Weight Certification

[fhsd]

If your team has already certified without you, and you want to go to another mass certification test location, do you need to notify anyone in charge at that location ? Do you have to have your coach go with you?

 

Can you just "show up" at another location on your own and get tested?

[CoachDelgado]

If your team has already certified without you, and you want to go to another mass certification test location, do you need to notify anyone in charge at that location ? Do you have to have your coach go with you?

 

Can you just "show up" at another location on your own and get tested?

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Contact the tester in your are for details. Their information is listed on www.TSSAA.org. On the home page look to the right side near the top. There is a link for Wrestling Weight Management Program Information just under the esportspix.com picture.

[TDArtist]

As far as having to gain weight....that is a glitch in the system. It automatically adjusts your weigth to 7%. That is exactly what you want to see if a kid is 12% body fat, but if he is 5.6% then the calculation doesn't make sense. Ignore that calculation if you are under 7%.

[Suspect]

Guys:

 

Please go to the TSSAA website , download the weight management rules - and read them !!

 

Don't rely on hearsay. A lot of it might be wrong. Including my own comments.

 

Wrestlers with body fat levels under 7% are not required to lose weight, or gain weight. As long as they passed their hydration tests they can wrestling at their "natural" weight, regardless of body fat level.

 

With all the pressure to make certain weight classes, I wonder when the first legal challenge regarding machine accuracy will be leveled ??

[fhsd]

If you go to a mass certification site, do you have to have your Coach with you?

Can you go by yourself?

 

Anyone have the answer?

Edited October 20, 2004 by fhsd

[CoachDelgado]

With all the pressure to make certain weight classes, I wonder when the first legal challenge regarding machine accuracy will be leveled ??

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This program has been in place in other states for a couple of years. No legal problems or battles as of yet. We all just need to adjust our thinking and get accustomed to the new standard. Can the system be tweaked? When you solve one problem you inevitably create a different problem. Tennessee is not "and experimental state" with this program. It is in use elsewhere and the coaches there have accepted it.

[BayouBear]

This program has been in place in other states for a couple of years.  No legal problems or battles as of yet.  We all just need to adjust our thinking and get accustomed to the new standard.  Can the system be tweaked?  When you solve one problem you inevitably create a different problem.  Tennessee is not "and experimental state" with this program.  It is in use elsewhere and the coaches there have accepted it.

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Jose,

 

You may want to read the rules from the "other" states before you say, " This program has been in place in other states...". In concept, that statement is true, but in reality it gets a little gray. Proponents of the Weight Managment Program have been led to believe OR have led others to believe that All Programs are Created Equal and every time a question is raised or an opposing view is voiced, the common line of defense is, "Many other states are doing this." I read the rules of many of the "other" states and while the NFHS guidelines are generally and sometimes lightly followed, the interpretations are many and varied. For example;

 

In MICHIGAN, a doctor may give permission for a wrestler to wrestle below the minimum weight. There are no limitations on this permission.

 

In WASHINGTON, FLORIDA, MASSACHUSETTS and MONTANA, the minimum weight is determined by a team doctor without consideration of a strict standard.

 

IOWA and NORTH CAROLINA generally use the same formulas as TN. However, after all calculations are made, 3% of the minimum body weight is subtracted for error. Also all numbers are rounded in favor of the wrestler during calculations. Percentages are rounded UP to the nearest whole number and weights are rounded DOWN to the nearest whole number. Also in IOWA, once the final minimum weight is determined, a doctor can grant permission for the wrestler to wrestle below the minimum weight.

 

In CALIFORNIA, the state association only recommends that schools follow the NFHS Minimum Weight guidelines. It does not mandate participation.

 

VIRGINIA's rules are similar to TENNESSEE'S. They are using the 2% rule also. However, they are using 'rounding' in the math calculations which eliminate many of the unfair situations being discussed here. Below is an excerpt from the VIRGINIA guidelines;

 

If an athlete is only slightly above his/her preferred weight class will she/he be forced to move up a weight class?

 

*Any wrestler whose minimum weight at 7% body fat in a safely hydrated state is within 2% (in pounds) of the next weight class will be allowed to wrestle at that weight class if weight is achieved at weigh-in.

 

*Each wrestler's weight will be rounded down to the next lowest pound.

 

*For example, if a wrestler's minimum weight comes to 156# and we allow 2% below that (.02 x 156 = 3.1#), this would mean his/her minimum weight would be 152.9# which would round down to 152# . Therefore, a wrestler calculated to have a minimum weight of 156# could actually end up wrestling at 152#.

 

*This same policy of rounding down will occur with the maximum weight loss per week. For example if a wrestler weighs 148# on week 1, he/she could lose only (1.5% x 148# )2.22# for the next week. This would mean he/she could weigh no less than 145.78#. However, this would round down to allow him/her to wrestle at 145 weight class that week.

There are a hundred ways to skin a cat but IMO the rules of the TSSAA Weight Management Program are written in a way to make it as painless as possible for the TSSAA and not for the wrestler or his school. In other words, hard and fast rules are easy to implement and even easier to enforce.

Edited October 20, 2004 by BayouBear

[michael.geasley]

I've heard (but do not know for a fact) that the electronic scales that are being used (Tanita TBF-300) may not be very accurate for calculating a wrestler's body fat when used in the "standard" mode as opposed to the "wrestler" mode.

 

I was told that it seems that the scales, in the standard mode, calculate a higher percentage of body fat for short, muscular wrestlers than they do for tall, slim wrestlers.

 

As a potential result, a tall kid (read between the lines here, my son) may not be able to lose 1.6 pounds to make the closest weight class. But, a short muscular kid gets to go down to what seems to be a ridiculously low weight class, due to inaccurate body fat measurements.

 

I'm not stating this as a fact. I don't know if the same wrestler gets different body fat readings when set in the various modes (I e-mailed the company to find out).

 

I'm trying to do some fact finding. Does this seem to ring true for anyone else?

[fhsd]

Which mode are they using at the mass certifications (standard or wrestler) ?

[TDArtist]

They are supposed to be using wrestler mode. You can send your scales back to Tanita to get the chip added.

[michael.geasley]

I talked to one of the TSSAA certified assessors, Wade Bartlett, concerning a possible body build bias.

 

He said that all assessors are using "wrestling" and "athlete" modes of the Tanita scales for their assessments.

 

He is confident that the scales are accurate and consistent for all body types.

 

That settles this issue for me.

[CoachDelgado]

Jose,

 

You may want to read the rules from the "other" states before you say, " This program has been in place in other states...". In concept, that statement is true, but in reality it gets a little gray. Proponents of the Weight Managment Program have been led to believe OR have led others to believe that All Programs are Created Equal and every time a question is raised or an opposing view is voiced, the common line of defense is, "Many other states are doing this." I read the rules of many of the "other" states and while the NFHS guidelines are generally and sometimes lightly followed, the interpretations are many and varied. For example;

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All right BayouBear. I have done so. Our situation is stricter than other locations. Unfortunately there isn't much we can do about it this year. I am looking forward to seeing you guys in December. We'll back for a visit. Just make sure the chili dogs are ready to go in hospitality.