New rules limit weight loss
They were designed for the health and well being of wrestlers
across America, but the new rules that govern the guidelines for
making weight can be a real headache for both the athletes and the
coaches, who are often forced to keep good wrestlers off the mat or
make them compete in a class where they’re outmatched to begin
with.
New rules limit weight loss
They were designed for the health and well being of wrestlers across America, but the new rules that govern the guidelines for making weight can be a real headache for both the athletes and the coaches, who are often forced to keep good wrestlers off the mat or make them compete in a class where they’re outmatched to begin with.
“I think if they are implemented properly, health wise, they probably help the kids,” San Benito High wrestling coach Matt Olejnik said. “The new rules that were implemented this year solve some problems but they create others as well.”
Under the new wrestling guidelines, wrestlers check in and get weighed at the start of the season. Each wrestler then submits to a urine test, which checks for the level of hydration in the body.
With height, weight and hydration levels calculated, the numbers are then plugged into an electronic scale that determines the percentage of body fat each student has to come up with his alpha score.
The alpha score is the weight that each wrestler would be at if their total body fat was 7 percent, the optimum number for wrestling. Since wrestlers aren’t allowed to compete with less than 7 percent body fat, the alpha score also determines the lowest weight that wrestlers can compete at on any given week.
Once the alpha score is calculated wrestlers, that are above that ideal score, can then lose weight at the rate of no more than 1.5 to 2.5 pounds a week, based on their score.
Not only does it sound confusing, but it’s made coaching the sport much more difficult.
“There’s a lot more paperwork involved,” Olejnik said. “The weigh master has to look at the paperwork before each match. I have to coordinate the paperwork and keep it on file in case anyone wants to challenge it. It’s definitely hurt our team this year.”
The new weight rules have hurt the Balers in the 103-pound division. Of the 96 wrestlers on the team only one wrestler had an alpha score that allowed him to compete in that division.
There are however three other wrestlers on the Baler roster that would have been able to shed extra weight in years past and compete in the 103-pound division. But according to their alpha scores none of them will be allowed to go below 104 pounds this season. In other words, they will all be at 7 percent body fat when they hit 104 pounds. And since adding weight is always allowed, those wrestlers will be forced to compete in the 112-pound division.
The problem is that a 112-pound freshman, who may be more natural and more effective at 103 pounds, is now often forced to wrestle against bigger, stronger and older competitors, who may more naturally fit into that weight class.
Another problem that has affected the Balers this year has been the slight amount that’s allowed to be shed each week. Olejnik pointed out that a kid who was 10 pounds over his wrestling weight a year ago could drop it in the first few weeks of practice. Now, if that same person, based on his score, can only shed 1.5 a week, the ideal weight won’t be reached for nearly seven weeks.
“It’s definitely forced us to forfeit some matches. In the old days guys could lose five or six pounds the night before by running it off or working it off,” Olejnik said. “If a guy is 15 pounds over his ideal weight at the start of the season it’s now going to take him nine weeks to get down to his ideal class.”
Since nine weeks for high school is almost the entire season, it makes things very challenging.
“This was done to help the kids but there should be some leeway in it,” Olejnik said. “It’s really designed to try and force the kids to gain weight, bulk up and get bigger and stronger. A problem with that is that most freshmen can’t gain weight no matter what they eat because their metabolism is so quick. As long as they are hydrated, there should be some leeway for those kids.”
Under the old rules wrestlers would often compete at the weight they believed they would be most effective.
“They don’t have a choice as to what weight class they compete in now,” Olejnik said. “It’s really like a lottery system. For the kid whose alpha score works out most perfectly for him, it’s definitely like hitting the lottery.”
