Several highly anticipated fundamental rule changes in high school wrestling were officially adopted Thursday by the National Federation of State High School Associations and could be implemented in Pennsylvania for the 2024-25 season.
The rule changes, including clarification on how wrestlers are judged inbounds, increasing the value of a takedown to three points from two and higher awards for near falls, commonly known as back points.
These changes were recommended by the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee earlier this month and approved by the NFHS Board of Directors Thursday. These high school rule changes are already in place at the collegiate level.
The PIAA must decide if the changes announced by the NFHS will come to fruition for the Pennsylvania wrestling community next season.
Lyndsay Barna, the body’s Associate Executive Director, said Thursday that the rulechanges will go before the wrestling steering committee at its June session. The steering committee includes athletic directors and wrestling officials.
Approval from the steering committee would place the changes in the hands of the PIAA Executive Bord at its July meeting, Barna said.
The most welcome rule change appears to be what is known as the “one point contact” rule, where wrestlers are ruled inbounds with only one point of contact of either wrestler inside or on the boundary line.
Previously, wrestlers considered inbounds if a total of two supporting points of either wrestler were inside or on the boundary line.
“Without increasing risk, this change eliminates the subjectivity of the out-of-bounds call,” said Elliot Hopkins, NFHS director of sports and student services and liaison to the Wrestling Rules Committee in a release. “The change also helps officials to call ‘out of bounds’ more consistently, and it provides wrestlers, coaches and spectators a better understanding of out of bounds.”
“The out-of-bounds rule change is something that we’ve wanted for years,” said Gettysburg boys and girls head wrestling coach Chris Haines. “It’s going to benefit the sport and take pressure off the officials to define where the edge is. Some schools and the Giant Center are going to have to adjust to make room to wrestle.”
Chambersburg head wrestling coach Matt Mentzer agreed, particularly concerning the current setup at the Giant Center, which hosts the PIAA boys team tournaments and the PIAA Boys and Girls Wrestling Championships.
“The out-of-bounds rule is one I like, but it’s going to be very different for some events that are a little cramped,” Mentzer said. “A lot of takedowns are lost at the Giant Center because of the hockey boards up against the mat on one side. On one side, there’s room and on the other, it’s iffy at best. (The officials) have to stop the action early.”
Takedowns and back points are worth more in the new set of NFHS rules. Takedowns are now worth three points.
Two back points will be awarded when a wrestler achieves a near fall for two seconds. Three points are earned for three seconds of criteria and four points for four seconds.
A fifth point can be awarded is the wrestler on the bottom is injured, bleeding or indicates an injury to the official after the fourth point is awarded.
Previously, a three second count earned two back points. A full five second count garnered three points.
“The goal in wrestling is to pin the opponent,” Hopkins said in the NFHS release. “Changing the near-fall points should motivate wrestlers to work for a fall.”
“I think these will all be positive changes,” Gettysburg’s Haines said. “The three-point takedown is going to create more action while they’re wrestling on their feet.”
Chambersburg’s Mentzer voiced some reservations about the proposed takedown and back point changes.
“I don’t know what’s behind it. I don’t think it helps the sport. The out-of-bounds (rule) makes sense but I like the sport the way it is,” Mentzer said. “My son wrestles in college and says the three-point takedown has mixed reviews.
Mentzer says the increase in takedown and back point values is likely to increase the amount of 15-point technical fall bouts, which awards five team points in a dual meet instead of a six from a straight pin.
“You get an elite wrestler who goes out there with eight takedowns and let ups and embarrasses another wrestler; how is that good for the sport. An increase in tech falls is not good for the sport,” he said.
Mentzer said lowering the value of a forfeit from six team points would be a helpful rule change in dual meets.
“You’ve got coaches in dual meets forfeiting to bump a kid up in weight class and get a pin and now that’s even,” he said. “If that’s changed, it puts more kids on the mat.”
The NFHS adopted three other wrestling rule changes, including not stopping a bout for a 15-point technical fall victory when the offensive wrestler has a defensive wrestler in near fall criteria. The technical fall will be enforced when near fall criteria is concluded.
In addition, the 10-foot circle markings at the center of the mat are now optional and a new official’s timeout signal, which is hands or fingers pointed to the chest.
