In an attempt to merge high-school and collegiate wrestling interests, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) held a two-day seminar in October to discuss weight management and encourage state associations to implement a program similar to what the NCAA has in place.

Jerry Diehl, NFHS assistant director and editor of the wrestling rules book, organized the seminar, which included NCAA representatives, researchers involved with weight management and National Wrestling Coaches Association representatives. Diehl said that state associations were well represented, which is an indication that weight management programs could be on the horizon.

"It seems to me that this is a logical progression," Diehl said. "A cooperative effort throughout wrestling will help facilitate weight management becoming less of an issue in the sport."

Diehl said since the vast majority of collegiate wrestlers compete at the high-school level, having potential student-athletes accustomed to healthy weight management procedures could be beneficial when moving to the college level. Without any system in place, freshmen tend to struggle.

"The sport should be concentrating on technique and actual wrestling, not weight," he said. "I think that is happening at the college level, from all indications. It only makes sense to develop this at a younger age."

Change on the weigh in

During the seminar, several experts shared their research and observations. Robert Opplinger, who teaches at the University of Iowa, has directed a study of NCAA wrestlers over the past few years and explained the dangers and effects of uncontrolled weight cutting.

Opplinger presented research he recently has completed with college wrestlers from 43 schools. Collegiate freshmen responding to the survey said their weight-cutting practices as high-school seniors were not in line with the NCAA specifications. Opplinger's research revealed the following:

Wrestlers on average begin to lose weight at ages 13 or 14.

Some wrestlers regularly lose an average of seven pounds a week, and at the end of the season gain back 12 to 13 pounds.

Almost 20 percent of high-school seniors lost more than 16 pounds.

Nine percent of wrestlers used rubber and plastic suits to lose weight, although NFHS and NCAA rules ban these weight-loss methods.

"We obviously are concerned that these practices still exist," Diehl said.

Dale Pleimann of the Missouri State High School Activities Association said his association follows NFHS rules book requirements, which are shoulder to shoulder weigh-ins before the match and certifying a weight at the beginning of the season. Pleimann believes that probably will change.

"The seminar was very valuable on a subject that is of great concern now in wrestling," he said. "I will try to educate coaches of the different possibilities we can put in place. The rules book doesn't require any body composition testing now, but I believe it will, so I foresee us phasing something in the next few years."

While the NFHS does not require body-fat composition testing, the organization does recommend it. Requiring body-fat testing would allow for assessment of a healthy wrestling weight.

"Weight management is a major issue and the presenters did an excellent job of presenting facts about something that many have been aware of, but little has been done about," said Sam Crosby, chair of the NFHS wrestling rules committee. "Too many kids spend all their time losing weight and don't think about wrestling. The seminar was a giant step forward in eliminating that."

Diehl said that his association's sports medicine advisory committee passed a resolution encouraging the NFHS to implement a program similar in structure to the NCAA's. The resolution recommended that state associations have a system in place by 2004, but sooner if possible.

Making a difference

The NCAA's weight management program has been in place for three years and research indicates that the new rules are making a difference. In addition to early monitoring of weight and establishing a lowest allowable weight before beginning practice for the season, weigh-ins were moved to one hour before competition, nullifying the advantage gained by rapid weight loss and re-gain. Wrestlers must be fully hydrated when establishing their weight class and may lose only 1.5 percent of their body weight per week.

Clearly, strides have been made with the NCAA's program. Coaches and student-athletes report a renewed focus on wrestling and less importance on weight cutting.

"The one-hour weigh-in before dual meets and tournament competition has allowed athletes to focus once again on the sport of wrestling rather than the sport of making weight," said John Smith, head wrestling coach at Oklahoma State University.

Some high-school associations have programs in place, which is encouraging to Diehl. Iowa, New York, Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, New Jersey and North Dakota have some form of body composition testing or weight management plan.

An important player in this process is the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). Mike Moyer, the executive director of the association, has a long history in dealing with weight management. He served as the NCAA Wrestling Committee chair when the weight management rules were established and understands the importance of having a system in place at all levels of wrestling.

"Research certainly demonstrates that the change in the rules are making a difference at the collegiate level," Moyer said. "What our organization is trying to do is to make the whole process as easy as possible to comply with."

The NWCA offered the NCAA's weight management forms online this year to its members. The forms automatically calculate minimum wrestling weights once measurements are entered.

"This progress has taken some patience as we move along technologically," Moyer said. "The end result should save athletic trainers and coaches time in generating these forms."

What is being proposed at the high-school level is more than just updating technology or mandating weight management, Moyer said. This process, he hopes, will change attitudes toward wrestling as a whole.

"Weight obviously has been a focus of wrestling for a long time," Moyer said. "But we're changing the culture of wrestling in some ways. Wrestling is a sport that takes extreme dedication and skill, which is what attracts people to the sport. This program will help assure parents that wrestling is a safe sport and one that they should encourage their children to be involved with."