Had our officials meeting today and discussed Criteria from the handout at the AWOC meeting. Great discussion, including out-of-bounds, wizzer, take-downs and several others.

What I wanted to comment on in today’s blog was the topics that were scattered through-out the discussion.

• Reaction Time
• Work to improve

Reaction Time:
I reviewed the 2015-2016 NFHS Wrestling Rule Book and found reaction time in the following sections.
Section 10 – Escape: “An escape is when the defensive wrestler gains a neutral position and the opponent has lost control, beyond reaction time…

Section 25 – Takedown: A takedown shall be awarded when one or both knees of the defensive wrestler are touching the mat beyond reaction time… or when the defensive wrestler’s legs or torso are controlled and the majority of the wrestler’s weight is supported by the hands.

Section 3, Article 3 – Interlocking hands: When bringing your opponent to the mat, hands overlapping or interlocking beyond reaction time is a technical violation.

So what is reaction time? Click Here for the definition from senior official, Abel Estrella.

Work to Improve:
This is also a great topic because it has multiple meanings. When wrestling, to avoid a stalemate and stalling, and something all wrestlers should be constantly doing is, “Work to Improve”. Failing to do so can impact a wrestler in a negative way. Wrestlers should always be working to improve.
Note that this is different but similar to the term, “improve his/her position” mentioned in the rule book. For example, if the offensive wrestler is utilizing the body scissors to improve his/her position… the maneuver is being properly executed.
Or
Section 23 – Stalemate: It Is a stalemate when contestants are interlocked in a position other than a pinning situation, in which neither wrestler can improve their respective position(s).

Just some thoughts for the day for those officials that hear these terms and are processing their respective definitions.