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These questions are updated from March to July of each year.
Week 2.1
It is acceptable for wrestlers to wear the lightest singlet they have to weigh ins. Defend your answer using the USAW Rulebook.
According to the USAW Rulebook Weigh in Procedure - 4.4 The contestants will be weighed wearing their “competition singlet* without modifications and without their shoes after having been examined by qualified trainers and/or physicians who are obliged to eliminate any wrestler who presents any danger of contagious disease.
As long as the wrestler weighs in wearing their competition singlet that has not been modified they shall be allowed to weigh in.
Week 2.2
According to Rule 9.7 Interruption of the Bout of the USAW Rulebook, list 2 of the 4 items that determine Out of Bounds.
RESPONSE
USAW RULE 9.7 - Interruption of the Bout
Out-of-bounds is determined by:
1. one opponent having the entirety of their foot outside the boundary area while in a standing position
2. the whole head of the defensive wrestler touches the protection area while in par terre
3. the pinning points/chest of the defensive wrestler, while in par terre, are in the protection area, but not necessarily touching the protection area.
4. if, while in the standing position, the offensive wrestler has his/her opponent lifted completely off the mat and is in complete control, the offensive wrestler steps with both feet outside of the boundary, this will be deemed to be out-of-bounds. In this same scenario, the offensive wrestler will be allowed to finish his/her throw if they have one foot outside the boundary and complete their action in one continuous motion but should be stopped immediately once two feet step outside the boundary, assuming no throwing action has started yet.
Rules Question of the Day.
3.1
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rulebook, 18.1 Illegal Actions and Holds in All Age Divisions, Figure four or scissors of anything other than one leg or arm. This includes a “leg cradle.”
The referee should point at the infraction, get confirmation from the Mat Chairman and hold their whistle to give Blue an opportunity to score. Once no imminent scoring takes place stop the action and assess the penalty of a Caution Red and 1 point Blue. Even though no take down was established, since the action occurred in the ground position, the bout will restart in the par terre position.
- Rick Schwab
Blue shoots on Red and posts and elevates Red with Blues head in-between Red's legs. Red performs a draping scissors in order to defend Blue's attack. As the Referee, what's your call and describe the procedures to manage the situation.
3.2
Rules Question of the Day.
Red snaps Blue down into a front headlock with Blue’s knees on the mat and Blue decides to back herself out of bounds to avoid being turned. Referee awards a fleeing the mat against Blue. Where does the action restart?
RESPONSE: In a grounded Flee situation, the action would restard in the Par Terre position.
Rules Question of the Day
4.1
The referee team makes a call on a controversial action. Red's Coach challenges the action by throwing in the challenge brick. As the Wrestler, Red declines the challenge. You are the Chairman, do you handle this situation using the USAW Rulebook to justify your response.
RESPONSE:
According to 23.4.5, Video Challenge/Protest Procedures of the USAW Rule Book, If the wrestler disagrees with their coach’s challenge, they can reject the challenge by telling the referee or mat chairman they do not want to challenge, and the match will continue. If the coach requests a challenge after the athlete has rejected the challenge, the coach could receive a yellow card.
In this situation, Red should have their Challenge Brick returned WITHOUT penalty.
- Rick Schwab
4.2
Rules Question of the Day.
Red throws Blue to her back in the Zone and Blue's head lands in the Protection area, but her pinning points are in bounds. As the Referee, what's your call?
RESPONSE:
According to 9.7.2, Interruption of the Bout of the USAW Rule Book, action is considered out of bounds if the whole head of the defensive wrestler touches the protection area while in par terre.
In this situation, the referee should stop the action, pointing at the whole head landing out of bounds. The action would resume in the standing position.
- Rick Schwab
5.1
Standing Position. Red starts a head and arm throw in-bounds causing Blue to go to her back out-of-bounds, and then Blue initiates a roll through turning Red to their back. How would you score the action?
RESPONSE:
According to Tim Pierson's, The Art of Refereeing, Annex E - The Protection Area / Out of Bounds, Offensive wrestler initiates an action inbounds. That action will be allowed to continue and scored appropriately (even if it goes into the protection area), regardless of which wrestler touches out of bounds first. HOWEVER, counter-attacks cannot be scored when initiated in the protection area.
In this situation, Red would receive 4 pts. for initiating the throw in bounds and going into the protection area and Blue would receive NO pts. as their action started out of bounds. 4 pts. Red ONLY.
- Rick Schwab
5.2
Rules Question of the Day
During a Fall situation, you as the Referee, witness the defensive wrestler simulating an injury. What are your next steps?
RESPONSE: According to the USAW Rule Book, End of the Bout, 10.1 Bullet 2, In a fall situation where the defensive athlete nearly has his/her shoulders to the mat and screams to simulate an injury and a reason for this potential injury is not observed, the refereeing team is obligated to call a fall, with the mat chairman's approval.
- Rick Schwab
6.1
Rules Question of the Day
During a Fall situation, you as the Referee, witness the defensive wrestler simulating an injury. What are your next steps?
RESPONSE: According to the USAW Rule Book, End of the Bout, 10.1 Bullet 2, In a fall situation where the defensive athlete nearly has his/her shoulders to the mat and screams to simulate an injury and a reason for this potential injury is not observed, the refereeing team is obligated to call a fall, with the mat chairman's approval.
- Rick Schwab
6.2
Rules Question of the Day
In a tie-breaker situation, what criteria should be applied?
RESPONSE: According to the USAW Rule Book, End of the Bout, 10.2, 10.2 If the point total is equal at the end of a match, the following criteria will determine the winner, in this order:
1. Highest value scoring actions (most 5-point actions, most 4-point actions, most 2-point actions)
2. Least number of accrued cautions
3. Last point scored
7.1
Rules Question of the Day.
Blue gains a technical superiority with a 4 point head and arm, but Red immediately counters with a 2 point roll through. How would you handle the situation?
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rule Book, 10.1 Bullet 3, By technical superiority—technical superiority is a difference of ten (10) points for FS and WW and 8 points for GR in all age categories. If a wrestler attains the point difference for technical superiority during the course of completing an action and the defending wrestler immediately produces a counteraction in bounds ("continuation"), that counteraction is valid and should be scored. In other words, there can be no pause from the offensive action to the counteraction. If after that scoring sequence, there is no longer technical superiority, the match should continue without stoppage. It is the duty of the mat chairman to inform the referee to stop the match if technical superiority has been attained.
In this situation, the bout should be allowed to continue due to the continuation of Red's counter action.
- Rick Schwab
7.2
Rules Question of the Day
From the standing position. Red is attacking Blue and drives her to the Zone. Red then attempts a head and arm and slips to the par terre position in the Protection Area. As the Referee, what is your call?
8.1
Rules Question of the Day
In a pinning situation. The defensive wrestler posts his hands on the face of the attacking wrestler to prevent from being pinned. What's your call?
Rules Question of the Day
RESPONSE: SPECIAL SITUATION: IF THE DEFENSIVE WRESTLER FLEES THE MAT WHILE IN THE DANGER POSITION, THE WRESTLER AT FAULT SHALL RECEIVE A CAUTION AND THE OPPONENT SHALL RECEIVE TWO POINTS IN WW, FS, AND GR. WRESTLING WILL RESTART IN THE PAR TERRE POSITION.
In this situation, the Referee should point to the infraction and get confirmation from the Mat Chairman, extend the arm of the offending wrestler and hold his whistle and look for the fall. If the fall is confirmed, call it and signal and caution and 2 pts. after. If their is no fall, wait until the wrestling returns to the par terre position, then stop the action and award the Caution and 2 pts. The action would then restart in the par terre position.
- Rick Schwab
8.2
Rules Question of the Day
Greco Roman Action. From the par terre position. Blue lifts Red with a high gut. Unable to turn Red, Blue hooks Red's right hip to turn him. What's your call and defend why?
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rule Book, Values assigned to Actions and Holds, 11.12 ...If the offensive wrestler commits a leg foul, he or she is given a strict “attention” and the wrestling restarts in a standing position.
In this situation, the Referee should point to the infraction by the attacking wrestler and get confirmation from the Mat Chairman, then stop the action, give the offending wrestler an attention for an offensive leg foul, and restart the action in the standing position. IF this is the second offense, a Caution and 1 point should be assessed to the offending wrestler.
- Rick Schwab
9.1 Rules Question of the Day
Greco Roman Wrestling. In a forced par terre situation. In terms of the top wrestler, what are you looking for to determine a legal start?
RESPONSE:
According to Tim Pierson's The Art of Refereeing, Annex F - Par Terre
Starts - Must be fair.
Tell and show the wrestlers what you want. Be forceful and take control of the start or it will take
control of you. Get the wrestlers set. Distinct “PAUSE” and blow the whistle. The pause should be
approximately 1-2 seconds from when the wrestlers are set to when you blow the whistle. Don't allow
either wrestler gain an advantage.
- Ensure Bottom is set correctly and doesn’t move or jump before the whistle.
- Ensure Top is set correctly. Don’t allow slowly lowering hands to the back, sliding the hands by the back not touching, not pausing or bumping the bottom wrestler with a knee causing them to jump.
- Rick Schwab
9.2 Rules Question of the Day
From the par terre position, Blue secures a trap arm gut on Red. Rather than roll Red through with his hold, Blue instead tilts Red, past 90 degrees multiple times in an attempt to secure Technical Superiority. As the Referee what are you looking for to determine if Blue has earned points for each time he exposes Red off of his tilt?
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rule Book, 11/2, Values Assigned to Actions and Holds, INITIAL POSITION: where the defensive wrestler has his or her chest facing the mat in a par terre position. The defensive wrestler must attain his or her initial position for the offensive wrestler to score multiple times off the same maneuver.
In this situation, bringing the defensive wrestler past 90 degrees is not enough to justify another score. The defensive wrestler's chest MUST face the mat in the par terre postion to warrant another score.
- Rick Schwab
10.1
Rules Question of the Day
According to the USAW Rule Book, Values assigned to Holds and Actions, list one of the three possible outcomes when the attacking wrestler steps out of bounds first.
RESPONSE:
11.15 STEP-OUT: if the attacking wrestler steps out first while in the process of an action, the following situations may occur:
If the action is completed, the points will be scored as appropriate.
If the action is not completed, the opponent will score one point because the offensive wrestler stepped out of bounds first.
If the offensive wrestler has lifted the defensive wrestler and steps out with both feet, the bout shall be stopped and no points will be awarded. If the offensive wrestler has the defensive wrestler lifted off the mat and only steps out with one foot but is in the process of completing the throw, the action should be allowed to continue and scored appropriately. All in all, if the offensive wrestler has the defensive wrestler lifted off the mat and either steps out with both feet or steps out with one foot and is not able to complete their throw or is not doing anything to try to score, the bout shall be stopped, no points shall be awarded and wrestling will restart in the standing position.
- Rick Schwab
Rules Question of the Day
The attacking wrestler continues to push her opponent out of bounds after being given an attention and being told not to. What are your next steps?
RESPONSE:
10.2
USAW Rule Book - 11.5
Visible pushouts in either style will not be scored. If a wrestler visibly pushes out their opponent (for e.g.-straight arm push-out), they will be given an “attention”. Any subsequent pushouts will not be scored for either athlete. The “pushing” wrestler will NOT be penalized with a caution and points for his or her opponent.
- Rick Schwab
11.1
Rule Question fo the Day
When determining the passive wrestler, what is the referee team looking for?
According to Tim Pierson's The Art of Refereeing the below are indicators of the passive wrestler.
Center-mat-dominance, maintaining contact, attacking.
- Rick Schwab
11.2
Rules question of the day.
Red's coach throws a challenge brick and the Jury renders their decision. Unhappy with the Jury's decision, Blue's coach throws their challenge brick. What are your next steps?
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rule Book. 23.10
All decisions made by the jury and mat chairman will be final and will not be changed. Therefore, it is not possible to request a counter-challenge. Doing to results in a Yellow Card.
- Rick Schwab
Week 12.1
Rules Question fo the Day.
What are the 3 things that CANNOT be challenged?
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rule Book, Video Challenge and Protest Procedures, the 3 things that cannot be challenged are....
23.5 a. Confirmed falls and/or situations where a fall was not confirmed by the referee team. Challenges can be requested for fouls that occurred that led to the fall.
23.6 b. Confirmed passivity.
23.7 c. Challenges not made in a reasonable amount of time. Coaches must issue the challenge within a reasonable amount of time from when the scoring action occurred or when the points went onto the scoreboard. Wrestling is dynamic and this will be at the discretion of the mat chairman and jury. IF A NATURAL STOPPAGE OCCURS IN THE MATCH AND THE CHALLENGE IS NOT OFFERED BEFORE RE-STARTING THE MATCH, THE CHALLENGE WILL BE DENIED.
- Rick Schwab
13.2 Rules Question fo the Day.
What are the 3 things that CANNOT be challenged?
RESPONSE:
According to the USAW Rule Book, Video Challenge and Protest Procedures, the 3 things that cannot be challenged are....
23.5 a. Confirmed falls and/or situations where a fall was not confirmed by the referee team. Challenges can be requested for fouls that occurred that led to the fall.
23.6 b. Confirmed passivity.
23.7 c. Challenges not made in a reasonable amount of time. Coaches must issue the challenge within a reasonable amount of time from when the scoring action occurred or when the points went onto the scoreboard. Wrestling is dynamic and this will be at the discretion of the mat chairman and jury. IF A NATURAL STOPPAGE OCCURS IN THE MATCH AND THE CHALLENGE IS NOT OFFERED BEFORE RE-STARTING THE MATCH, THE CHALLENGE WILL BE DENIED.
14.1
Rules Question of the Day
According to the USAW Rulebook, 23.17.D Video Challenges and Protest Procedures, What are 2 of the 4 criteria considered when determining if a protest will be accepted?
RESPONSE:
23.17 D. POST-BOUT PROTEST ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA
In the event an offended coach requests a post-bout protest, the following acceptance criteria will apply.
1ST Criteria. The coach has 15 minutes after the end of the bout to notify the tournament head referee of the situation that is being protested.
a. The coach must submit a completed USAW protest form along with $250.00 U.S. dollars to the tournament head referee. The protesting coach must provide written details for the protest.
b. Failure to meet the 15-minute notification timeline will result in the post-bout protest being denied.
2nd Criteria. Did the coach throw the challenge block, without fear of penalty, to notify the referee crew of the potential procedural error during the bout?
a. If the challenge process was not initiated during the bout, the post-bout protest will be denied, unless the referee crew did not allow the coach to request a challenge for the protested situation.
b. If during the bout, a coach loses the challenge block, post-bout protests will be denied.
3rd Criteria. Is the post-bout protest based on judgment? If yes, the post-bout protest will be denied.
4th Criteria. Is the situation protestable? (Paragraph A, will apply.)
23.18 E. POST-BOUT PROTEST ACCEPTED
If a procedural error was determined to have affected the outcome of the bout, and the post-bout protest is accepted, the bout in question will be re-wrestled from the beginning of the period when the infraction occurred.
1. If the error was made in the first period of a bout, the entire bout will be re-wrestled.
2. If the error was made in the second period of a bout, only the second period would be re-wrestled.
14.1
Rules Question of the Day
In what situations can a Jury member interfere with the bout to correct the situation by a consultation with the Mat Chairman or video review?
Response:
USAW Rule Book, 22.13 In the case of a serious technical mistake not seen by the referee team (examples: timekeeper mistakes, wrong points or caution published on the scoreboard, mistake in resuming the bout in parterre or in standing position, declaration of incorrect winner, etc.), the jury member/s may interfere to correct the situation by consultation with match chairman or by video review. In no case may the jury member/s interfere with the refereeing team regarding judgment situations such as how points were scored, passivity calls, or negative wrestling calls.
- Rick Schwab
14.2
According to the USAW Rule Book, 23. 14. A Video Challenges and Protest Procedures, what are 2 of the 4 potential procedural errors that may effect the results of the bout and could be protested?
RESPONSE:
PROCEDURAL ERRORS
Procedural errors that may be protested include, but are not limited to the following:
1. Points were added or removed from the scoreboard. (Ghost points appearing/disappearing which change (the winner)
2. The posted scoreboard score and/or criteria are not correct. (Indicating wrong winner)
3. Points were entered into the mat-side computer in inverse order. (Changing criteria and winner)
4. Flagrant technical violation of the rules. (The referee crew does not allow the challenge process to be initiated)
- Rick Schwab
Rules Question of the Day
From the standing position, Red executes a Slide-by on Blue. To prevent being taken down, Blue reaches back and places two hands on Red's head and pulls him over taking him from feet to danger. Score this action and defend why.
Response:
According to the USAW Rulebook, 12.9 - 1 pt. Actions, In FS, to the attacking wrestler whose opponent commits an illegal hold that prevents the execution of that hold. In this situation, Blue commits an illegal hold by placing two hands on the head of Red to prevent being scored on. The Referee should point at the foul, get confirmation from the Mat Chairman and stop the action and assess the caution and 1. Blue gain no points from his illegal hold and since the foul occurred in the standing position, the action would restart standing.
- Rick Schwab