Change weight classes.

[Callthestall]

I've thought of this the last few years. I believe high school wrestling would benefit going to 13 weight classes . Just expand a couple of middle divisions by a few pounds. I went to a high school match last night and 3 fortfiets. Look in paper and a ton of fortfiets for the non elite schools. At the college level they would benefit by adding a weight and adjusting their weights to encompass a 220 division. It would help the athlete who wants to compete in the Olympic division of 217. The other positive, it would eliminate the need to go to criteria on ties since you would have 11 bouts and could use matches won. I understand that scholarship allotment is part of the decision on why it is probably established the way it is. Thoughts?

 

[a_mshaffer]

I've thought of this the last few years. I believe high school wrestling would benefit going to 13 weight classes . Just expand a couple of middle divisions by a few pounds. I went to a high school match last night and 3 fortfiets. Look in paper and a ton of fortfiets for the non elite schools. At the college level they would benefit by adding a weight and adjusting their weights to encompass a 220 division. It would help the athlete who wants to compete in the Olympic division of 217. The other positive, it would eliminate the need to go to criteria on ties since you would have 11 bouts and could use matches won. I understand that scholarship allotment is part of the decision on why it is probably established the way it is. Thoughts?

they changed it a few years back... allotting more weight classes (1) to the bigger guys, taking away a middle weight per se, and upping the minimum weight. If you look at it from a bell curve perspective, most wrestlers are in the middle weights. When it comes to wrestling, I saw that we had more wrestlers in the lighter weights than the heavies, so the changes added to the forfeit culture. I do agree with you that we have too many weights in high school and we should pair them down to an extent where we can also get some healthy JV teams! I would have to look at some data before depicting how many weights. But I do like something along the lines of 175, 190, 220, hvy at the top end.

 

[21Guns]

There are state-ranked teams, who STILL have to forfeit a weight occasionally in dual meets. I happen to agree, that there are too many weight classes in Pa. High school wrestling. Chop it to 13.

 

[21Guns]

I think you can combine 132 and 138, into one weight, perhaps 135. That's one way at least. You look at 220 though, and it seems like, a great 220 pounder, is either looking to go up, or down, when they get to college. Something should be done here also.