Midd-West Wrestling

Rules
PIAA, Heartland Conference and MWSD rules and policies are followed.

• MWSD Handbook has all the athletic guidelines.  Read Them
• All other rules are determined by the NFHS.

Team Rules
Academics come first.  You must remain eligible to participate.

• If you are ineligible in school you will come to practice and complete schoolwork or study.  Grades are checked weekly on Friday by the A.D.
• I can help with most subjects or I can get you extra help if needed.

You must be prepared to step on the mat.

• Practices are mandatory unless for an excused reason.
• These will be determined on a case by case basis.  Here are some reasonable excuses for not being at practice: illness, family emergency and previously scheduled doctor’s appointments.
• I need to know when you are not going to be at practice. 
• Missing practices will lead to extra make up time before or after practice.  If it becomes a problem then further action will be taken.  This includes being removed from the lineup or removal from the team.
• Keep your weight within reason.  There is absolutely no reason to be more the 5 pounds overweight once you have made weight.  Keeping your weight within reason is necessary to maintain your health and conditioning. If this becomes an issue, we will figure out a solution to the problem, which may include removal from the lineup for a match.

Actions detrimental to the team will result in your removal from the team

• Drug, alcohol and tobacco use is not allowed and will result in removal from the team.
• Bad sportsmanship or inappropriate behavior can results in removal from the team.
• We will travel to all meets as a team unless special circumstances arise.
• Members of the team will remain at all events until completion of the event or until all members are done competing. 
•  You will need your parent’s signature to ride home with them or anyone else from away meets.
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Contact Information
Coach Swartz
Phone:  (570) 847-3747
Email: cswartz@mwsd.cc
 

Practices
All practices will be held in the HS auxiliary gym.  Practice after school will run from 3:00 - 5:15.  Saturday practices or practices when school is not in session will be held at a time to be determined.  I will try to run the practices at a time that best suits everyone.  We will determine a time a few days in advance.

Equipment
You will need the following items everyday for practice:

• Wrestling shoes
• Headgear – I have plenty to loan out if needed.
• Shorts and shirt (long or short sleeved)
• Sweatshirt and sweat pants
• Running shoes
• Hat, gloves

 
We plan on running outside a couple of times a week so it is important to bring running shoes and sweats to go outside.  Also, we are not sure how warm the gym will be throughout the season so sweatpants and sweatshirts can be worn to practice.
 
Health Concerns
The mats are washed before practices with a mat cleaner that kills most germs that affects wrestlers.  However, it is imperative that each wrestler showers after each practice.  We have shower facilities this year so everyone can shower at the school.  If you don’t shower at the school, shower as soon as you get home.  If you have a rash or something on your skin you are concerned with let the coaches know so we can take care of it.  We have a form that must be filled out by a doctor, so I need to know if there are any concerns.  Also, wear clothes for only one practice and then wash them, even sweats.  Kneepads and other items should be washed a few times during the season.
 
Weight Loss Plans
I will give each of you a login and a password to the NWCA website in which you can look at your weight loss plan.  There is also a nutrition section on nutrition that you can use develop a nutrition plan for the season.  I will explain the weight loss plan and how the weight system works in further details later.
 
Elimination Procedures

• Before the first meet of the season, starters for each weight classes will determined by eliminations.  The coaching staff and the wrestler will decide what eligible weight class they will wrestle.
• Eliminations can be held each week to determine the starter for each weight class.  You can only eliminate once a week regardless of the weight.
• The first eliminations will be a best of three matches.  The winner will earn the spot for the first week of matches. 
• Weigh-ins will occur before the first elimination match and each wrestler must be within 5 lbs of the weight class. 
• For the second and third matches, the wrestlers must weigh in no more that 3 lbs over the weight class.
• Failure to make weight will result in a loss for that match.
• Once a starter has been determined for each weight class, the challenger must beat the starter twice in a row to earn the spot.
• If two starters are wrestling for the same spot, then the elimination becomes a best of three match elimination.
• Remember, there are instances when we will shuffle the lineup to get better matchups to win the meet.  This will not always occur but sometimes it is a necessary adjustment to win the meet.