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2005-06
Schools are required to follow the provisions of the weight certification program established by the association for all wrestlers competing in varsity and junior varsity programs.
The establishment of a minimum wrestling weight based on 7%
body fat for males and 12% for females will be mandatory for all senior high
school wrestlers. The TSSAA does not
advocate that a wrestler’s established minimum weight is the athlete’s best
weight, but simply the minimum weight at which the athlete will be allowed to
compete.
I.
Establishing Minimum Weights
A.
Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) measurements will be
utilized to determine each wrestler’s body fat percentage. They will be taken using the Tanita TBF-300WA
Body Composition Analyzer.
If the Tanita gives an “Error”
reading on two consecutive readings with a wrestler, then skin fold
measurements will be used to determine body fat percentage. Lange calipers shall be used at three
specific sites to measure skin fold (Lohman sites, Abdominal, Tricep, and
Subscapularis).
B.
The BIA measurements will be preceded by hydration
assessment. A wrestler must pass a
specific gravity assessment with less than or equal to 1.025. If the wrestler fails the specific gravity
assessment with greater than 1.025, the wrestler must rehydrate and wait at
least 48 hours to retest. Digital
fiberoptic refractometers shall be used to determine hydration.
Provided the wrestler passes the
hydration test, the results of his/her body composition assessment will be
entered into the NWCA weight certification internet calculator on the Initial
Assessment Page of the NWCA website (www.nwcaonline.com). The internet calculator will automatically
determine the wrestler’s minimum competitive weight based on the parameters in
I.A. above.
C.
Once a wrestler passes the
hydration assessment, the measurement process has begun. If a wrestler is removed at any point after
the hydration assessment, his/her only route of assessment is through the
appeals process.
D.
The lowest weight class in which a wrestler may
compete will be determined as follows:
1.
If the predicted weight, at 7% body fat for males and
12% for females, is exactly that of one of the weight classes that shall be the
wrestler’s minimum weight class.
2.
If the predicted weight, at 7% body fat for males and
12% for females, falls between two weight classes, they must wrestle at the
higher weight class.
3.
The wrestler may wrestle at the weight class in which
their 7% male/12% female body fat predicted weight, less 2% of that weight, places them.
4.
Any male or female wrestler whose body fat percentage
at the time of measurement falls below 7% male/12% female must wrestle at the
weight class where they fall. No weight
loss will be allowed.
II.
Time Period for BIA Measurements
A.
Regardless of when a wrestler first participates in a
practice session, he/she may not compete at the varsity or junior varsity level
(exhibition matches) until his/her minimum weight has been determined and
his/her name and data have been entered into the NWCA program. (If there are problems in data entry into the
NWCA program, an exception may be made by the TSSAA state office, provided all
information has been forwarded to the state office.)
B.
BIA measurements may be conducted on or after October
1st of each year.
C.
The controlled weight loss starting date (“Alpha
date”) will be the date on which BIA measurements are completed.
D.
The deadline for all wrestlers to complete all BIA
measurements and appeals is January 15.
III.
Who May Conduct Measurements of the TSSAA Weight
Management Program?
Any properly licensed doctor of medicine, osteopathic physician, physician
assistant, certified nurse practitioner, or Certified State Licensed Athletic
Trainer who has been approved through a TSSAA training program. All names, cities, and telephone numbers will
be listed on the TSSAA website (www.tssaa.org).
IV.
Growth
Allowance
A
two-pound growth allowance shall be added to each weight class after December
25. The weight classes remain the same
for the purposes of the weight management program.
V.
Weekly Weight Loss Monitoring
All wrestlers will be limited to losing no more than 1.5% of
their body weight per week as they make their descent toward their
pre-determined minimum wrestling weight.
This rule will be monitored as follows:
A.
At each weigh-in, all coaches must present an alpha
weight chart of their team to the host administrator/coach.
B.
All head coaches of participating teams in dual meets
and tournaments will be required to record their individual match results on an
online “individual season record form” that is integrated into the NWCA
Weight Certification Internet Calculator
Program. The individual season record
form links (for both dual meets and tournaments) will appear under the
“coaches” subheading at http://www.nwcaonline.com/Performance/Scholatic/.
C.
It is required that this task is completed within 24
hours of each competition date or the next weekday. (Any other contingency must be approved by
the state office.) The result data
entered into this screen will be public information. Failure to enter the individual results will
result in a warning the first time. Any
further violations will render all wrestlers ineligible to compete on the next
date of competition.
D.
All coaches will be responsible for entering the
individual match results (date of competition, actual wt. of each wrestler, wt.
class of each wrestler, opponents name, opponents school, individual match
score, and declared winner) into the automated “individual season record”
screen. In the event there is a
discrepancy between the data entered by both coaches (e.g., actual weigh-in
weights for wrestlers in a dual meet, scores, etc.), an e-mail notification
will be generated to alert both coaches.
E.
In the event that any wrestler exceeds the 1.5%
weekly weight loss rule, an e-mail will be generated directly to the TSSAA
office. Any wrestler violating the
weekly wt. loss rule will receive a warning.
If a further violation(s) occurs by the same wrestler, he/she will not
be permitted to compete in the next two competition dates.
VI.
Appeal Process
Any wrestler may appeal their body fat composition
calculations. Results obtained at any
step are automatically accepted. The
athlete has no choice. The steps of the
appeal process are as follows:
A.
First Appeal – Recheck math and calculations of
measurer by TSSAA. The appeal must be in
writing to the state office and signed by coach and administrator. Included must be athlete’s name, date of
measurement, and site of measurement.
This must be done within 14 days of measurement.
There is no charge for this appeal.
B.
Second Appeal – Any wrestler may request a
complete retest within 14 days of measurement and the retest must also occur
with 14 days of the first measurement.
If skin fold measurement was used, a complete retest of wrestler by
the same certified measurer of first test.
Bio-impedance will be used first.
Included must be athlete’s name, date of measurement, and site of
measurement.
The cost of this appeal is $25.00.
C.
Final Appeal
1. DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray
Absorptiometer)
a.
Test is a test where bone density is measured through
a type of x-ray machine that can very accurately determine body fat
percentages.
b.
The test is paid for by the wrestler or school and not
the facility.
c.
The results of this test are deemed final and
completely binding.
2.
Final Appeal Testing Site –
a.
Appointments will need to be made through MTSU.
b.
Contact TSSAA and Wade Bartlett at 615-416-3853 for
further information.
VII.
Nutrition Education
Each school shall provide a nutrition education program for
all wrestlers and parents. This should
be done in a pre-season meeting of parents and student-athletes. In addition to information given out in the
meeting, wrestlers and parents should receive an orientation on the
functionality of the integrated nutrition component of the NWCA Weight
Certification Internet Calculator Program.
Once all of the assessment date is entered into the NWCA program, unique
passwords will be automatically generated for each wrestler. This allows each wrestler to go home and
build a customized diet that honors their weight loss plan.
VIII.
Costs
All member schools will be
assessed a fee of $10.00 per student-athlete to offset the costs of the Weight
Management Program.