WEST VIRGINIA MAT THOUGHTS

. . . on the 25th Anniversary of "Mat Talk"

I can't believe it; this is the 25th year of "Mat Talk!"

This column became a reality in 1978 thanks to one of my heros in life - the late Mr. Bill Van Horne, former N-R Sports Editor. He gave me the opportunity to write about the sport that has been a significant part of my family heritage since 1938.

I promise you continued honesty in my thoughts about wrestling, sports and life. You may not always agree with my impressions, but I can assure you I will always speak from my heart, my life experiences, and my strong family background as a youth.

So, let's begin another season. In West Virginia, the wrestling community is continually attempting to improve the sport, be it safety, health or even fairer rules for the participants. This year we are looking at a scoring criteria for determining who receives the choice if the match reaches the 30-second tiebreaker. Below is the rule as it now stands, the rationale for changing it, and the particulars of the WV pilot study.

In truth, the present National Federation State High School Associations' (NFHS) one-minute overtime period and 30-second tiebreaker set-up is definitely a much better approach to determining the winner in a wrestling match than the old criteria system. However, "luck" is still too much of a factor in deciding who is given the "choice" in the 30-second tiebreaker with this system.

The existing Rule (6-7-1, p. 24) reads as follows:

"If no winner is declared by the end of the 1-minute overtime period, a 30-second tiebreaker will be wrestled. The choice of position in the tiebreaker will be granted to the wrestler who scores the first point(s) in the regulation match."

1) The wrestler who earns the first OFFENSIVE POINTS (takedown or near- fall points) will be given the choice of position (top, bottom or defer) if the match reaches the 30-second tiebreaker. (Note: This is the NCAA's criteria.)

2) If the score is tied with no offensive points, the wrestler who earned the first point due to a technical violation, illegal hold, unnecessary roughness, stalling, or unsportsmanlike conduct will be given the choice of position should the match reach the 30-second tiebreaker phase.

3) If the score is tied with no offensive or penalty points scored by either wrestler, the wrestler who scored the first point(s) will be given the choice of position should the match reach the 30-second tiebreaker phase.

4) If there is no score by either wrestler at the end of the regulation match, the referee will flip the disk before the overtime period to determine who has choice should the match reach the 30-second tiebreaker. (Note: This could change the complexion of the overtime period in a positive way -- with much more action in the neutral position from both wrestlers.)