Indiana High School Athletic Association

WRESTLING WEIGHT CONTROL PROGRAM

2003-2004 Regulations

 

 

Introduction

 

For the fourth consecutive year, Indiana high school wrestlers will participate in the IHSAA Wrestling Weight Control Program.  The program is designed to determine the minimum weight class a wrestler may participate in, based on a predicted weight at 7% body fat for male athletes and 12% body fat for female athletes.

 

The IHSAA continues to address the safety of the student athletes in our wrestling program.  The establishment of minimum weight classes in conjunction with a maximum weight loss per week, allows wrestlers to participate in a most healthy manner.

 

The following program information will give you specific details and procedures about the program.  If you have questions, please contact the IHSAA office at 317-846-6601 or via e-mail at wrestling@ihsaa.org.

 

 

1

            THE REGULATION

 

 


The establishment of a minimum wrestling weight based on 7% body fat for males and 12% for females is required for all high school wrestlers.  The IHSAA does not advocate that a wrester’s established minimum weight is the athlete’s best weight, simply the minimum weight at which the athlete will be allowed to compete.

 

I.          Establishing Minimum Weights

 

A.        The determination of predicted weights at 7%/12% body fat is accomplished through the use of skinfold measurements, bio-impedance readings or air-displacement readings.  Acceptable skinfold measurements must be taken by a certified IHSAA skinfold assessor.  Schools may obtain a list of approved measurers at the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org under boys’ sports and wrestling.  It is the responsibility of the school to contact a certified skinfold measurer from this list.  Bio-impedance readings taken from a TANITA body composition analyzer may be submitted for use in the establishment of minimum weights.  Individuals and/or schools may opt to invoke air displacement readings for their measurements.  The Bod-Pod air displacement measurement device may be used for this type of measurement.  Selected colleges and universities, along with fitness and sport institutes in Indiana will make arrangements with schools and/or individuals to use this technology. Please contact the IHSAA if you wish to implement air-displacement measurements to meet the regulation.

 

            B.         The lowest weight class a wrestler may compete at will be determined as                                                           follows:

 

1.         If the predicted weight at 7% male or 12% female is exactly that of one of the weight classes that weight class shall be the wrestler’s minimum weight class.

2.         If the predicted weight falls between two weight classes, he/she must wrestler at the higher weight class.

3.         With written parental permission, the wrestler may wrestle at the weight class in which the 7% male/12% female predicted weight, less 2% of that weight, places him/her.  (Example:  Male wrestler measurers 7% body fat at 105 pounds.  The wrestler may subtract 2% of 105 pounds [2.1 pounds] from 105 pounds resulting in the sub 7% wrestler to qualify for the 103 pound weight class.  This permission must be requested on the IHSAA parent permission form provided to the schools with this information and on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org under boys’ sports and wrestling.  This permission must be received no later than the last Friday of December. (December 26, 2003)

4.         Any male or female wrestler whose body fat percentage at the time       of measurement falls below 7%/12% must obtain, in writing on the prescribed IHSAA form, a licensed physician’s clearance stating that the athlete is naturally at this sub 7%/12% body fat level.  A physician’s clearance is valid for one season and expires April 1 of each year.  The physician’s form for this clearance is provided with this information and on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org under boys’ sports and wrestling.  This approval must be received before the athlete is allowed to wrestle in any interschool competition.

 

II.         Time Periods for Measurements

 

A.        Measurements may begin on Monday of Week 16. (October 22, 2003)  All wrestlers, including those coming out late, must have their minimum weight established prior to any competition.

 

B.         Measurements must be completed by Friday of Week 20 (November 21, 2003), except for those wrestlers who are late reporting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

            EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES FOR 2003-2004

 

 


SPECIFIC GRAVITY URINE TESTING

 

All Indiana high school wrestlers must be tested for specific gravity urine density PRIOR to being measured for body density and body fat percentages.  The testing of specific gravity in urine is simply to measure the hydration levels of athletes prior to being measured for body density.  The hydration level of an athlete will have a profound impact on the measurement process and create a much more accurate assessment of the body density of an athlete.

 

In our application, specific gravity urine is tested by the use of a Bayer multi-strip.  These strips may be obtained from most health product suppliers.  Information to obtain the multi-strips is contained within this document.

 

An athlete, in the presence of school administration (i.e.: athletic administrator, athletic trainer, school nurse) shall pass a multi-strip through their urine.  After a 30 second period, the strip shall be compared to a color gradient which will determine the level specific gravity within the urine.  If the student’s measurement is below or meets a level of 1.020, the athlete passes the specific gravity urine test and may continue to be measured for body density and body fat percentages.  If the student’s urine measurement is above 1.020, the student fails the specific gravity urine test and must wait a minimum of 24 hours to be retested.  A student shall not be measured for body density and body fat percentages before passing a specific gravity urine test.

 

A school simply must report whether the student has passed the specific gravity urine test when completing the information for that particular student.  The reporting process will be covered later in this information.

 

BODY DENSITY AND BODY FAT PERCENTAGE MEASUREMENT

 

The IHSAA will accept body density and body fat percentage measurements using one of three different methods with the following equipment:

 

  1. Skinfold measurements shall be taken using the Lange skinfold caliper.  These are medium priced calipers and can be obtained for less than $200.00 from most health care product suppliers.  Measurements taken with the Lange calipers must be taken by an IHSAA certified skinfold measurer.  A list of certified measures may be found on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org under boy’s sports, wrestling and in the weight control information link.

 

  1. Bio-Impedance measurements will be accepted from the use of the TANITA TBF-300GS Body Composition Analyzer/Scale.  This technology is available for approximately $1500-$1700 from most health care product suppliers.  Measurements taken with the TANITA analyzer must be witnessed by the athletic administrator or athletic trainer of the school.  The use of any other model of TANITA must be approved by the IHSAA prior to use.

 

  1. Air displacement measurement using the BOD-POD machine may be used to measure body composition.  This technology is available in Indianapolis at the National Institute for Fitness and Sport as well as regional sites including Ball State University and Purdue University.  The fee set by NIFS is $15.00 per wrestler provided the entire team is scheduled to be tested or $30.00 per individual tested independent of the team.  There is a potential that a BOD-POD machine may be brought to a school for testing by member of the NIFS staff.  If you wish further information about testing with the BOD-POD machine, you should contact Vern LaMere, M.S., Human Performance Lab, National Institute for Fitness and Sport, 250 University Blvd, Indianapolis, IN  46202, Tel: 317-274-3432, Fax 317-274-7408, Email: vlamere@nifs.org, www.nifs.org

 

REPORTING OF DATA

 

The IHSAA has entered into partnership with the National Wrestling Coaches Association with regard to the recording of data in the IHSAA wrestling weight control program.  School personnel will report the measurement data directly to the National Wrestling Coaches Association website by using a selected login and password supplied by the NWCA.  The advantages of using this technology over previous years are countless.  The athletic administrator or athletic trainer will receive an instantaneous calculation of the predicted 7%/12% body weight based upon the measurements submitted.  In addition to that response, the program will calculate a 1 ½ % weekly weight loss figure in graphic detail which will enable the coach and wrestler to see a progressive weight loss pattern that will end with their predicted weight at 7%/12% or the weight achievable by the Monday prior to the IHSAA sectional tournament.

 

Member schools have been notified via e-mail to provide the IHSAA with the e-mail address of their certified skinfold measurer or designated school official who will enter the data for their school.  The NWCA will e-mail the password to the address provided by the school.  The individual will then be ready to enter data for their school.  The login for a particular school will be the following:  IN [your IHSAA school number]  (Example: the login for Adams Central will be IN001)  After entering your login, you will then enter your password that was provided by the NWCA.  This will allow you to enter the NWCA site to submit your information.

 

To begin, the person entering information must go to the National Wrestling Coaches Association site at http://www.nwcacalculator.com/certification/HS/.  Once at this page, you should click on the Indiana logo on the left side of the page which will bring you to your login and password page.  Enter your specific information.  The initial page you will see will be a page to enter a single wrestler.  You are now ready to enter data for your wrestlers.  You shall enter all data requested on this page.  Take extra caution to complete all areas of the form including the drop down menus for grade and specific gravity urine.  Always use your tab key to move from field to field.  The software will not calculate your information if you fail to tab between fields.  Also, any fields left blank will produce an error message with instruction to correct your entries.  Upon completion of each wrestler, you shall click on the button at the bottom of the page to “Save Certification.”  This saves the information to the NWCA database.  Coaches shall retain this certification in their files.  The individual entering information for a particular school may also click on the button labeled “Main Menu” to access two important reports.  One report that should be printed is the “Alpha Master” report which will list all wrestlers entered for that school.  The coach shall also retain this report in their files as reference.  A second report that is most beneficial to the wrestler and his/her parents is the “Weight Loss Plan.”  Simply click on that tab and select the wrestler you wish to create a report for.  The program will then generate a weight loss plan based on the 1 ½% per week weight loss limit.

 

If you have any questions concerning the reporting of wrestler data to the NWCA website, generating reports or other concerns, please contact the IHSAA at wrestling@ihsaa.org.

 

PARENTAL PERMISSION TO WRESTLE BELOW 7%/12%

 

While recognizing that the measurement process may not be 100% totally accurate, the IHSAA will again allow parents to give consent for their child to wrestle below the 7%/12% predicted weight.  A wrestler, with signed parent consent may lose an additional 2% of the 7%/12% measurement and participate in the weight class that weight loss places them (Example: A wrestler’s predicted weight at 7% body fat places him at 105 pounds.  2% of the 105 pounds equates to 2.1 pounds.  Losing the 2.1 pounds places the wrestler at 102.9 pounds which qualifies the wrestler to participate in the 103 pound weight class).  A wrestler will only be allowed to take advantage of this provision with a signed permission form on file with his/her coach.

 

PHYSICIAN’S CLEARANCE FOR A BELOW 7%/12% WRESTLER

 

In rare instances, a wrestler may be naturally below a 7%/12% body fat composition upon initial measurement.  In those rare cases, a wrestler must submit a completed Physician’s Clearance form before competition.  The Physician’s Clearance form is available in this literature and from the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org.

 

 

3

            IMPORTANT PROGRAM DATES

 

 


The IHSAA Wrestling Weight Control Program will use the following dates for implementation during the 2003-2004 school year.

 

September 2003

Information concerning the 2003-2004 IHSAA Wrestling Weight Control Program will be sent to member schools and posted on the IHSAA website at www.ihsaa.org.

 

 

October 20, 2003

Schools may begin measuring wrestlers according to the program specifications.

 

October 20 – November 21, 2003

Schools may submit data to the National Wrestling Coaches Association website to determine minimum weight classes for participating wrestlers.  All wrestlers must be submitted and calculated prior to participating in their first contest.  Late reporting members may have their information submitted after the November 21st date but may not participate prior to having this calculation performed.

 

November 22, 2003

First authorized contest date for wrestling.

 

December 26, 2003

Last day to accept parental permission forms for wrestling below 7%/12%.

 

January 5, 2004

Two pound growth allowance for each weight class in effect.

 

January 31, 2004

The IHSAA wrestling tournament series begins.

 

 

4

            FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

 

 


As the IHSAA Wrestling Weight Control Program continues to evolve, the following considerations are being made.  It is our position that the education of our wrestlers, coaches and parents remains the paramount objective in this initiative.  To that end, the Association encourages all wrestlers, parents and coaches to visit the National Wrestling Coaches Association website and review the information regarding nutrition.  Additionally, on the IHSAA website under Coaches Education, a multitude of educational material can be found by clicking on the GSSI link which will connect you to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute website.  One of the major goals of both the IHSAA and the National Federation is to change a cultural thought about weight control. The notion of a student cutting weight to make a certain weight class in a questionable and potentially unhealthy manner must be altered to one of a constant maintenance of weight with regard to a healthy diet and proper hydration.  In the 2004-2005 school year, a critical review of the wrestling weight control program is planned.  Administrators, coaches, athletes and parents will have an opportunity to provide valuable feedback to the Association through surveys.