APRIL 2015
TO: SOUTHERN PLAINS COACHES & STATE LEADERS
FR: RUSTY DAVIDSON
RE: NATIONAL COACHES COUNCIL
Coaches & Leaders,
No sooner had I gotten my March piece finished, and we start getting “proposals’ for rule changes in the Olympic Styles. Please DO NOT panic ! Some fine-tuning is about all I see. I will address significant points in this update. Please also note: My late March piece appears AFTER the end of this one… for the record.
First, though, congratulations to all Southern Plains Athletes and Coaches for a great performance at the Folkstyle National Championship, in Cedar Falls ! Our kids looked great, and much of that is due to your efforts. Thanx !
OK… rule change proposals. I have to emphasize that I am not going to speculate on rumor. I am responsible for getting you guys information you can take to the podium.
Senior athletes will be unaffected, we are told, through Rio. The 2014 World Championship rules of both Greco and Freestyle will remain in force.
Take a look at the rules, below, exactly as they were sent to USAW and USWOA leaders from UWW. These rules for AGE-GROUP athletes were adopted by our Junior Olympic Committee on April 8th. I will offer some editorial coaching tips after you see the rules, as adopted.
“These Greco Roman rules are to be used by all age groups below the senior level this year.
Freestyle rules remain as they were in 2014.
PENALTY FOR ILLEGAL ACTIONS
Proposal: Every caution should be evaluated by caution (0) + 2 points
• For example, head butt, punching/slapping, all leg faults (offensive or defensive, holding the legs, bending the leg, kicking action.....) grasping the singlet, twisting finger, fleeing the mat,fleeing the hold, refusing to take the correct position in the par terre start..
• (Currently types of penalty depends on infraction, sometimes caution + 1pt, sometimes caution 2 pts.
ACTION FROM STANDING BUT NO DANGER POSITION
Proposal: The wrestler who executes a regular hold from standing position but does not bring his opponent into a danger position or cannot control him by passing behind, will score 2 points (Currently 1 point, correct throw)
ACTION FROM STANDING WITH DANGER POSITION
Proposal: The wrestler that executes a regular hold from standing position and places his opponent in the danger position will score 4 points.
LIFT FROM PARTERRE, BUT NO DANGER POSITION
Proposal: The wrestler who executes a hold by lifting his opponent from the ground and does not place him in a danger position will score 2 points. (Currently 1 point)
LIFT FROM PAR TERRE AND PLACING THE OPPONENT IN A DANGER POSITION
Rule: The wrestler who executes a hold by lifting his ipponent from the ground and placing him in a danger position will score 4 points. (Currently existing rule)
• Elimination of 5 points.
GUT WRENCH
Proposal: All gut wrenches regardless how they are executed in danger position or not will be scored 2 points.
• (Current rule; 2 pts. for danger position, 1 pt. for hand to hand, no danger)
ELIMINATION OF ORDERED PAR TERRE
Proposal: No more ordered par terre for passive wrestler.
GOING OUT/STEPPING OUT FROM ZONE SITUATIONS
Proposal: In order to encourage active wrestling, in case the attacking wrestler who steps in to protection area during his action he will not be penalized by giving 1 point to opponent.
• If he can score he will receive his point(s).
• If he cannot score, referee will stop the bout and restart in center.
• (Current rule; the attacking wrestler will lose 1 point in case he steps out during his action.)
• Pushing out will not be penalized 1 point.
• 1 point for step out in other cases remains the same.
• When a wrestler visibly and intentionally pushes his opponent into the protection area, he will NOT score 1 point.
PROCEDURE FOR ENFORCEMENT OF PENALTIES FOR INACTIVITY IN GR WRESTLING
Proposal: To avoid disqualifications from a bout as a result of 3 cautions for passivity, in GR wrestling, the wrestlers will be penalized by caution only in fleeing the hold, fleeing the mat and illegal actions. (caution + 2 points)
• For passivity wrestling, penalization of passive wrestler will be without cautions as followed:
• If a wrestler is blocking, interlocking fingers, thwarting his opponent or avoiding wrestling in standing position, the referee will verbally warn him by using UWW vocabulary (red/blue head up/open /contact / no block /attack...)
• If the wrestler continues to be passive, the referee will ask for passivity. When either the judge or mat chairman(majority of officiating body) agress with this decision, the referee will warn the passive wrestler officially, showing passivity with his left (red) or right (blue) hand raised high up in the air and speak in a loud and clear voice using UWW vocabulary 'attention red/blue passive' WITHOUT STOPPING THE BOUT. At the same time, one colored light (in the color of the wrestler's singlet) will be turned on at the corner of passive wrestler on the scoreboard.
• In repeated cases when a wrestler again continues to be passive after a verbal warning, the referee will again ask for passivity and if the majority of the refereeing body confirms this decision, the referee will say again to the wrestler in a loud and clear voice 'attention-red/blue ! passive'.
• A second light will be lit and the opponent will be awarded 1 point, which the referee will then announce to the passive wrestler, 'red/blue, attention-penalty point! WITHOUT STOPPING THE BOUT.
• The two lights will turn off and the opponent will receive one technical point.
• Same procedure will continue the whole bout- every two passivity lights for passive wrestler will result in one technical point to the opponent
BASIC DEFENSE POSITION OF THE BOTTOM WRESTLER DURING PAR TERRE WRESTLING
Proposal: In order to give a chance to the top wrestler to execute a hold in par terre wrestling, the bottom wrestler must defend himself with his both arms open/ away from the body.
• The bottom wrestler cannot 'close' himself by having his elbows close to his body, or join his elbows and his knees or legs in order to prevent the upper wrestler from taking a hold.
• Also, bottom wrestler must not prevent the top wrestler from executing a hold by breaking or holding his fingers and/or wrists. He is only allowed to push from his opponent's torso not the arms at all.
• The wrestler who behaves against this rule, after a strict verbal warning will be IMMEDIATELY PENALIZED by a caution and 2 points and put back in par terre.
GRABBING AND INTERLOCKING FINGERS FORBIDDEN
Proposal: To prevent/to block a wrestler from executing a hold, or to wrestle actively by grabbing and interlocking fingers, holding wrists for long time is strictly forbidden. The wrestler will be penalized by a caution and his opponent will receive 2 points.
• Also the wrestlers will be encouraged / forced to wrestle chest to chest (the original standing wrestling position in greco).
• The wrestler who refuses to wrestle chest to chest will be considered passive.”
OK ? Now, let’s see what we can simplify. Realize you are now seeing Rusty’s Opinions. Please keep a questioning eye and feel free to share any disagreement !
Start with scoring actions. Everything, INCLUDING “Correct Throws” and ALL turns, scores either TWO or FOUR. DANGER is the difference.
A foul, a flee (hold or mat), an illegal action scores a CAUTION and TWO… logical, because you deprived your opponent from scoring.
Step outs are gonna’ get a little weird ! Step out to defend = LOSE ONE POINT. Step out and attack = Score what you earn, or GET ONE POINT. Push a guy out… straight arms, no technique = PROBABLY will NOT score.
COACHING TIP: If your opponent has their butt to the zone, near the edge, we want to keep BENT elbows, chest high, head up, and APPEAR to be attacking underhooks ! Get that point !
Passivity calls are NOT cautions. I suspect they’ll be entered as ‘P’. Every SECOND ‘P’ will earn ONE point for the aggressive wrestler. Eventually, there will be lights on the scoreboard. For now, tournament directors, think about Red and Blue Plastic Cups. You only need ONE EACH per mat… First warning = Cup Visible, Second warning = Score the point and REMOVE THE CUP… Rinse… Repeat.
COACHING TIP: In practice, DESIGN SITUATIONS with one warning, one point, one warning. In competition, COMMUNICATE the warning and/or point.
When we think about PAR TERRE wrestling, DO NOT PANIC ! However, DO let athletes know that getting taken down can be terminal ! Your ONLY defense is heavy hips and motion. Other than that, you’re pretty much a sitting duck.
There is no more FORCED par terre. You’re only going to be put back down if there’s a foul from par terre.
COACHING TIPS: On Bottom, Glue your hips, create weight with your feet, know where his head is, keep elbows off the mat and hands in front of shoulders. If you get taken down, defend IMMEDIATELY. You have to fight him off for a few good seconds.
On top, SCORE IN TRANSITION. If you take a guy down, look to TERMINATE. Stay busy with your ONE best attack.
On working hands, grabbing fingers, using low head position, my best advice is DRILL FOR PURPOSE. Hanging on a guy’s fingers, or burying your head will be expensive !
Move his hands, gain superior head position and ACT. (That means look to score… not create drama !)
