Weight classes .

[BigGuy6767]

Does anybody have think there should be more or less weight classes? Add any weights? Drop any weights?

[Kifrancis]

Why are the lower to the middle weight classes so close in weight? When the upper weight classes may vary from 15 to 50 pounds! More weight classes or restructured?

[aaacoach11]

I've been saying 12 for years now. Teams do good in WV now to field 10 out of 14 weights.

105
115
125
135
145
155
165
175
185
195
225
285

[Gator]

I've been saying 12 for years now. Teams do good in WV now to field 10 out of 14 weights.

105
115
125
135
145
155
165
175
185
195
225
285

That would have to be approved across the board by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and approved for all states. That concept of weights looks good though. I would also like to see colleges add a 220/225 weight class so wrestlers coming out of high school who wrestle 220 wouldn't have to cut to 197 or go big at 285.

[Truesouthfaninhunt]

Why are the lower to the middle weight classes so close in weight? When the upper weight classes may vary from 15 to 50 pounds! More weight classes or restructured?

May have to do with average size of kids in high school.
Greater percentage of kids clustered in weights 120-160 lbs.?

[Gator]

Why are the lower to the middle weight classes so close in weight? When the upper weight classes may vary from 15 to 50 pounds! More weight classes or restructured?

May have to do with average size of kids in high school.
Greater percentage of kids clustered in weights 120-160 lbs.?

That is true. Many schools have problems finding smaller kids and on the other hand many have problems finding upper weight class wrestlers. Maybe should start at 113/115?

[aaacoach11]

I agree gator. College going from 197lb to 285lb is bad. They need a 220lb

[BigGuy6767]

Why are the lower to the middle weight classes so close in weight? When the upper weight classes may vary from 15 to 50 pounds! More weight classes or restructured?

Well when ya look at it teams always seem to struggle to fill 106 and 113 , the outlier schools that is

[BigGuy6767]

I'd also love to see a 215 or 220 is college , Kyle Snyder Olympic weight class is 211 I think so he'd be juggernaut at 215 and would and excitement to 285 in duals

[Panther_coach]

The little kids are there if you look hard enough and no competition with football or basketball...

[vortexfan]

I would like to see a few more weight classes, and maybe look at the scoring on forfeits differently.
lets grow the sport!

[Bearhugger]

The little kids are there if you look hard enough and no competition with football or basketball...

Don't forget the girls.

[aaacoach26]

I would like to see less weights, starting with less of a jump after 170.
Michigan still uses the old weight classes. New York has a 99lb. class, but middle school kids are able to compete.

For 2017, the number of wrestlers who weight certed in WV (not all are still competing) according to rosters pulled from Trackwrestling looks like this.


Weight Class | Total # of wrestlers certed by weight for 2017 Season | % of Total
106 57 3.7%
113 62 4.0%
120 99 6.4%
126 105 6.8%
132 110 7.1%
138 109 7.1%
145 137 8.9%
152 136 8.8%
160 116 7.5%
170 136 8.8%
182 106 6.9%
195 98 6.3%
220 120 7.8%
285 155 (large portion are now 220) 10.0%
Grand Total 1546

[Bearhugger]

If we had less weight classes, we would have less wrestlers. I have talked to numerous dads this season. A big problem is many wrestlers do not want to be JV. Less weight classes means less varsity

[aaacoach26]

The "I don't want to be JV" excuse, is just that, an excuse. It will still be there no matter the number of weight classes. I think its more important that a team has a full JV schedule so that those kids are competing. Less weight classes means less forfeits and you have been beating that horse all year. What would you propose to increase participation and reduce forfeits?

[Bearhugger]

The "I don't want to be JV" excuse, is just that, an excuse. It will still be there no matter the number of weight classes. I think its more important that a team has a full JV schedule so that those kids are competing. Less weight classes means less forfeits and you have been beating that horse all year. What would you propose to increase participation and reduce forfeits?

I figure one would have to dig down into the community, middle school and high school on a case by case basis to figure out what the problem is. Reducing the number of weight classes to reduce forfeits is not a solution. All horses will be beat to death.

[aaacoach26]

I thought since you had already beat the horse so much, that you might have already done some "digging". I'm asking what you would propose as a solution for these coaches of the teams with holes in the lineup, that you have mentioned in other posts.

[greencrush]

I would like to see less weights, starting with less of a jump after 170.
Michigan still uses the old weight classes. New York has a 99lb. class, but middle school kids are able to compete.

For 2017, the number of wrestlers who weight certed in WV (not all are still competing) according to rosters pulled from Trackwrestling looks like this.


Weight Class | Total # of wrestlers certed by weight for 2017 Season | % of Total
106 57 3.7%
113 62 4.0%
120 99 6.4%
126 105 6.8%
132 110 7.1%
138 109 7.1%
145 137 8.9%
152 136 8.8%
160 116 7.5%
170 136 8.8%
182 106 6.9%
195 98 6.3%
220 120 7.8%
285 155 (large portion are now 220) 10.0%
Grand Total 1546

Those numbers are impressive for 145-170, but you've got to remember that they already added a weight in there just a few years ago. Up until 2012 the weights were 160/171/189. That 160 was probably closer to 10% and 171 was closer to 12%, with much bigger kids. Those weight classes are already much smaller now that they added 182 to stop so many from cutting down. You add another weight class, and you will see more forfeits and even weaker competition from 152 up.
They're already not what they used to be.
I could see trying to beef up the smaller weight classes though. Maybe go 110 and combine 106 and 113 there. The big 113's Will filter up to 120,and fill that out some as well. 106/113 don't translate to the next level anyways.

[vortexfan]

CAN THERE NOT BE A RULE CHANGE ON FORFEITS? MAYBE A MAX OF THREE FORFEITS A DUAL?
OR CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF POINTS FOR FORFEITS IF THERE IS MORE THAN THREE FOR A TEAM?
I THINK A LOT OF TEAMS FACE SHORTAGES DUE TO VARIOUS REASONS (injuries, lack of participants, flu season etc..) BUT IT MAY BE GOOD FOR THE SPORT OF WRESTLING TO ADD ONE OR TWO WEIGHT CLASSES IN THE LOWER OR MIDDLE WEIGHTS TO GET MORE KIDS TO WRESTLE.
LETS KEEP THE STUDENT ATHLETES IN MIND AND DO WHAT WE CAN TO IMPROVE THE SPORT!