IHSA Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes - 2007-08

Boys Wrestling Advisory Committee

April 16, 2008

The IHSA Boys Wrestling Advisory Committee met at the IHSA Office, Bloomington, Illinois, on Wednesday, April 16, 2008, beginning at 10:00 a.m.  Committee members present were: Peter Alber, Dakota; Jeffrey Bowers, Bloomington; Tim Haak, Harvard; Keith Healy, New Lenox (Providence); Joseph Joyce, Chicago (Kelly); Ronald Ryan, Mt. Olive; Michael Troll, Normal (University) and Jon Wagner, Edwardsville (H.S.).  Also in attendance were IHSA Assistant Executive Director Dave Gannaway; Joe Pedersen, Naperville; Larry Gassen, Downers Grove; George Dyche, Aurora and Mike Manahan, Bloomington.

The Minutes of the April 18, 2007 meeting were approved.

Information was provided to the Wrestling Advisory Committee from several coaches and school administrators relative to the three-class system.  Dave Gannaway provided the Committee with policy information currently in place for a three-class system.  At the time of the meeting of the Wrestling Advisory Committee, there are only two days approved by the principals to conduct the Individual Wrestling State tournament.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS RECOMMENDATIONS:

1.  Item I.-D.-1 and 2 –School Classification

Recommendation: With the given parameters, the Individual Wrestling State tournament must be conducted in two days and the enrollment split will be the traditional Class A enrollment which would be approximately113 schools that would have an enrollment of 725 or fewer.  The old Class AA would be split into two classes according to all member schools (not the number of schools that only have wrestling).   Class 2A would have approximately 134 schools with enrollment from 725 to 1658 and Class 3A would have approximately 160 schools larger than 1658.  The Wrestling Advisory Committee recommends the following structure:

That Classes 1A and 2A be a twelve person bracket with the wrestle-backs staying as the current Class A wrestle-back, follow the leader to the finals.

Classes 1A and 2A would have four (4) medalists per weight class.

The Class 3A format would be a 16 person bracket with wrestle-backs being of the format of follow the leader to the semi-finals.

Class 3A would continue to have six (6) medalists per weight class.  Wrestle back to 5th place.

The Wrestling Advisory Committee would leave the time schedule for the above tournament up to the tournament management to set using information from previous years’ time schedules that have been tracked.  There would be enough time in two days to conduct this type of structure.

Rationale: `The following would be facts from the last two years Individual State tournaments used in the discussion for a three class system for wrestling:

approved (Note: The number will be the 754 classification number rather than the 725 number)

2. Item IV.-D.--Admission Fees

Recommendation: Change the admission fee of a one-day Regional to $6.00 for all day or a $4.00 admission fee per championship session at all Regional tournaments.

Rationale: This allows for a person to pay one time for the Regional and still allows for a session price to fall into play if a person is only coming to the finals of the regional.  It will make it easier for the administrators to handle admission at a wrestling regional tournament.

approved

3. Item V.-B.--Seeding and Schedules in the Individual State Tournament Series….

Recommendation: The seeding session may be held on Thursday (not Wednesday) prior to the start of the regional tournament.

Rationale: With the entries per weight class not being final until weigh in, it makes more sense to have the regional seed meeting closer to the tournament date.  This should reduce the number of changes after a seed meeting.  Some coaches look at the seeds and then move wrestlers to another weight class after the seed meeting.  The closer you get the seed meeting to the day of the contest, fewer changes will occur.

rejected

4. Item VII.-A.--Individual Advancements:

 Recommendation: Add 6--that a separating/seeding criterion be used on all sectional champs to separate them in each weight class according to a listing of specific performance criterion that relates to the overall performance for that year and the previous year’s state tournament only.  The criteria would be as follows:

Establish a point system for each of the sectional winners.  The wrestler that has the highest number of points would be seeded number one, the wrestler with the second highest points would be seeded number two etc.  The wrestlers that placed second and third in each sectional would be assigned to a designated bracket in the opposite bracket of the winner from that sectional.  For 3A the 4th place finisher would be assigned to a designated bracket on the same side of the bracket as the sectional champ, but not in the first round.

If tied for a place, flip of a coin would determine the seed of the wrestlers for placement of that seed on the bracket.

Rationale: This will allow for the better wrestlers to advance to the later rounds in each weight class.  With the limited amount of time (2 days), the wrestle-back format is limited because only so many matches can be conducted in two days.  By using separating/seeding criteria on sectional champs we could make sure that the majority of the better wrestlers meet later in the tournament and are guaranteed at least an opportunity in the limited wrestle back format.

This will also put a significant larger number of the better matches later in the Individual State tournament, which in a three class system would be very beneficial for the sport of wrestling.

approved

5. Item VII.-B.-1 and 3--Team Advancement:

Recommendation: That the Dual Team tournament be eight (8) teams per class with only one round of competition at all of the sectionals on Tuesday night.

Rationale: This will allow for schools that travel to the sectional meet to get home at a reasonable hour on a school night.  Having two matches on one night during the week means that schools will be concluding the sectional championships around 9:45 to 10:00 p.m. and still have to travel home from that event.  The distance to dual team sectionals will be greater with the new 3 class format.   By adopting the current Class A dual team format, we could have one round on Tuesday and have eight (8) teams at the state and conduct a three class dual team tournament on Saturday with eight (8) teams per weight class.  By using six (6) mats this type of tournament could be conducted in one day.

tabled

6. Item VIII.-G.-2--Team Scoring

Recommendation: Add the following sentence to the end of the team scoring directions:  “All team scores must be corrected within 24 hours of the conclusion of the Regional tournament.”

Rationale: Since the dual team tournament starts with the individual regional winners, we have a huge interest in getting the proper team representing the regional at the dual team sectional meet.  By state association adoption, the IHSA can vary this rule for the IHSA state series only.  We have had two teams the last two years not being credited with the regional championship when they left the regional site and they were actually the team champion.  Since the dual team sectional tournaments are not for 10 day after the regionals, we would have time to make sure we have the correct team representing that regional at the sectional dual team tournament.

approved

7. Item VIII.-J.-2--Consolation Matches: (Individual Tournaments)

Recommendation: That the sectional tournament be a double elimination tournament which will add 56 more matches.  This will be two (2) hours of extra wrestling and the extra matches are very possible at all sectionals.

Rationale: There is enough time on Saturday to run a true double elimination tournament to guarantee that all sectional qualifiers could get back into the wrestle backs and not have to depend on someone else winning.  This would be a fairer way to determine state qualifiers at all weight classes.

rejected

WEIGHT CONTROL PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS:

Recommendation: Make the meet official verify that teams have exchanged the weight certification form prior to the contest.

Rationale: This will insure that all coaches have brought with them and exchanged the Weight Verification Form prior to the start of the meet.  The Weight Verification Form must be turned in to all tournament managers for all tournaments.  This will help with verification of wrestlers and hopefully catch problems earlier than the Individual Regional tournament.

approved

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. The Wrestling Advisory Committee would like for the Board of Directors to explore the possibility of the Individual Wrestling State tournament competition starting on Thursday at 3:00 p.m.   This would still allow for all schools to drive to Champaign on Thursday and not add an additional night of lodging for the wrestlers.  By allowing for a Thursday start, the Advisory Committee could look at different tournament structures relative to number of qualifiers, possible increase to a 12-16-24 format and/or look at the way wrestle-backs are conducted at the Individual State tournament.  A two-day tournament is limited by the number of matches that can be conducted.  A two-day tournament definitely limits the number of participants and/or the method of doing wrestle-backs when designing a three class-wrestling tournament.  With the addition of at least part of a third day to conduct matches, the Wrestling Advisory Committee could review many options for a three-class Individual Wrestling State tournament that could enhance wrestling in Illinois.

rejected

2. The Wrestling Advisory Committee would like to recommend that the Board review the classification policy and once classification has been determined for a certain class, it stands for three years.  If the class 1A cut was 724 it would be that for three years and if a school grows they would know what they had to do with scheduling in September to change their schedule.

rejected

ITEMS OF GENERAL DISCUSSION:

1. Discussion occurred on creating 8 sectionals for 3A and not having regionals.  You would have 2 qualifiers from each sectional, with a true wrestle back for second.  This did not have much support from the Wrestling Advisory Committee.

2. The Wrestling Advisory Committee would like clarification to occur on the checking of all the information needed on each wrestler entered in the regional tournament.  They feel that some of the regionals are checking the sheets on each wrestler and some regionals are not.  It was recommended that the IHSA put in the Managers Manual an explanation on what needs to be checked and how to do it.

3. Discussion occurred on seeding of wrestlers at the individual regional tournaments.  It was recommended that in the Managers Manual information be provided to the regional managers that the computer program can do the random draw for wrestlers that are not seeded one, two, three or four in each weight class.  It is not necessary for each wrestler to draw a number; once the four seeds have been determined, let the computer do the random draw.

4. In the regional wrestling tournament the walk over needs to be clarified to all regional managers.  Some of the computer programs will not give previous bonus points for walk overs.  The tournament manager needs to adjust the score for the team that gets the bonus walk over points or just re-enter the same score as the previous match to guarantee that the proper bonus points are awarded at the regional tournament.

5. The Wrestling Advisory Committee would like to have the following be Points of Emphasis at next year’s rule interpretation meetings: 1) team meet limitations along with individual wrestler limitations, 2) what needs to be checked on each wrestler at the individual regional wrestling seed meeting to verify that they are an eligible wrestler, and  3) information on when a wrestler may take growth allowance and/or consecutive day allowance at a weight class.

The Meeting adjourned at 4:20 p.m.

Contents © 1996-2008 Illinois High School Association. All rights reserved.