How does a wrestler qualify for MYWA or MMWA Regionals at a particular weight?
In MMWA:
If a wrestler weighs in at "X" weight twice (or more), and completes the tournament (wrestle until eliminated or you win a medal), he/she will be able to wrestle that weight at regionals. It doesn't matter if that wrestler weighs in at other higher weights in other tournaments.
If the tournament BUMPED them up (moved them to the next higher weight class) then they should still qualify at the weight registered at two weigh-ins. Each club coach/league representative is required to track this information during the season.
However, if the wrestler weighed in only once in at a lower weight and one or more times at a higher weight, they must wrestle at higher weight.
For example: you're 9 years old can weigh in 82 lbs. at Swartz Creek, and compete in the 85 lb. weight class. Then you get sick for a week, and lose 10 pounds because you can't eat normally. Then you weight in at 77 lbs. at Lake Fenton, and compete in the 80 lb. class. Then you don't happen to compete any more before regionals. At regionals, you weigh 79 lbs. - the pairing people will move you to the 85 lb weight class.
The reason this is done is to discourage young wrestlers from losing weight to a lower weight class just before regionals. Young wrestlers should be focused on improving their wrestling skill, not losing weight.
Also, in MMWA, you must complete all your assigned matches for it to be a valid tournament. You can't just weigh-in and then default your matches, or leave without wrestling. It also won't count if you are injured and can't continue your matches.
All wrestlers are checked for this prior to the start of an MMWA Regionals tournament, and those who do not qualify are not allowed to wrestle.
In MYWA:
In MYWA, it is stated that the wrestler must wrestle in 2 tournaments prior to regional.
How are clubs assigned to a MMWA regional site?
On the first Monday in February, a non-binding estimate of how many wrestlers from each club will compete at regionals is provided to league officials. League officials then attempt to divide the clubs among the 3 regional sites geographically, while also keeping a nearly even total count of wrestlers at each regional.
By the second Monday in February, each club can then modify their count. League officials take the modified counts, and make final adjustments to their regional assignments to even out the totals as best as possible. Each club must pay for this number of wrestlers.
If a club has a valid reason to request either the Saturday or Sunday of regionals, they can submit a letter with such a request to the league board before the first Monday in February. The board tries to accommodate all such requests when possible.
Sometimes clubs are asked to travel to a site other than the one closest to their hometown to balance out the number or wrestlers. This is only done when necessary.
This sometimes results in one regional having lots of kids in one weight class and another with only 4 or 5? Yes it does. And the really good wrestlers could be on the smaller chart. You never know where the best kids are.
It can also happen that the majority of good wrestlers in a given weight class are all from one regional. I've seen several instances where 3 of the top 4 placers at the Finals in a weight class all came from one regional. No matter what regional we are assigned to, think of Regionals and Finals as one long tournament. To place or win the league, you must compete against everyone and win the matches you get.
How are clubs assigned to a MYWA regional site?
MYWA Regions are assigned by the league and are roughly geographic areas. Brighton is currently (2014-2015) in the NorthEast Region.
How many wrestlers advance to the MMWA Finals from each MMWA Regional?
When there are 3 MMWA Regional sites, only the top 4 in each weight class from a Regional advance to the MMWA Finals.
How many wrestlers advance to the MYWA Finals from each MYWA Regional?
In 2012-13, the top 4 placers in each weight class advanced to the MYWA Finals.
Do I need a mouth guard if I have braces?
Yes you do! Whatever braces you have, you must have a mouth guard that covers all the metal. So if you have braces on the top and bottom rows, make sure you have a mouth guard that protects both rows. The referees WILL stop you from wrestling in any round of the tournament if you don't have your mouth guard.
And if you have braces that aren't covered and the referee didn't notice in the first or second round matches, they can still catch it in a later round and not let you wrestle. (Sodon't lose it in the middle of the day) It's only to keep you and your opponents healthy.
If you don't have braces on your teeth, you may use a mouth guard, but it isn't required.
Do I need headgear/earguards?
If you are competing at an MMWA Novice tournament, you are not required to wear headgear.
If you are competing at an MMWA Open tournament, and you are required to wear headgear.
Why isn't it all the time? The MMWA wants to encourage young kids to compete, so they allow you to start with no headgear. This also helps lessen the initial cost for parents.
If you are competing at a MYWA tournament, you are required to wear headgear.
What about at practice? You should wear your headgear in practice whenever we are in live wrestling, so you get used to wearing your headgear. The coaches will encourage you to wear them, but they won't require you to wear them.
Why do you need them at all? If you are wrestling hard, during tie-ups your ears can get scrunched, twisted, which in itself is painful. This can also cause an ailment called cauliflower ear. Your ear (one or both) swell with fluid, become painfully sore, and make it impossible to wrestle. Your doctor will have to drain them, or perhaps perform minor surgery to repair them - both of which are uncomfortable and costly. So, protect your ears by wearing your headgear.
What are the Middle School Eligibility rules?
There appears to be some misconceptions about Middle School Eligibility, qualifying for MMWA and/or MYWA Regionals, and competing in MMWA or MYWA Tournaments. Hopefully this will clear up these issues.
The MHSAA governs the eligibility rules for middle school and high school students. For wrestling, the rules say the following:
Once your Middle School team competitions begin, you may participate in two (2) competitions outside of your Middle School team schedule.
The rule is clear, in that it doesn't matter when your practices with your middle school team begin, only the competitions. The Middle School team may also have "scrimmages" with other teams. These also don't matter - only the competitions.
After your Middle School team competitions end, you may participate at will in competitions outside of your Middle School team schedule.
Both MMWA and MYWA require competing in two (2) regular season tournaments to qualify to compete at a regional tournament.
For example, say Scranton Middle School will begin practicing January 12th, but their first competition is January 26th. A Scranton Middle School wrestler can compete in any number of MMWA or MYWA tournaments up until January 26th, without jeopardizing his eligibility. After January 26th, he may only compete in 2 tournaments until the end of his middle school's season.
Scranton's last competition is February 23rd. After that date, a Scranton wrestler can again compete in MMWA or MYWA tournaments. That leaves one weekend of regular season tournaments in MMWA, 3 weekends in MYWA, and Regionals and Finals in both leagues.
Middle School wrestlers in 6th grade may practice with their middle school team, but are not allowed to compete for the middle school team. MHSAA rules say that each athlete get 6 years of eligible wrestling competition - thus 7th through 12th grades are the eligible years.
Is my hair too long? Do I need a hair net?
To compete without a hair net under your heargear, your hair must not fall over or into your eyes, past your ear lobes, and must be above the collar of a normal shirt in the back. This is the MHSAA high school rule, and both MMWA and MYWA follow this rule. If you hair is longer than the above descriptions, the referee can require you to get a hair net. MMWA specifies that the hair net must attach to the headgear (MYWA doesn't say anything specific).
Some girls wear scrunchies, barettes, or other 'devices' in their hair to hold it up. These are not allowed.
In MMWA, girls are required to wear a t-shirt under their singlet, without a V-neck or scooped neck design, for modesty reasons.
Those are the rules. In practice, referees are likely to ignore the rules on the length of the hair early in the season, and then get more strict as Regionals and Finals approach. Of course, at any tournament, in any match, if your hair is deemed too long by a particular referee, then you'll have to get a hair net or cut your hair.
The referee is also within the rules to award a point to your opponent if you appear at the mat with hair too long and not wearing a hair net, or in any other way not prepared to wrestle.
What does it mean to "bump up", or to be "bumped up"?
Normally at a tournament you weigh in, and your actual weight puts you in a particular weight class, and then you wrestle your matches, etc. Sometimes at a tournament there may be only 1 or 2 wrestlers in your weight class, and only 1 or 2 in the next heavier weight class.
When this happens, the tournament officials may decide to "bump you up" - to move you into the next higher weight class, so you have more opponents and can get more matches that day. You will never be bumped up more than one weight class.
Occasionally in the past, wrestlers who were very good could decide when they weighed in that even though they were in the 9-10 age group, they wanted to 'bump up' to the 11-12 age group so they could get tougher opponents. To the best of my knowledge, both MMWA and MYWA do not allow wrestlers to choose to do this anymore.
MMWA Tournaments will ask you to bump up an age group in the special circumstance that you are heavier than the Super-Super Heavyweight class for your age group. If asked, the decision is up to you and your parents.
If the club takes a dual team to a MYWA dual tournament, you might weigh in in one weight class, and then the coach could decide to have you wrestle at the next higher weight class, so the team could avoid forfeiting at that higher weight class.
I attend St. Patrick's Middle School. Can I wrestle with the Scranton Middle School team?
If you are a 7th or 8th grade student at St. Patrick's Middle School in Brighton, you can wrestle with the Scranton Middle School Team. You and your family are responsible for getting to Scranton for practices and meets.