Wrestling Steering Committee Meeting

April 5, 2003

*Note: The Steering Committee is comprised of representatives from each District  (with the President of the PWCA or his designee also voting) as well as some advisory members. This committee can only make suggestions/proposals to the PIAA Board of Directors. Nothing is final until the Board passes it.

The meeting opened at 9:00 AM with the following in attendance:

Dr. Robert, Lombardi, Mark Byers, Bob Ruoff, Lonny Moore, Bill Hilburt, Randy Umberger, Matt Gordon, Terry Diehl, Don Hosterman, Jim Collins, Larry Rawlins, Bob Pajak, Terry Hoover, Al Snellman, Anthony Villani, Bob Hartman, Richard Fisher, Ron Kanaskie, and Tom Elling.

1. Dr. Lombardi opened with a review of both the Team and the Individual PIAA Championships. The concensus was that both were excellent tournaments in a great new facility. Some problems areas such as seating for coaches and contestants, using four mats for part of the tournament, and weigh-ins. Those concerns will be carefully looked at by the PIAA executive staff.

2. The Request for Proposal to host the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Individual Championships and the2003-2440, 2004-2005, and 2005-2006 TEAM championship were reviewed with Dr. Lombardi asking that the committee look them over and offer suggestions to Brad Cashman within the week.

3. District One (Mr. Moore) brought up concern from District One coaches to reduce weight classes from 14 to 12. Brief discussion followed with all but two of the Districts concurring. Dr. Lombardi pointed out that such a proposal is going to be reviewed by the National Federation at the meetings April 12-14.

4. Concern over some problems using the 50% rule for determining post-season weight class was discussed. The bottom line was that since the medical advisory board was heavily in favor of such a rule that it would continue at least for another year. Dr. Lombardi did point ut that the Federation will be considering an alternative for those states who conduct a body fat test to determine minimum weight class. While Pennsylvania is not one of those, Dr. Lombardi indicated that this would be the direction of the Federation in the very near future.

5. Brief discussion over officials wearing red and green arm bands was held. The majority felt that using the "T" on the mat to signify the "Top Bracket" wrestler/Coach chairs... nothing further need be done.

6. Mr Diehl for point of emphasis noted that there is no need for re-certification when a wrestler weighs in above certified minimum weight classification unless that wrestler want to be recertified once again at a lower weight (before the Jan. 15 cutoff).

7. It has been noted that some teams most especially when going to out-of-state tournaments have entered more than one wrestler in a weight class. This is NOT permissible There will be ONE entrant per weight class by any PIAA school no matter where a tournament is held. The penalty is a rather strong one. It states that if this is done, the offending wrestler(s) in essence has/have formed a second varsity team and after that point would be ineligible to wrestle for his other high school varsity team.

8. Mr. Diehl brought up eliminating the flip of the disk at the beginning of the match and assign visitors as odd and home as even. Since this violates Federation Rules, it was not approved.

9. District 8 (Mr. Pajak) requested that his District be moved to the SW Region.  This met with no resistance. It would not take place until the 2004-2005 season, if approved by the PIAA Board of Directors.

10. District 9 (Dr. Hoover) delivered his District's concern that they are not hosting any Regional Tournaments and asked the committee to consider the rotation system that was discussed several years' ago.  This an executive decision and will be taken under consideration by the PIAA staff.

11. It was decided that ALL tournament weigh-ins will be conducted in a like manner - the decision being by weight class rather than by team. This will start with Sectionals/Districts and be consistent through the PIAA Tournament Series.  It will also be used for the TEAM Tournament Series.

12. Passes for a 3rd coach at the PIAA Tournament was proposed. This will be explored further. Discussion seemed positive that this could happen with the provision that an additional ID such as a photo ID or an arm band be worn by those issued passes. A lost ID would result in a hefty (proposed $50 or more)  penalty to get another.

Problems have occurred in the past with some coaches passing their official passes to an unauthorized 3rd person. 

13. Contestant and Coaches' attire at the Parade of Champions was discussed. This will be addressed at next year's Championships.

14. There is strong concern that many coaches are using the dual meet competition points procedure to once again get as many matches as possible for wrestlers, scheduling multi-meets and "creatively" wrestling 5-6 times and being charged with only 2-3 competition points. The staff reminded everyone that this was a concern when the allowance had been made and urged that coaches do NOT try to find loopholes to have wrestlers once again have nearly 50 matches prior to "states."

More detail and other points discussed will appear here soon.. as well as the agenda for the National Federation Meeting.