I ran into a scenario at a match I was reffing that I'm not sure how to handle.
Two JV wrestlers checked in to the table. Wrestler A walked onto the mat, then wrestler B's dad came down and pulled wrestler B from the match.
I was miffed, so all I could do was raise wrestler A's arm.
Wrestler B's dad then wanted wrestler B to wrestle someone else.
Here's my question - once they've checked in, has the match has officially started? Can that wrestler immediately wrestle someone else, or are they subject to the 45 minute wait point at that point?
Luckily, wrestler B's coach solved the problem by not letting him wrestle, but I'm curious as to what the ruling is.
"A match begins when the proper wrestler reports to the scorers table in dual matches and tournaments until the conclusion of wrestling."
6-2-2
"The wrestler to be sent to the scorers table first, who then cannot be withdrawn or replaced without being disqualified and the weight class being forfeted...Once the second wrestler has properly reported to the scorers table in proper sequence...neither can be withdrawn or replaced without disqualification and the weight class forfeited."
5-13
"forfeits count as matches when considering the five-matches-in-one-day limit."
I don't have my 2010 book right here, so this wording is from my 2009 book, but I don't think anything changed with these rules this year. Based on the wording, however, I would say that since the forfeit counts as a match towards a wrestlers 5 in one day, then the wrestler should have to wait 45 minutes before his next match.
Unless the WIAA or your middle school league made some declaration (which I doubt) saying it was OK to overlook a forfeit in this case (since it was JV), or to un-check-in a wrestler after he properly reports but his dad didn't think it was the kid he wanted to see, he would have to wait 45 minutes.
Unfortunately, some anonymous poster on the other board says you're an egomaniac so I guess that negates your answer.
On a serious note, how would you handle a situation like this? A problem with how I handled it would mean that wrestler A, who did nothing wrong, would also not be allowed to wrestle a separate exhibition match (the school sizes were such that we were not running a full JV match; e.g. no team scores being counted), meaning that particular wrestler is robbed of mat time.
Would you have allowed them to find new opponents?
Good question. This is one of those cases where there is a rule-book correct ruling, and a practical ruling. Given that this was an exhibition match and the wrestler's team points were not relevant to a team outcome, I probably would have foregone the technically correct ruling and went with the more practical ruling - let the kids have a match.
However, if this was a varsity match, or team points were otherwise important, then you probably would have to be more stringent about your interpretation. Because if you were not, sure enough one of these kids team points would be the difference in the outcome of the meet.
I think I agree with JTE. I didn't think it through very well when I posted earlier. Your comment is absolutely correct in that the wrestler would be getting cheated out of mat time. Since it is an exhibition, I would handle it one of two ways based on how we come across exhibition matches in Central Washington.
1) If I'm at Cascade High School in Leavenworth on one mat with 2 or 3 exhibition matches before the varsity dual (or even with 6 or 7), then I would let wrestler A leave the mat without raising his hand, and leave the decision with the coaches...if they want to cancel that match so that it never existed (since you didn't blow the whistle, and no wrestling actually occurred), and arrange another match, I would allow it.
2) If I am at Eastmont High School with 2 mats and 4 schools going full speed, and something like this pops up in the middle, I would raise the kids hand, make him sign his bout sheet, record the match time, and leave it to the meet staff to sort out the rest. The reality of this type of scenario, however, is that it would probably take 45 minutes for them to get the next match sorted out anyway.
I always try to apply the rules in such a way as to allow wrestling rather than prevent it, but since the main issue with the 45 minutes is safety, I worry about the possibility of a lawsuit if the kid were to get injured in the subsequent match (even though he never wrestled the first match). The coach or parent could always argue that there was an error with the bout sheet, or that the wrong wrestlers reported to the table...both of these items would render the exhibition match nonexistent and the 45 minute rule would not apply...if the wrong wrestlers reported and they wrestled, then I would be strict about the 45, but since there was no wrestling, it is best to be reasonable...it is just an exhibition match, right?
The one thing I'll add to the previous points is this:
The reporting order is consequential to this rule.
So, the match begins when the wrestler reports in the proper order. And, once having reported in the proper order, a wrestler cannot be withdrawn without being disqualified. So, here are the possibilities in your scenario:
Assume A is required to check in first per the premeet coin flip.
1) B reports to the table first, then A reports. B is then withdrawn and replaced by B1. This is allowable without any penalty.
2) A reports to the table first, then B reports. B is withdrawn and the coach/dad wants B1 to wrestle A instead. B loses by disqualification and A wins by forfeit (quirk in the rules actually results in separate outcomes for each wrestler in conjunction with one match). Technically, by rule, neither wrestler is allowed to wrestle without 45 minutes rest since both have participated in a match.
Now of course, we frequently see this type of arrangement occur in dual meets - Red receives a forfeit, then out comes Green to wrestle an exhibition match against Red (e.g., Green was overweight but the coaches want the two kids to square off). Does this adhere to the rules? No, but we all do it, even By the Book. It's one of those timeless traditions/standards we don't bother to change.
Had never given it much thought. You're right, I've done the same thing many times...especially when rosters are thin as they sometimes are with 1A. 135 will receive a forfeit, 140 will receive a forfeit, and then they wrestle an exhibition match in the middle of the dual meet.
on 3/4/2010, 10:21 am