MNUSA Wrestling Folkstyle Rules Modifications
PERIOD LENGTHS
6U, 8U, 10U, & 12U
Championship and Consolation Bracket Periods 1:30, 1:30, 1:30
14U and 16U
Championship and Consolation Bracket Periods 2:00, 2:00, 2:00
Competition Rules Modified for MNUSA Wrestling
National Federation of State High School Association (NFHS) rules with MNUSA Wrestling modifications will govern the competition. These MNUSA Wrestling modifications include the following:
Coaches and officials must remember that there is no definitive list of illegal holds in youth wrestling. If the official thinks a “legal” hold becomes potentially dangerous or progresses to an illegal position, it should be stopped to protect the young athlete. Penalties should be avoided if there was no “intent” to injure. No young athlete should be required to give up a position that causes him to be injured in the process. Neither the coach nor the athlete should argue these stoppages by the official(s).
Folkstyle Competition Video Challenge Addendum:
This process will be available at MNUSA Wrestling events that are designated for a video review.
Note: The concept of the video challenge is essentially the same in all styles of wrestling. However, Folkstyle wrestling offers some instances that call for a variation in the processes that are used in Greco and Freestyle wrestling. The video challenge process intends not to initiate a challenge every time a coach disagrees with a judgment call. Rather, it is to fix a mistake or missed infraction not seen because of positioning on the part of the mat official. Coaches should also consider the positioning of the camera when issuing a challenge. The camera may not have the advantage of a better position than the mat official making the call. Lastly, please consider that there can be human and technological errors that may prohibit a video sequence.
Folkstyle video review modifications will be applied as follows:
1. The “JURY” will consist of two officials, including the official on the mat and (1) an assigned video review official, or an official who has been assigned to officiate in that competition. During championship matches, the second official may be the head mat official(s) or rules clinician.
2. In competitions where the video challenge is available, the challenges shall be initiated by the coach walking to the scorer’s table and getting the official’s attention. (If challenge blocks/bricks are being used the coach may issue a challenge by rolling the brick into the wrestling area.) It is not necessary that the official stop the bout immediately upon a challenge by a coach. If there is an imminent scoring action it will be allowed to progress and be completed.
3. Challenges must be made promptly. (Generally, within 5-7 seconds of when the scoring situation is posted on the score clock but will be ultimately at the discretion of the jury). If the score is correctable by video review, the score is corrected, and the match results will stand or be changed.
(1) If it is determined that there was a “bad time” the correct score will be established and the “bad time” will be re-wrestled. (The end of the match “bad time” for video review, is described as the time remaining in the match after a correction is made.)
(2) No challenge will be accepted from the 1st or 2nd after the start of the subsequent period.
4. Where video challenge is used in a dual meet situation no challenges or protest for a previous match will be accepted after the start of a subsequent bout.
5. A coach may approach two instances and quickly ask (without initiating the challenge): “Is the score correct on the clock?” or “Is the time correct on the clock?” and receive a response of “Yes coach, it is.” or “No coach, let me correct it?’ If the coach still disagrees with the existing or corrected results he/she must immediately decide to challenge those results or return to the coach’s corner. All other differences must be challenged by approaching the scorer’s table and getting the official’s attention.
6. Falls/Pins can only be challenged in situations where time may have expired, out-of-bounds may have occurred, or when an illegal hold is applied by the wrestler when securing a fall.
7. No challenges will be accepted at the end of the bout unless there is the potential for the result of that challenge to change the winner of the bout, change the athlete’s advancement in the tournament, or change the value of team points awarded during team competitions. These challenges, if accepted, must be made before the start of the subsequent bout on that mat or in that meet.
8. Calls that involve stalling, fleeing the mat, unsportsmanlike, unnecessary roughness, penalties for an illegal hold (except if applied by the offensive wrestler when securing a fall), potentially dangerous holds, or acts of misconduct cannot be challenged.
9. Errors in “bad time” should adhere to the NFHS rule book. Scoring challenges must be made before the start of the subsequent period. However, if a coach realizes a mistake in position has occurred, the challenge should be initiated immediately at that time.
10. All challenges that do not result in changing the score to the advantage of the challenging wrestler will result in one (1) technical point added to the opponent’s score. If the challenge is successful (the score is changed in favor of the challenging wrestler) the coach has the opportunity to challenge again in that bout. (The brick is returned)
(1) If there is a technical problem and the video is not available, the original decision will stand, and the coach will be given back the challenge opportunity.
(2) Coaches may approach the official(s), through the scoring table, without a challenge, and ask “Is the score correct on the clock?” or “Is the time correct on the clock?” Any attempt to question a call or judgment while doing that is considered “Coaches Misconduct” when the video challenge is being used.
11. In competitions where the video challenge is implemented, it replaces the “Coach Misconduct” rule 5-5 Article 1-3 in the NFHS rulebook. If the coach thinks there was a misapplication of a rule, he/she must use a challenge. The video challenge replaces all discussions about rule misapplication during the bout. A coach may only approach the official, through the scoring table, to question if the proper score was recorded and shown on the clock (as described above). A challenge must be used if he/she disagrees with the scoring. If the coach lost a challenge in a previous challenge there can be no further challenges for that bout from that coach and wrestling will continue. Further attempts by that coach to interrupt that bout will result in him/her being issued a warning on the first offense and/or removal from the tournament on the second offense.
12. All decisions made by the jury will be final and will not be changed. Therefore, it is not possible to request a counter-challenge. (You cannot challenge the results of a challenge)
13. Challenges/Protests will only be accepted after the end of the bout where a scoring error occurred in the last wrestled period and the wrong wrestler was declared the winner.
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