Modification of traditional wrestling rules in the competition for beginner wrestler in australia

By Richard Weiss

As a coach being part of any wrestling competition it is fun, exciting, energetic and seeing athletes do well, win or lose is part of the game.

Any wrestling competition provides opportunities for any athletes to turn their skills they have learned in the practice into a competition against other wrestlers. Most of the time coaches strive to see their athletes and teams perform well and deliver successful outcomes in any competition.

There are two questions that coach must ask regards his/her beginner wrestlers. What should coach expected from his/her beginner wrestlers in the competition? And does a traditional wrestling competition allow beginner wrestlers to develop their sense of confidence and motivation for the sport and the competition?

These are two great questions and most of the time it is the coach that motivates his/her beginner athletes prior to the competition. The coach will have some kind of idea how he/she want their beginner athletes to perform at the competition by encouraging them to try their best, emphasizing the importance of performing basic skills (stance, sprawling, other) in the match, and to take opportunities to perform the learned wrestling technique. So far so good!

But let’s say the beginner wrestler experiences a loss in the first 20 seconds due to being thrown and pined. Does such loss have a positive effect on the wrestler? No, of course not because the wrestler that lost did not even have a chance to show something he/she knows. This can drive the kid away from the sport…

As I watch my wrestlers and my own kids behavior when they seek me out to show me something new they have learned I can always feel their energetic approach, excitement and enjoyment at that time. Allowing them to show what they have learned becomes not just a positive physical experience but also psychological as well which I believe is the most important for developing their confidence and motivation for a particular skill or act or sport.

Observing this phenomenon and behavior I am convinced in the importance of wrestling rules being slightly modified from the traditional wrestling competition rules so we can develop one’s confidence and motivation for the sport of wrestling through a competition.

Such modification of rules will give beginner wrestlers a more positive feel and greater opportunities to perform their technical wrestling knowledge in the competition against other wrestlers.

It is also here where the coach has a greater opportunity to see more of his/her athlete’s technical & tactical activity and performance rather than just a quick loss or win.

Here is the outlook of a wrestling match and some of the modified rules that we are now applying in our interclub wrestling events in Victoria.

• Match length: best of 3
• Duration of the each period: 1 minute
• Technical scoring: every technical point achieved from the standing
  position is recognized as 1 point.
• Emphasis is more on standing wrestling, takedowns and not ground wrestling.
• There are no pins.
• Numerical scoring remains the same 6:0 ends the match
• Numerical scoring: 1:1, 3:3 and so on. The final point wins the match.

The basic modifications of competition wrestling rules can be applied in any local or state competition that will guarantee successful and positive experience for any beginner wrestler, can retain more wrestlers in your club and can attract more kids to the sport.

Good luck to you all and I wish you rapid success and growth.