"I do not think it is the "better" wrestlers responsibility to help his opponent during a match. I think that is why we have practices. Just my opinion."

By the way smokeycabin, that is not just your opinion, it is also my opinion. When I originally wrote this post, I said that I knew my philosophy on this subject, but I wanted to hear the what other coaches thought. To be honest, I thought the only thing that I would hear would be crickets.

I tell any wrestler I coach, once you get them on their back, don't let them up. If they are wrestling someone that they are far better than, is working a lot of different moves really going to benefit them? Their opponent likely doesn't have a clue how to counter these moves. How does that prepare them to throw the same moves against someone who knows how to defend them?

As far as mat time, practice is where you get your mat time. Years ago when my son wrestled with another club, we had a very good wrestler who went undefeated in Jr High. That same year, you could find him wrestling on both Saturday and Sunday (yes, Novice tournaments). His dad/coach's reasoning behind it was that since he was so light, he didn't get very many matches during open tournaments. Therefore, wrestling at some of the Novice venues got him more "mat time". Oh, and by the way, he practiced his arsenal of moves against these Novice wrestlers. Was that time on the mat really worth it to his career in the long run?

Anyway, before I forget, can someone please tell me how you make that neat little box around another poster's comments? I am not that bad with computers, but I still haven't figured it out.

Anybody can get a lucky pin. It is not luck to Tech Fall an opponent. I would rather beat a good opponent by 8 or more points, then to let them say I got lucky and pinned them.

Getting ready to go to the state tournament in Wichita. Smokey's wife opinion: she said "I would rather have the 6 team points everytime rather than 5 in a dual or the extra bonus points a pin brings in the tournament format." I would have to agree with that philosophy.

Beeson: this used to be the rule, but it was changed sometime between 2003 and 2007 (not sure when-I was on a coaching hiatus). I spent a long time this year trying to find it in the rule book and it is no longer there. That being said, I don't think there's anything more unsportsmanlike than cutting a wrestler from his back to his feet. I wish they would put that rule back in the book.

Some refs still enforce it. I saw a kid hit a blast double & the other kid went to his back & then the kid cut him & got dinged for it.

Someone on here said something along the lines of "letting the bottom wrestler think he worked his way off his back". Don't just let him flop to his belly. I like that. I believe there are things to be gained on both sides by not doing a quick pin. Cutting them fromtheir back to their feet is not cool, but each kid has the same amount of time to work their technique in a match. Most of the time, if a kid gets techfalled rather than pinned, he feels better about it.

Practice is a controled environment. You are taught the same moves and how to defend those same moves with the same partners everyday. Young wrestlers and I'm talking wrestlers under 12 gain confidence by doing moves in a real match. I may drill moves all wrestling season but that doesn't mean they will work against my practice partner. Both wrestlers know what's coming and what not to do.I don't believe in cutting a kid to show boat and I would hope my kids never do that for those kinds of reasons. We as coaches put to much emphasise on winning the Annual Po Dunk Classic and should treat these tournaments like practice for the state tournament or whatever your goal may be.Tournaments need to be looked at like a/an practice where anything can happen. I would rather wrestle 3 rounds against a kid who was kicking my butt then a partial round with a kid who head locked me( or pinned me quick and made me look lika a chump) and had me on my back for 2 minutes or less. Atleast the kid who went three rounds with me could actually wrestle.

Patrick we had the same thing happen this year. The kid was 6 and he didn't know the rule. I thought it was still a rule! Ask The Ref should know if it's an existing rule.

It is not. I posted on the "ask the ref" forum and much to my chagrin, it is no longer there. The exact rule on unsportsmanlike conduct says,

"It includes, but is not limited to such acts as failure to comply with the direction of the referee, pushing, shoving, swearing, taunting, intimidation, baiting an opponent, throwing ear guards or any other equipment, spitting and the clearing of the nasal passage in other than the proper receptacle, repeatedly droppoing to one knee to break locked hands, indicating displeasure with a call, failure to keep shoulder straps up while on the mat, and failure to comply with the end-of-match procedure."

When you cut someone from his back, it can be considered by the referee to be "taunting, intimidation, or baiting," but nowhere in the rulebook does it explicitly dictate that cutting from the back to the feet is unsportsmanlike.

Long story short: refs have the power to call it, but aren't required to. If I were wearing the stripes I would call it every time I saw it.

They will call it from what I have seen. If you want to cut tell your wrestler to let them belly down first.

Whoever said anything about a headlock? There is a time and a place for everything, but throwing a headlock against an inferior opponent? The only time a kid should consider throwing a headlock is when they are down big at the end of a match, with little time left, and need a pin to win. Oh, and by the way, they sure better know how to set it up against a wrestler who has already had their way with them, or it will be like swinging at an off speed pitch when you are expecting a fastball.

Here is the scenario. A wrestler goes out against another wrestler who they are much better than. They shoot a nice double or single, take the kid to the mat, find a pinning combination that does not torture them, roll them to their back, and finish with a pin. That is what you are supposed to do. You don't toy with the kid to make them feel better because they went three periods and only got beat 0-15.

One more thing, your wrestler shouldn't feel like a chump if they just got stuck quickly by another wrestler who is much better than they are. If they do, then maybe someone hasn't told them that wrestling is one of the most (I say the most) difficult sports that they could compete in as a kid. They should be proud of the fact that they are a wrestler, no matter the outcome, or how long it lasted.

Inferior was the wrong word to use. What I should have said is less experienced. Anyway, at the very least this morning, I did figure out how to make that neat little box.

i teach my wrestlers that you don't have to pin someone to win. too many times a young wrestler get stuck on one move trying to take a kid straight to his back. we teach them to score in every period and to score from every position. we also teach them to let a kid roll through if you can't get a pin in about 10-15 seconds, give it up and turn him again, score more points! beeson is right anyone can throw you and get a quick 5. it would be much different, like smokey's wife said, if we were wrestling for bonus points. we aren't it's not high school, and we aren't trying to help anyone but ourselves. we defenitely are not trying to embarass anyone. those guys who "pin and move on" and don't go more than 1 period, usually gas in a tough 3 period match.

I saw it called yesterday as well. It wasn't a blast double that put the kid on his back, but the much better wrestler got off the kid who was well on his way to getting stuck and got to his feet. One point for unsportsmanlike conduct and one for escape. Later in the match the better wrestler almost did it again. He started to get off the other wrestler who was again on his back, hesitated, and got back on. I guess some habits are hard to break.

Patrick, it was nice to meet you yesterday. Good luck with your son and keep that monkey rock'n.

always the pin!! if u can play w/ an apponent like that, its more than likly not going to make u better and u can get more out of your practice partner through the weak. get it over with if u can

But as youth coaches we are preparing them for high school. Establishing habits, techinques, attitudes, work ethic, sportmanship on and off the mat, scoring, emphasis on school studies and home work, hygiene, team work, etc. I did see a couple of kids this weekend at the High School State tournament cutting guys loose with a pretty good lead and it did back fired and they lost the match. I also saw guys that did not know how to finish a pinning combination properly and got flipped to their back and pinned. I think you make the guy earn a point and ride him hard with out giving up a reversal - that is when you cut a guy in my opinion. Not when you are about to pin him. In practice a pin is a pin - then start them back on their feet during live wrestling immediately - do not let the kids lay on each other for the entire 1, 1.5, or 2 minute periods. Practicing getting off your back only takes about 10 - 15 seconds each in a drill no matter what pinning combination your partner has on you - in a real match situtation it is 2 seconds if top guy finishes properly.

Good call coach. We have three opportunities to make practice each week and making two is the goal. My son has asked to stay home to do homework on a few occasions this year. He takes a lot of pride in his grades and has done very well in school. I tell him to get on his homework right when he gets home from school when we plan on going to practice. Sometimes, the workload is just too much, so we stay home. How our kids perform in the classroom is very important, and I am glad that Garrett realizes that.

I guess I do not think the same as a lot of people do. I like to see the kids roll around on the mat. I also like to see a kid that is just starting get some hope. If the kid gets pinned in 10-20 sec every time he steps on the mat will he want to come back? If the same kid that has gotten pinned almost every time gets to go to the full match, I know he thinks it is better than geting pinned in secs. I know my kid did.
Recently I told my son to let a kid belly down. He was not and will never be mean. My son had pinned the kid in secs every time we had met on the mat. The match went longer than I figgered. My son was in control most of the time. I did not do this for my son. I did this hoping to help the other boy get some mat time. At no time did the boy cry nor did he ever stop trying. If he would have been upset, I would have never asked my son to let him belly down.
After the match the opponent's coach had a fit, yelling, calling me names, telling me I was teaching my son bad sportsmanship. I could not believe it. I felt very bad to have upset him and I apologized and told the coach I was not showboating. I just thought the boy would like some mat time to work on his moves and maybe make him happy to have a full match. I felt like I should talk to the kids mom/dad also. When I found her she said she was very glad I did what I did. She stated her son was very happy with the match. He was proud of himself for going the full three rounds. It was one of the few he did not get pinned.
My son is a novice wrestler. This was the first time I had ever been in a situation where I could do this. Last year, in his first year, someone did it for him and he came off the mat grinning from ear to ear because he didn't get pinned.

I believe that practice should be done at practice and unless you are one that does not get the opportunity to practice then I say win you match and move on.

If you are haivng to weigh in on 2 days or more then if you have an easy match jog afterwards and get that sweat rolling. it will not only help your weight but extra conditioning never hurt anyone- well hurt you badly I would guess.

Learning that matches you are there to take care of business and practice is where you become fundamental sound is a great thing. I like to be extremely fundmental in my practices and then come match time the kids should be able to show what they have learned

have Fun and Enjoy each match you wrestle.