Douglas High’s Ella Kavanagh wrestles an opponent from Lowry near the center 10-foot circle. That circle will be optional next season as the NFHS approved sweeping changes for the sport for the winter of 2024-25.
Photo by Carter Eckl.
High school wrestling has adopted some big changes, bringing the rules closer to the collegiate system.
Late last week, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) approved sweeping rule changes to the sport across the nation.
New scoring rules will be in place for takedowns, near falls and points of contact among other changes around the mat.
SCORING ADJUSTMENTS
The strategy in the sport might be different next winter as takedowns will now be worth three points. They had been worth two.
Alongside the takedown changes, near fall points will now be awarded per second, meaning that a two-second near fall is worth two points, a three-second near fall is worth three and a four-second near fall scores four points.
“They’re just like three years behind the college rules. It’s more scoring, more excitement, more activity,” said Carson head coach Nick Redwine. “Now, instead of hitting a five-point move, you can hit a seven-point move from your feet.”
Douglas High wrestling coach Jake Fair feels as though the changes will alter strategy on the mat.
“By going to a three-point takedown … you’re basically saying we’re going to work on our feet. That’s more toward the Olympic styles where you can get those higher-scoring takedowns,” said Fair. “Since I’ve been at Douglas, we’ve gone from a defensive, neutral style to being more of the aggressors. I like this better for our particular style. We are going to go after more of the takedown game.”
Redwine doesn’t think it will be a dramatic change in strategy.
“It’s more about scoring than about pinning. Most coaches I think are going to emphasis neutral wrestling and turns,” Redwine said. “I don’t see anyone drastically changing the way they go about things.”
One area the scoring changes will affect is team points.
For team scoring, major decisions — which are worth four team points — are still based on an eight-point difference in an individual match while technical falls remain at 15 points.
With the potential to have a seven-point move (three-point takedown and a four-point near fall), major decisions might become more frequent.
“The near fall, I’m not so much of a fan,” said Fair. “Having the four-point near fall is kind of cool. It (could be) 7-0 and all you did was hit one takedown and one turn and you’re halfway to a tech fall in the first minute of a match. That’s a lot of points.”
Both coaches agreed that 15 points for a technical fall is still an adequate threshold.
However, eight points for a major decision may be something to consider adjusting moving forward.
OTHER CHANGES
Another massive change approved by NFHS will allow competitors to have one point of contact inside the 30-foot circle.
In previous years around the edge of the ring, two points of contact were needed inside the ring to keep the action in play.
If a second point of contact wasn’t established, action would stop and be moved back to the center of the mat.
“Without increasing risk, this change eliminates the subjectivity of the out-of-bounds call,” said Elliot Hopkins, the NFHS director of sports and student services. “The change also helps officials to call ‘out of bounds’ more consistently, and it provides wrestlers, coaches and spectators a better understanding of out of bounds.”
That adjustment should ease the burden for officials to be checking for multiple points of contact inside the ring.
“That has been the bane of many refs’ existences for years,” said Fair on the two-points of contact rule. “They have to check so many different points to see if a kid is pinned. It’s very clean and simple (now). It makes total sense. I think it’s a positive thing for refs for clarification and simplicity.”
The 10-foot center circle is now optional, which will allow a bit more flexibility to both wrestlers and referees.
In year’s past, officials were continually communicating with athletes to keep the action in the center of the mat, but that emphasis will be altered this coming winter.
“You have a 30-foot circle, let’s wrestle in the whole thing,” said Fair. “That’s the biggest change of them all.”
For fans, remembering that takedowns are worth an additional point will change the environment that’s been in place for decades.
“Can you imagine an arena full of fans yelling ‘two’ for years and it means nothing anymore,” said Fair. “We’re going to have to have some fun with the threes.”
Naturally, coaches wonder how long it will take for everyone, including officials, to adjust.
“Can our officiating adapt to the new rules? Are there going to be more arguments and coach misconducts because we’re arguing with the officials?” questioned Redwine. “Coaches and officials are going to have to feel out the new scoring because it’s been two (point) takedown, three (point) near fall since I was a kid.”