Age-group wrestlers to use new FILA rules this year
By
The rules of international wrestling changed after the 2004
Olympic Games. FILA, the international wrestling federation, made many
adjustments to the Olympic styles in many ways, including the structure of each
match and how competitions are conducted.
Under the new rules, an athlete must win two of the three
periods of a match to claim a victory. The overall score of the match no longer
matters. The structure is similar to a tennis match, with each period just like
a set in tennis. Once a wrestler wins two periods, the match is completed.
Included in the changes was a revision of a Greco-Roman
match, where there is now wrestling on the mat (called par terre)
in each period. The first half of the period is contested on the feet. Each
wrestler is placed on the bottom position for 30 seconds, with a new
Greco-Roman clinch using a reverse lift.
Freestyle wrestling has a new clinch position, where one
athlete secures a single leg lock from the feet, with the opponent in a
defensive position only if a period ends scoreless. There is also a new rule in
both styles where a point is awarded to the opponent when an athlete steps out
of bounds when wrestling on their feet. An athlete wins a period as a technical
fall if he or she scores six points more than the opponent. Also, a five-point
throw automatically wins a period. If a period ends as a tie, there are
specific tie-breaking rules to determine who wins the period.
Last year, USA Wrestling’s age-group wrestling programs did
not use these new FILA international rules, except for in tournaments that were
qualifiers for international competitions.
Starting in 2005-06, USA Wrestling age-group competitions in
the international styles will all be contested with
the new FILA rules. This will be something different for many involved in youth
wrestling, including coaches, athletes, referees, tournament officials and
fans.
The new rules will be in affect at major competitions such
as the ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet Nationals, the Kids National Freestyle
and Greco-Roman Championships, the National Dual Meet Championships and the USA
Wrestling Regional Championships.
USA Wrestling’s national coaches wish to remind everybody
that while the structure of matches may have changed, that the wrestling is
still wrestling. There is no reason for coaches and athletes to worry about the
changes. The skills that are required to succeed in wrestling remain the same,
and the transition to the new rules should be smooth once the coaches and
athletes give them a try.
With the freestyle and Greco-Roman season coming up soon,
coaches, athletes and club administrators should get a copy of the new rules
and read them closely to get a better knowledge of how the rules are being
implemented. Anybody who is interested in learning the rules can download a
copy of the official new FILA rules as a PDF file from TheMat.com (www.themat.com). Just click on the link
entitled Officials Association, and you will be sent to the U.S. Wrestling
Officials Association site, where the PDF file is posted.
In addition, the FILA website also has considerable
information on any of the current modifications of these rules. Just visit www.fila-wrestling.com, and click on the British flag in
the upper left hand side to get the English version. Go to the section
labeled “Wrestling” on the left hand side and review and print those
documents. This material will give you a good working knowledge of the rules
and assist with the assimilation of the rules into the practice room.
USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program is
planning to have a video available on the new rules which should assist youth
programs in understanding and adjusting to the new rules. There will be ongoing
education provided by USA Wrestling to assist in the transition,
Coaches and parents should note that USA Wrestling has some
modifications to the international rules for the younger age groups here in the
USA Wrestling will soon be publishing its annual Rulebook
and Guide to Wrestling, with the official rules of wrestling as provided by
FILA with USA Wrestling modifications. The Rulebook and Guide contains
information on the various bracketing styles used in the
Certainly, one of the positions that coaches and their
athletes must concentrate in their training is the new clinches in both
freestyle and Greco-Roman. These positions take on a very important role in
many matches, especially close bouts. In every Greco-Roman match, each wrestler
will get an opportunity to secure a reverse lift in par terre,
and every wrestler must also defend against the reverse lift. In freestyle,
athletes and coaches must spend time finishing the takedown from the leg hold
in the clinch, as well as defending with the leg secured from the clinch.
Mastering these positions often means the difference between winning and losing
under the new rules.
There are certain strategies that coaches and athletes must
learn under the new rules. With the six-point technical fall possibility in
each period, a wrestler will have to compete differently than in the past.
Also, wrestling on the feet is very important in freestyle, because there is no
forced par terre, and when athletes step out of
bounds, the wrestling remains on the feet.
It is also a great idea to watch as much Senior-level
international wrestling as possible, to see how the elite athletes are
competing under the new rules. If there is a Senior-level tournament in your
area, especially a national championship or international competition, you can
learn so much by being a spectator and attending the event. In addition, a
number of USA Wrestling events will be posted on the internet on LiveSportsVideo.com,
which allows you to see the nation’s top wrestlers using the new rules. In
addition, USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program often produces and
sells highlight videos from major Senior-level events, another chance to see
the new rules in competition.
With the amount of published materials available, video
resources and Senior-level competitions to review, coaches, athletes and
officials should become comfortable with the implementation of the new rules.
As with any style of wrestling, regardless of the level, the more time and
effort that you put into the new rules, the higher level of success you will
achieve on the mat. If you understand the scoring system, practice the new
positions, research and develop new strategies and study the elite wrestlers
using the new rules, the change to the new rules in age-group competition
should be successful.
USA Wrestling will monitor age-group wrestling this year, to
determine how the transition is progressing and if there needs to be additional
modifications. Input from coaches and team leaders is
very important in this process. Any feedback or comments about the rule changes
on the age group level should be directed to USA Wrestling Director of State
Services
Participating in international-style wrestling continues to
be a tremendous opportunity for young wrestlers to learn the sport, improve
their skills and receive outstanding competition. Once athletes and coaches
have experience in training and competing in the new rules, it will quickly
become just another form of wrestling to master and enjoy.