SlickRodz

In High School we had a wrestler named Arman (we called him Hammer.. Arman Hammer, get it), anyway, he had a rep for being a little dirty. Not a punch or squeeze guy but if the official was not looking he was libel to do anything. He is wrestling a really quick guy who has escaped with a sit-out 2 or 3 times. So Arman decides to take an advantage. He wraps his finger 2 or 3 times on the inside leg of the opponents singlet, thinking this will give him control. The ref is 180 out so he dos not see. Sure enough the opponent sits-out, this does two things. It tightens the singlet so Arman cant get his finger out and it changes the angle so it goes into his opponents ass! Arman is jerking to remove his finger and his opponent is squirming. It did work itself out....

He was awarded the Distinguished Hoosier award on December 9th 2008 for his 30 year contribution to the youth of indiana thru wrestling and instilling discipline, character, work ethic and self-confidence. I too think he makes the list!

Thanks...I figured it out and it went thru!

Thank-you!

If there is a rep from HYWA that is on the board, or anyone who knows, is there a waiver request for a wrestler who missed the State Tourney. Last weekend, my son had Strep-throat and was not cleared to wrestle. He would like to go to the National and was wondering if this is possible. I have been to the HYWA website and there is not a link for "contact". Thanks for any help.

All are great suggestions and I do volunteer for officiating and table help if it is just my older boy (junior in HS) going. But if my little guy (3rd grade) goes as well I am there to support and watch him. I do like it when a wrestler stays on the same mat all day. That way I can work the table at or near him and still get to see.

Do you know the breakdown of cost. This seems very expensive! We do Disney Duals every year and for the entire week we pay $550 per wrestler (travel, lodging food and a day at the park). Why does a long weekend cost so much? I am adding this- this also covers the training the week before if I understand correctly, that has some added cost I assume!

Many thanks! One of our club members and I were discussing it and I was told $950 for one and $1450 for both. Glad to be WRONG!

Caliboy....I could not agree more. But as hardcore as you are don't you think that Indiana is behind in Freestyle? Hey you have been around this sport a while. Has it always been so expensive ($950) to be on the Freestyle Dual team? That seems really high to me.

It seems to me that your problem with me is that I point out the shortfalls of Freestyle without doing anything to help in the improvement. I say to you that in-spite of the shortfalls of Freestyle, I take both of my boys to a Freestyle tourneys every weekend in the state of Indiana. I challenge you to show me how I could support the sport more!? We as a state have a right to make adjustments to the FILA rules. This we must do. That would enable us to continue using wrestlers for officials, half-mats (no push-outs for older age groups) and improve numbers and lessen confusion. Unlike you I have not been an official for 25 years, it is guys like you .... not me who must save Freestyle.

Grecoref..... I take it by your push-back you have something to do with Freestyle in Indiana. If that is the case, it is broken. I am just one voice but look at the comments on this thread. Even those who like the sport (me included) KNOW it is broken. FILA rule changes, inexperienced officials (due to the rule changes not effort) and the expense of competition are pushing wrestlers out of the sport. Take it out on me if you like but Freestyle in on a cliff and will fall unless rescued. Why is it you will not answer my questions? Show me where I have pointed out a single mistake of anyone! I gave the tournament director props for a "great tourney". I gave my problems with officials to FILA's constant rule changes. It is easy to attempt to point out my mistake on the board but I choose to believe my friends over you "supposed contacts". You should take time to read my post before assuming I am bad-mouthing people. Then attacking me!

Thanks for the confirmation, whats the point? Don't see why it matters. How am I stirring the pot.

Jim Littlejohn and Mark Fiddler both, I assume they were paid not volunteer. Why the hostility, what is the problem? How am I stirring the pot, explain! I am a card carrying Folkstyle Official. I took the course got my card and have officiated at the elementary and middle-school level. I choose not to officiate High school or Freestyle because I feel I do not have the experience / knowledge and do not want to effect an outcome. I also do not ref for Freestyle since I have 2 sons that wrestle that I want to watch. Talking with parents at practice this week there were at least 4 matches that were won by the officials. 2 for our wrestler and 2 against our wrestlers.

They did Beach Grove, Cindy refed for Moorseville. Please tell me how I am stirring the pot!? Don't understand. All I have done is answer your Questions!

Littlejohn and Fiddler ref freestyle every weekend. Veterisi does but not as much and he is a rules maniac! All are very active with our club.

You are missing my points. See my original post. You ran a great tourney! We as a state have to step up and get the word out as far as rules. We did have an official who refed on Saturday by the way, as well as 2 who did table help! And half mats are the norm, but not a good solution. This is a state wide problem! I give you a lot of credit for a great tourney, I am just calling for us as parents, coaches and officials to make an attempt to fix the problem. If not I do see the numbers continue to drop and in my opinion die.

Littlejohn, Gillespie, Veterisi and Fiddler are our Clubs active referees. Fiddler is there for almost every practice. The other are very active and give updates to the coaches on rules changes at the beginning of each season. Royce Deckard is the High School Coach and he is in charge of teaching the rules to the club. I am not complaining about our clubs knowledge. When our wrestlers know the rules, wrestle by the rules and get physically slapped during a match by an official that wants a legal hold released or makes a call that the wrestler knows is wrong, it gets very frustrating.

Tom, Our club is not the problem. We have "Formal" training and even our little guys know the rules. Problem is most of the officials at events don't. Take issue if you like but facts are facts! At a typical tourney there are 2-3 "real" officials that know Freestyle rules. This is out of 8-10 officials on site, and that is my problem. Officials calling touch falls, awarding points for push-out while both wrestlers are on their knees, allowing illegal holds and unsafe wrestling. All happen at EVERY freestyle club event held.

People Boo me for this thread. I do see a place for Freestyle. But we as a State MUST do a better job then we are doing with respect to Freestyle. Rectangular half mats should not be used for the Cadet or Juniors at any weight. Officials need training (formal) and teams need rules training (we do this at South, but officials don't know the rules). I do believe that Freestyle is an exciting venue, but I have seen too many times where the Official decides the outcome.

Why would anyone want to have their wrestlers have less wrestling tools in their wrestling "toolbox" I can't understand. You do not have to wrestle Freestyle to learn the moves used in Freestyle. I am not against Freestyle in general. But the way it is done here makes it horrible. I believe the better wrestler should win most of the time (there is always the head-throw). In Freestyle...it is a tossup! Depends on the official too much.

Have you ever watched two GOOD Junior 189 pounders wrestle freestyle on a half mat? It is not wrestling!

Sam was on our Disney Dual team two years ago. He is as fine a young man as there is! Good luck to him.

Kind of a strong subject line, but I believe it true. We wrestled in Moorseville on Saturday, and the Tourney was ran as well as most. So I am saying this is not a reflection of Moorseville tourney, just of Freestyle in general. Reasons I feel it will die in the next 5-7 years. 1) Rule changes that are bad for the sport. The Sumo rule (imposed 3-4 years ago) or the push-out rule. This gives a wrestler a point if he can get his opponent to cross out of bounds (while not on his knees). I assume that this was to keep a wrestler from fleeing the mat. But that is not how it has worked out. I have seen many matches (mostly younger, developing wrestlers) spend the better part of three rounds trying to push their opponent out of bounds. Also, most officials do not understand the rule. On Saturday I saw a match where both wrestlers were on their knees in a dual wizzer, near the edge, one put his hand on the line and a point was awarded for the other. OK???? The dual award of points. This year an Official Emphases is being placed on "the bridge". Take for example the "Gator Roll", if a wrestler rolls a Gator, but does not "sufficiently" bridge, a 2-2 score is awarded. This means that the wrestler that gets rolled and does nothing gets as many points as the offensive wrestler. What? There are others but these two rules come to mind. 2) Inexperienced Officials I understand the need for using Wrestlers for officials in Club Tourneys. But in Freestyle where there are so many "subjective" calls it is many times the official that determines the outcome. Example from, Saturday.....SchoolBoy Division. Wrestler A has a low-gut on wrestler B. As he rolls the gut, wrestler B's shoulders touch the mat. No stoppage just a touch. A fall is given to wrestler A. In case you don't know there are no touch falls in SchoolBoy division. The coach meets with the official and he admits to calling the touch fall, when the rules is explained he then claims to have counted silently to 3 and enforces the fall. There were many such instances. 3) Safety Concerns In Freestyle no points are awarded for the use of illegal moves. Time is given for recovery. But the offending wrestler is not penalized. I saw a "Jack-knife" used on Saturday (MMA Submission-arm bar). The match was stopped and time was given for recovery, then the match went on. There is no excuse for not penalizing illegal moves. 4) Availability of year round Folk-style It is now possible to wrestle Folk-style year round. With the HWAY, AAU and USA Folkstyle tourneys now available regionally, it is not hard to just avoid Freestyle. I have heard of three clubs that do not plan to wrestler Freestyle next year. If ask by my club I will support the same.

Y2, it was good to meet you this weekend! Good to put a face with a character. Your 189 pounder look good and wrestled hard and clean. Don't shy away when someone ask you if you are Y2, we don't always agree, but I truly appreciate this board and what you do. Sorry if off topic!

Have the times for weigh-in changed or just the start time.