Keeping up to date with changes in 2007 USA Wrestling programs

By Gary Abbott
USA Wrestling/Themat.com
gabbott@usawrestling.org

The new year is just a few weeks away, and the winter folkstyle wrestling season is already flying by in our nation’s high schools and colleges. It is a very active time for the wrestling community, and interest in the sport is at a peak.

Before you know it, winter will be gone and it will be time for the annual USA Wrestling season with all of its age levels and styles. Numerous opportunities for athletes, coaches and fans to participate in USA Wrestling events will be available.

It is important for those involved in wrestling at all levels to be aware of what USA Wrestling has to offer during the so-called “off-season.” The next issue of USA Wrestler magazine will have complete information on every age level of the sport, and all of the programs being offered.

It is not only important to know the schedule and the programs being offered, but also to be aware of a number of changes that have been instituted for the new 2007 year. In an attempt to make this easy, we will give specific topics and the changes that are being implemented.

NEW EVENT LOCATIONS
A number of USA Wrestling National or Regional Events have moved to new cities this year. They include:

• The U.S. World Team Trials have been moved to Las Vegas, Nev. (June 8-10)
• The FILA Cadet and University Nationals have been moved to Akron, Ohio (April 20-22)
• The Southeast Junior Regional has moved back to New Orleans, La. (April 20-21)
• The Central Junior Regional has moved to Indianapolis, Ind. (May 12-13)
• The Central Kids/Cadet Regional has moved to Columbus, Ohio (May 25-27)
• The Southeast Kids/Cadet Regional has moved to Charleston, S.C. (May 25-27)
• The Northeast Kids/Cadet Regional has moved to Fairfield, Conn. (June 1-3)
• The Southern Plains Regional (all divisions) has moved to Hays, Kansas (June 14-16)

A special note is that the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling will also be held in Las Vegas, Nev. at the Thomas and Mack Center. Make plans now for this exciting event at http://www.USAWrestlingLasVegas.com

JUNIORS AND BANTAMS ADDED TO FOLKSTYLE NATIONALS
Two more age divisions have been added to the USA Wrestling Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, March 30-April 1. Included in the tournament for the first time are Juniors (Athletes born 9/1/1987 and after, plus enrolled in grades 9-12) and Bantams (7 and 8 years old - Born 1999 and 2000). There are now seven age divisions in this annual folkstyle spectacular.

SOMBO NATIONALS ADDED TO LAS VEGAS SCHEDULE
The Men’s and Women’s U.S. Sombo Nationals and World Team Trials has been added to the schedule of national events in Las Vegas, Nev., April 6-7. There will be a Senior division only at this competition. It will be held alongside the U.S. Nationals in the three Olympic styles, as well as the FILA Junior Nationals and the Western Junior Regionals. This will serve as the qualifying event for the 2007 U.S. Sombo World Team, which will compete at the World Championships in Antalya, Turkey.

WOMEN’S U.S. NATIONALS SET FOR FRIDAY, APRIL 6TH
The 2007 U.S. Women’s National Championships will again be held on one day, with all seven weight classes contested on Friday, April 6. Weigh-ins for the U.S. Women’s Nationals will be on Thursday, April 5. This is a change from last year, when the women’s tournament was held on Saturday.

JUNIOR/CADET NATIONALS IN FARGO REDUCED TO SIX DAYS
The schedule for the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals and the Accelerade Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D. this year has been reduced to a six-day event. In past seasons, the tournament was held over eight days.

THREE MORE WEIGHTS ADDED TO FILA JUNIOR AND UNIVERSITY NATIONALS
At both the University Nationals in Akron, Ohio and the FILA Junior Nationals in Las Vegas, Nev., there have been three additional weight classes added to the tournament. The new weights in both age divisions are the 63 kg/138.75 lbs, 70 kg/154.25 lbs. and 79 kg/174 lbs.  Note that these divisions are only applicable to these age-group National Championships.

NEW WEIGHT CLASSES SET FOR WOMEN JUNIORS
There is a new set of weight classes for the Women’s Junior division, for use at the Regional Championships and the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Nationals. All of the weight classes have been changed. They are (in pounds): 95, 102, 109, 116, 124, 132, 139, 146, 153, 165, 190, and 220

NEW AGE DIVISIONS AT VETERANS NATIONALS IN LAS VEGAS
USA Wrestling has added a younger age division for the Veterans National Freestyle and Greco-Roman Championships in Las Vegas. All of the age divisions have been altered. This is a significant change from previous years.

Div. A.       25-32 years of age (Born 1982-1975)
Div. B       33-40 years of age (Born 1974-1967)
Div. C       41-48 years of age (Born 1966-1959)
Div. D     49-55 years of age (Born 1958-1952)
Div. E     56 years of age and over (Born 1951 and before)

THREE JUNIOR REGIONAL EVENTS ADDED FOR WOMEN
There will be three Junior Regional Championships for women included on the schedule this year: the Northeast Junior Women’s Regionals in Brockport, N.Y., the Northern Plains Junior Women’s Regionals in Waterloo, Iowa and the Southern Plains Junior Regional Championships in Hays, Kansas. This is the first time an official Women’s Junior Regional has been held, and is an exciting new development for the growth of women’s wrestling at the high school level.

ALL AGES COMBINED AT SOUTHERN PLAINS REGIONAL
The 2007 Southern Plains Regional Championships in Hays, Kansas is now combined to include the Bantam, Midget, Novice, Schoolboy, Cadet and Junior divisions.  In the other regions, the Junior Regional are held at a different date and location than the Kids/Cadet Regionals. Also note that this regional has added the Bantam division as part of their Regional Championships.

SENIOR MEN’S REGIONAL QUALIFIERS FOR WORLD TEAM TRIALS CHANGED
The two Men’s Senior Regionals that will serve as qualifiers for the 2007 World Team Trials are the Northeast Senior Regionals in Brockport, N.Y. and the Northern Plains Regional in Waterloo, Iowa. Last year, the Northeast was not a qualifier but this year it will be.

ONLY ONE WOMEN’S REGIONAL WILL QUALIFY FOR WORLD TEAM TRIALS
There will be only one Women’s Senior Regional event that will be a qualifier for the 2007 World Team Trials – the Northern Plains Regional in Waterloo, Iowa.

DIVISIONS ELIMINATED AT 2007 ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGIONALS
The 2007 Rocky Mountain Regionals in Laramie, Wyo. will not include a Men’s or Women’s Senior division. Also note that in the past, the Men’s Senior division was a World Team Trials qualifier. This year, no Senior-level competition will be held.

BRONZE CERTIFIED COACHES REQUIRED FOR JUNIOR REGIONALS/NATIONALS
All coaches who wish to participate at any Junior Regional Championships, as well as the Junior National Duals or the ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships, must have a minimum of a Bronze certification in USA Wrestling’s National Coaches Education Program. Previously, only Copper certification was required for the Regional Championships.

CADET AND JUNIOR HEAVYWEIGHT CLASS RAISED TO 285 POUNDS
In USA Wrestling competition on the Cadet and Junior levels, the Heavyweight weight class has increased from 275 to 285 to coincide with the change made by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

Anybody with questions about these changes, or seeking more information on USA Wrestling programs can call the national headquarters at 719-598-8181 or send an e-mail to Travis Shives at tshives@usawrestling.org

Gary Abbott is the Director of Communications and Special Projects for USA Wrestling and is a founder of the National Wrestling Media Association and is a 2005 recipient of the NWCA Meritorious Service Award.

Gary Abbott