't miss anything. (And also hope they aren't hiding anything from us). Yes and you thought all we have to do is award take downs escape and reversals.

In the ultimate tie breaker controlled wrestling ON THE MAT is not always stalling, BUT once the wrestlers come to their feet it is no longer controlled wrestling. The official would call it a stale mate immediately and restart in the referees position. Again the defensive wrestler comes to his feet it is no longer controlled wrestling, and the offensive wrestler drops to the ankle and makes no attempt to work up, it is the officials discretion to either stale mate it or call stalling. If it were only the first stalemate warning, then the match would be restarted as before. If it is the second incident then stalemate could be called, or a stalling warning. Most definitely if it were to happen the third time it would be considered repeatedly and then stalling would be called, this would be the officials judgment as he has a better feel as to whether he is going to call it after the second time the offensive wrestler drops to the ankle or the third time. As to the comment that the same thing happened in the State Finals, we hear it was the same exact thing that happened, there are NO two exact same things. It could have been earlier in the UTB or later and there wasn't enough time to call it or other variables that play into that match. It is Judgmental and the feel of the official on the mat at that time.

This says all that I need to hear about Steve Balash. 3 years ago at the Lake County tournament I officiated a match between Hobart and it doesn't matter who the other team was. But there was some confusion about the score, and the match went into overtime. To make the story even better the scorer working the table was Andrew Howes dad. At the end of the overtime the Hobart wrestler won. I raised his hand and went on to the next match. Coach Balash came over to me and said the score was incorrect and that the match shouldn't have gone into overtime and his wrestler should have lost in regulation. I have worked for this gentleman for as many years as he has been in coaching, I have seen a lot and heard a lot, but have never had anyone come up to me and say I told my wrestler it was the right thing to do and he was fine with that. I was going to notify the IHSAA and recommend him for some kind of recognition but knowing Steve it would be the last thing he would want. I am better for being apart of that situation, we are all better for getting to work for a man of that integrity and class, I haven't been able to forget that moment and have wanted to tell him the effect that had on me. I saw this post and it gave me the chance to share this story with Indiana wrestling fans. You are better for reading this and it sets a pretty high standard for all of the rest of you to measure up to, thanks Steve Balash for answering the question we officials ask ourselves sometimes why are we still doing this? They say we all have an effect on the kids, but you have done more than that. Thanks Steve

If we are a cult, why not continue the cult to another level and become an official. We to came from the competitor side of the sport, and it has gone so far as having an 82 year old former coach and wrestler officiating a sectional. We also had a first year 20 year old first year official during his first year also officiate a sectional. If you are a part of this so called cult, instead of sitting up in the stands or on the side lines, get involved in the oldest and best sport known to mankind. WRESTLING, Now hiring officials for the sport of Wrestling. Have the best seat in the house, and you don't have to pay to get in. Share the same mat with these young men who give it all in front of moms and dads, sisters and brothers, grandpas and grandmas. Just you and two combatants, with no where to hide, and no one to blame. But the guy in the stripped shirt with the whistle. The line starts here!!!! If interested contact your local IHSAA or any official to ask for details.

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

WA

I feel like I can give Joe a free get out of a stalling call pass, for all they have done for Indiana wrestling. Nice job Joe.

Talking to the wrestlers is coaching not officiating, when a wrestler has the legs in and is doing nothing with a power half, you would stalemate it once or twice. Then if he goes back to it again and it doesn't work, it is seen as stalling for going back the same move repeatedly. A coach coaches and the referee offiiciates, and the fan writes on here about what they think they saw. The official isn't to tell the wrestlers what to do or how, his tools are his wrist bands and signaling stalling or stale mate. Take the test and get on the mat and see how easy it is. Stalling is a great call as long as it is called on the other wrestler, if the official allows a wrestler to lay on the mat while winning by one point, as his opponent is trying to turn him. And doesn't call stalling on the bottom man, because he dosen't want to decide the out come of the match, just did decide the out come by allowing it to happen. Or letting a wrestler work the edge of the mat using it as his saftey net to bail if he gets in trouble is fleeing, to avoid being scored on. Lets watch paint dry. a 1-0 match with both wrestlers in a collar tie for two minutes, or just ride the hips on top for two more minutes, then let the bottom man make love to the mat for another 2 minutes. Sorry now I feel better.

Congratulations Levi, you don't know me, but I used to officiate your fathers matches, and spent the evening Firday night with your mom @ Mid State Conference tournament at Moorsville, a great Dad Mom and son, lets make it date at Bankers Life see you there. Now who am I?

The rule book states that both wrestlers shall make every effort to remain inbounds, we have people saying it was a great match, and the coaches are yelling, oaises, castle, get a fresh start, head for the border, taco bell, and so on. And know where your at, shoot him out get a fresth start. These are all examples of fleeing the mat, or avoiding wrestling to avoide being scored on. When we do penalize the wrestler, the coach will say where else could he have gone? And I respond, in bounds, and also sometimes it is good wrestling to take a chance on getting called for the flee, for a 1 point penalty, instead of 2 points for a take down, or reversal, or better yet the official not calling it all. When they get to the edge we have to ask. What took us to the edge and call it accordingly.

So far Jasper and Princeton won't be making the tripe because of weather, more to come. And everyone gets a pound also.

@ Mishawaka vs Penn 1-3-13 at the cave, I get to be a fan. Box of pop corn and a hot dog can't wait.

I have worked a state finals years ago at Market Square Arena with Steve , and have officiated his wrestlers numerous times at the New Castle Semi State and at the State finals at Conceco Field House, Steve has always been a class act from both sides of the mat. Good luck in the new endever and now I know how you have always been a pleasure to be around. Jeff Colborn

The rule book states that you will make every effort to remain inbounds, and if a wrestler goes out of bounds intentionally to avoid wrestling or being scored on fleeing the mat shall be called. They start in the middle are to make every effort to remain in bounds during the action of wrestling. Now when the wrestlers get to the edge, the official has to ask himself hwo we got there. If the action took them there, that isn't a problem, but more times than not we get to the edge because one or both wrestlers use it as a safety net to bail out if they get in trouble. It has been said if the official allows the wrestlers to work the edge, he is going to have more tuff calls and you people will be on here and complain that to much fleeing is called or not enough is called. To much stalling is called or not enough is called, but I guess that is the nature of the beast. If the official doesn't call stalling, or fleeing the mat he is telling him self I don't want to determine the out come of the match. Well if you allow a wrestler to flee to avoid being scored on, you just decided the out come by allowing one wrestler to run dive or take his opponent out of bounds. If you allow a wrestler to back out, block off and do nothing offensively, and don't call any thing, you just allowed that wrestler to win by not pressing the issue. Take stalling and fleeing out so the official doesn't have to call it and then you can set in the stands and watch paint dry, or put the zone rule into High School wresting and penalize the wrestler that steps into the zone area.