New WVSSAC Rule

[WVwrestling21]

Hello,

My name is Josh Humphreys with Team Mahindra Wrestling.

Got word that the WVSSAC is requiring all student-athletes to obtain permission from the WVSSAC in order to practice at or compete for another team (club) during season.

We have kids coming from around the state to practice at our club and I want to make sure that they are eligible for competition this season, so if your athlete wants to practice at Team Mahindra (or any club for that matter), please email David Price at David.price@wvssac.org for approval.

If you have any concerns or inquiries please reach out to me at joshhumphreys09@gmail.com

[mscoach90]

Thanks for the heads up!!!

[Bearhugger]

What is the purpose of this new rule?

If the student athlete attends school and attends the school team's wrestling practice, then it is nobody's business what they do on their free time.

Somebody please provide what this new rule is attempting to accomplish.

[Jon Perkins]

I am guessing this rule applies to high school athletes being able to compete in NCAA Open tournaments. I see no other reason for an athlete competing for another team. As far as needing permission to go practice, or to go workout, on an off day, this certainly seems like an overreach to me.

[Bearhugger]

I am guessing this rule applies to high school athletes being able to compete in NCAA Open tournaments. I see no other reason for an athlete competing for another team. As far as needing permission to go practice, or to go workout, on an off day, this certainly seems like an overreach to me.

I see no reason why a high school wrestler cannot enter a college open wrestling tournament. I believe I have seen where non-college high school graduates have entered these tournaments in the past.

When a 16 or 17 year old like Bo Basset enters and defeats college All Americans, it is good for the sport all the way down to youth.

[Jon Perkins]

If it is during the season and someone participating on a team that has a competition on the same day as a college open tournament, I can clearly see where the powers that be may not like the appearance of this. I still think it’s a bit of overreach on their part, as long as an athlete has the permission from his/her coach and school principal, they should be allowed to participate. Now, if this whole made up scenario would take place on a Sunday and happened on a day off from this individuals team, then I think the coach, the principal, and the WVSSAC should all kicks rocks.

And for what is worth, Bo Basset and Jax Forest are both 18 years old, but I see the point that they were both beating NCAA athletes last year as 17 year olds.

[Bearhugger]

If it is during the season and someone participating on a team that has a competition on the same day as a college open tournament, I can clearly see where the powers that be may not like the appearance of this. I still think it’s a bit of overreach on their part, as long as an athlete has the permission from his/her coach and school principal, they should be allowed to participate. Now, if this whole made up scenario would take place on a Sunday and happened on a day off from this individuals team, then I think the coach, the principal, and the WVSSAC should all kicks rocks.

And for what is worth, Bo Basset and Jax Forest are both 18 years old, but I see the point that they were both beating NCAA athletes last year as 17 year olds.

Clarification of this rule are starting to trickle out on the street. Based on what my good friend "TrueSouthFanInJaneLew" told me, the rule has come about to drive consistency between how team sports and individual sports are handled.

I am all about consistency. Now we need to divide football up into geographical regions just like wrestling is.

[Matofficial]

Where is this rule posted? I looked in the Rules and Regulations and the Coaches Handbook and haven't been able to locate it.

[Matofficial]

Went to the rules meeting at the WVSSAC last night to get clarification on this new rule. As best as I can explain it the WVSSAC does want to know if you are participating in practices that are not associated with your school. Jeremy Callen doesn't believe it's a big deal. All the coaches have to do is take your entire roster and turn it in to your administration personnel and they will forward that to Mr. Price at the WVSSAC. You only have to do it one time for the season. That is not verbatim what he said but very close.
Here are the problems with that.
1) the WVSSAC is taking your rights of when and where you can allow your kid to practice. They are justifying it by saying it's only fair because football and basketball can't do it.
2) it's really dumb because if you want to beat it every school has to turn in a roster of all participants in the beginning of the season anyway. So just forward that list the same as extra practices.
3) not sure who would agree to such a rule when our country is concerned about rights. If they take this right where will they stop. I borrowed an example last night. I have a wrestler that really needs tutoring to stay eligible. Do I need to send that list of tutors to the WVSSAC for permission because it's school affiliated?
4) I could go on and on. I will not because after 52 years I have retired from coaching so the battle and future is for you people that have gonads to stand up for yourself

[Matofficial]

I do want to add one more thing. The WVSSAC is a principals organization. So the principles in our state made the rule not the guys in the WVSSAC office. They have to battle the bs from schools that may not even have a wrestling program!

[aacoach21]

Stupidest rule ever and if they are going to allow team sports like football and basketball to dictate what we do then they need to break wrestling up into 4 classes just like those sports and have separate state tournaments like they do.

[Bearhugger]

Stupidest rule ever and if they are going to allow team sports like football and basketball to dictate what we do then they need to break wrestling up into 4 classes just like those sports and have separate state tournaments like they do.

Better yet, break football down into geographical regions like wrestling. If this was the case, then Martinsburg and Spring Mills would have played in the opening round.

Furthermore, anybody that knows anything about WV wrestling should know that many kids NEED to be able to go to clubs to practice. They simply do not have the talent in their school's own wrestling room to give them what they need.

[Panther_coach]

I had a situation where several of the states best middle school wrestlers would meet up in one kids garage one or two times a week where he had a mat down and work out. This was simply because no one in their school teams could give them a competitive partner to help them improve. They all benefited. Not sure how the WVSSAC could tell a parent their child could not spend the night at a friends house who had a mat in his garage. These guys also competed as independents following all the rules set forth by the WVSSAC wearing no school equipment and with the full blessing of their school principals. No school coaches were involved, just a couple of Dad's. They never competed on the same day that their respective schools had either a match or a practice. Those of you old enough will remember the "Monster Garage" team that grew up to win several individual state titles. Will this type of activity now be illegal? If so, that is patently ridiculous. A kid should be able to enter things like TOC, Fargo, etc. without the WVSSAC interfering especially if the rest of their team has no interest or the skill level to compete there. This is supposed to be about helping kids become better wrestlers and better people ... let's act like that is the primary goal!

[Bearhugger]

I had a situation where several of the states best middle school wrestlers would meet up in one kids garage one or two times a week where he had a mat down and work out. This was simply because no one in their school teams could give them a competitive partner to help them improve. They all benefited. Not sure how the WVSSAC could tell a parent their child could not spend the night at a friends house who had a mat in his garage. These guys also competed as independents following all the rules set forth by the WVSSAC wearing no school equipment and with the full blessing of their school principals. No school coaches were involved, just a couple of Dad's. They never competed on the same day that their respective schools had either a match or a practice. Those of you old enough will remember the "Monster Garage" team that grew up to win several individual state titles. Will this type of activity now be illegal? If so, that is patently ridiculous. A kid should be able to enter things like TOC, Fargo, etc. without the WVSSAC interfering especially if the rest of their team has no interest or the skill level to compete there. This is supposed to be about helping kids become better wrestlers and better people ... let's act like that is the primary goal!

If injunctions can be filed and state football playoffs can be delayed(thus delaying and derailing wrestling events), then I am sure somebody could challenge this "rule" too.

Along with setting football up in geographical regions to be "consistent", lets allow multiple wrestlers enter the same weight class to be consistent with track, cross country, tennis, etc. Wrestling is an individual sport first with the idea of "team" muddying up the waters.

[LMob0621]

Sometimes rules are in place in one sport just so other sports don’t grumble… and a side note on Team Mahindra… I’ve been in that wrestling room many times and the practices are well ran and are helpful for elite hammers down to newbies.

[aacoach62]

Here is the rule listed on the WVSSAC website.

§127-2-10. Non-school Participation.
10.1. During a WVSSAC-established sports season and while a member of a WVSSAC school team, a student may participate in, including but not limited to, showcases, clinics/camps, tryouts, fundraising activities, and similar activities (hereafter “events”) in the same sport outside of WVSSAC school team activities, however, the student may not compete for a non-WVSSAC school, team club, or similar structured organization in their formally organized competition/contest/match/game/practice in the same sport. For the identified non-WVSSAC events which are allowed during the sports season, approval for participation shall be obtained from the student’s WVSSAC school/principal. The WVSSAC school/principal shall have discretion in approving the requested approval, but such shall not be unreasonably withheld. If approved, the principal/school may set reasonable limitations therein for all matters which reasonably conflict with the WVSSAC school’s practice and game/contest schedule, including all regular and post-season events, taking into consideration that the WVSSAC sport season competition/contest/match/game/practices have priority over the non-WVSSAC school participation request.

Get your school principal's permission, do your private practice after your regular practice, and go to your school's scheduled events.
That is my interpretation.

[Matofficial]

That is a good interpretation but the above rule is completely different than the one given during the WVSSAC rules clinic for wrestling. If that is the rule then someone must have come to their sense and figured out how silly it was for a athlete to go to an extra practice on their own or attend one on Sunday

[KDunbar]

That is a good interpretation but the above rule is completely different than the one given during the WVSSAC rules clinic for wrestling. If that is the rule then someone must have come to their sense and figured out how silly it was for a athlete to go to an extra practice on their own or attend one on Sunday

If I am reading the very long, run-on first sentence correctly it says that the practice on Sunday cannot be the organized practice of a non WVSSAC team club. I would presumed that since this sentence states specifically that it is forbidden and does not stipulate the time or day of the week that even the principal of a school cannot change that. Then again, maybe I am reading it all wrong.

[aacoach62]

I may be misinterpreting the situation. If that’s the case, I hope any consequences fall on me and not on my wrestler. They have my permission to proceed as long as they don’t miss any scheduled school activities. The principal provided them with a letter granting permission. I’m unsure of what else to do, but we believe we are following the rules as they are stated. This might be a question for the SSAC in March.

[Matofficial]

Your principal needs to send the names for approval from the WVSSAC