Referees

[Tarzan 21]

Refs do seem to try and even things out at times it seems to be an unwritten not talked about subject but I have seen them make a bad call for one kid then give the other kid what may be a break later , not good but at least trying to even the scales is honorable of them . Seen it a hundred times

[B10grapple 7]

I thought the officiating was the best and most consistent that I've seen all year as it should.  If I could quibble at all it did seem that there were an inordinate amount of last second/match deciding referee awarded points (stalling cautions etc.)

[ccky68 0]

I'm sure my son will be furious - but I have been broken hearted since the weekend and had to vent....

 

If your son was a Senior and the following happened to him - I bet you would feel a little differently about it:

 

First Match: Win - Fall 0:50

 

Second Match:  Win - Fall 0:53

 

Third Match:  Lost - Dec 7-6  - Our coach discussed points not given with the Ref during the match - Ref refused to award the points - my son lost the match and therefore would not be wrestling the match he had worked so hard to obtain

 

Fourth Match: Win - Dec 9-5

 

Fifth Match:  Win - Fall 2:21

 

Sixth Match:  Lost - Dec 7-6 - Same Ref - same thing - therefore my son lost the match and could not even wrestle for 3rd place

 

Seventh Match:  Win - Fall 0:36 - He got 5th place

 

After the finals - the Ref came up to our coach and apologized saying that he messed up on 2 different calls for the 2 matches

 

WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO NOW !!!!! - I personally think he wasn't apologizing - I think he was rubbing it in...

 

If this continues to happen - wrestling in Kentucky will decline - we are just now starting to compete with some of the tougher states - but if the competition keeps getting thinned out at the top - it won't be long until we will be at the bottom again.

 

Regionals - Same Thing:

My son was in the finals - two Refs - the other Kid kept pulling on his head gear - my son heard the 2nd Ref tell the 1st Ref you better watch him he is pulling on his head gear - GUESS WHAT no calls - my son's head gear had to be readjusted 4 times - insn't that 4 points??? - he lost the match 6-5

 

They need to tape every match and if a call is disputed - there should be several Refs designated to review the film and make a quick decision - therefore nobody loses a match that he should win - there is too much at stake here - once a bad call is made and the match is lost - you can't get it back!!

[bigedcoach 27]

I think ref should spend more time looking at rankings and reading this web site so they know who is supposed to win. If that doesn't make him better then call Tarzan, Josh Claywell, Naples, Ranger, or Otto. LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

Referees , killing hope and dreams since 1974

[OhioWrestler&Reff68 14]

I really never get into post on here I just like reading it for the humor, but after some long deliberation I figured I'd respond to some of this since after all I am a wrestling official and just finished up my 27th year of doing so.  I've had the honor of working in some of the best wrestling states which date back as far as 1988 in Ohio during my college days.  I for one take officiating very seriously and at the end of the day when I come off the mat I'm beat and totally exhausted, I give it my all for the KIDS and the sport that I love(giving back to something that gave so much to me).  I'm not the only official that feels this way, I'm not in it for the money that is for sure.  I was so sore Sun that I thought that I was out there wrestling and I'm in-shape and compete professionally in a sport to this day, so I know I'm not FAT or out of shape.

 

It's very easy to sit back and be a MONDAY morning quarterback or be one of the brothers; coulda, woulda, shoulda.  The ref should have called, if only the ref would have called, The ref could have called....  What's humorous is that most of the parents have never stepped on the mat to wrestle or if they did they were average at best and think they know more than the officials or coaches(SOMETIMES not ALL).  Just as they do around the office on Monday when their NFL team blows the big game.  If you want to be a part of the solution then take the test and buy your gear, donate your time to the KWOA attend the clinics, attend bi-weekly meetings in your region during season and give up EVERY Sat and one or two nights a week....  We are always looking for new officials.

 

Rankings:  Ranking are NOT who is guaranteed to win the state title that is just a stretch.  Coming from Ohio there is a guy named Brian Brakeman who has been publishing a report called the "Brakeman Report" for 42 years and his avg is only at about .677%.  A ranking is just an educated guess, Bamma was ranked #1 most of the year and they didn't win the national title...  Brakeman has been at this for 42 years, I was 3 when he started and that was way before the internet and track wrestling and he's only above 500 and has a ton more schools/divisions-D1,D2,D3 and wrestlers to GUESS at then KY does.  I think you get the point...  http://www.cleveland.com/timstake/index.ssf/2013/01/brakeman_report_ohio_wrestling.html

 

Officials are human, humans make mistakes.  It's the great official that can say "hey I made a mistake".  I personally know of one this past weekend where I called a TD to fast and didn't allow for reaction time.  The kid did score the TD I just gave 2 to fast, could it have went the other way, yes.  Then the score would have still been the same, 0-0 vs. 2-2 for the reversal I would have had to award.  Once the season starts you can go to the National Federation and download the rule book and get SMART on the rules, not what you think you know.  There is a reaction time and it always amazes me when the fans yell 2 or scream he's pinned or he's locking hands.  When I or anyone else is 2-3 feet or 3-4 inches away making a call.  I think fans and parents must have some of the best eyesight known to man or some superman xray vision to make a call 200-300+ feet away this past weekend.

 

Stalling:  One of the toughest calls in all of wrestling, regardless of the state you officiate in.  It’s a judgment call and then again it's not.  There is criteria that is within the book that we follow and that will guide us to make that call.  NO state is uniform in this area are some stricter, yes, are some officials stricter, yes.... Can we get better as a state YES.  It's one of the hardest to recognize and to get.  If you don’t make contact within the 10ft circle and back out more than once then that could be stalling.  I gave a stalling call to a kid that continued to back up to the point that he went out of bound 3 times and on the 3rd time I called the kid for stalling.  The coach took me to the table and said, "he's pushing us out", "I said yes he is and your kid did nothing to stop it".  Then the very respected coach said "what's he supposed to do"? I simply replied, "how about circle right or left and stay on the mat".  The coach said, "you're right" and went back to his chair and yelled at his kid.  Stalling and the clock:  We do look at the clock from time to time so that we make sure that it is running and to keep tract on the time.  Stalling can occur at any time, at 1:45 in the 1st or at :04 in the 3rd.  I saw a stalling call at :05 in the 3rd in the finals, the kid was up by 2 and was not going to give up his lead and backed up or I should say ran away(I would have done the same thing), that is stalling and it was called regardless of the time in the match. Most of us count shots and use the 3:0 ratio, 3 REAL shots vs NONE your more than likely going to get a stalling call.  Ridding the hips and not getting out to the side and work for a pin, I like to count and to show it with my arm.  That way if I call it you were warned that it's about to come.

 

I have seen and have known 100s of refs throughout this country and I'd like to think I had a great mentor in Tom Rooney from Central Ohio, not only did he call many of my high school and college matches he took me under his wing and I hope he molded who I am today on the mat.  As a wrestler I would aggressively STAll my ass off to see what I could get away with.  Kids these days are no dif than what we were back then...  One person said it best and something that my high school coach would say, "never leave anything up to the ref".  That means you SCORE and continue to score until the end of the match.

 

In summary:  If you don't want to be part of the solution then don’t be part of the problem!  Go take the test, it's 100 questions open book no time limit.  Join the KWOA, join your region KWOA, attend meetings give up every Sat from Dec to Feb officiating 10-12 hours a day for the LOVE of this sport. The KWOA is working on a "officiating class" that all new officials will have to take before they become an official.  This will help the officiating within the state of KY.

 

Here are the links you need.  The KOWA site will have your region reps who will be glad to assist you with anything you need.....  If you like post your questions here and I'm sure I or someone will answer your question about becoming a wrestling official, who knows in 10-15 years maybe you'll be at the state calling the Tour.

 

"The 1st period is won by the best technician. The 2nd period is won by the kid in the best shape. The 3rd period is won by the kid with the biggest heart" Dan Gable

 

Talk is cheap, ACTIONS speak louder than words!

 

Below are the link to help you become an official, the first one has instruction lined out for you on everything you need.

 

 

http://kyofficials.com/node/13

 

 

http://khsaa.org/coaches-officials/officiating-information/

[eville dad 17]

Great post!!

[B10grapple 7]

Great Post!

[Grappleking 3]

I'm sure my son will be furious - but I have been broken hearted since the weekend and had to vent....

 

If your son was a Senior and the following happened to him - I bet you would feel a little differently about it:

 

First Match: Win - Fall 0:50

 

Second Match:  Win - Fall 0:53

 

Third Match:  Lost - Dec 7-6  - Our coach discussed points not given with the Ref during the match - Ref refused to award the points - my son lost the match and therefore would not be wrestling the match he had worked so hard to obtain

 

Fourth Match: Win - Dec 9-5

 

Fifth Match:  Win - Fall 2:21

 

Sixth Match:  Lost - Dec 7-6 - Same Ref - same thing - therefore my son lost the match and could not even wrestle for 3rd place

 

Seventh Match:  Win - Fall 0:36 - He got 5th place

 

After the finals - the Ref came up to our coach and apologized saying that he messed up on 2 different calls for the 2 matches

 

WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO NOW !!!!! - I personally think he wasn't apologizing - I think he was rubbing it in...

 

If this continues to happen - wrestling in Kentucky will decline - we are just now starting to compete with some of the tougher states - but if the competition keeps getting thinned out at the top - it won't be long until we will be at the bottom again.

 

Regionals - Same Thing:

My son was in the finals - two Refs - the other Kid kept pulling on his head gear - my son heard the 2nd Ref tell the 1st Ref you better watch him he is pulling on his head gear - GUESS WHAT no calls - my son's head gear had to be readjusted 4 times - insn't that 4 points??? - he lost the match 6-5

 

They need to tape every match and if a call is disputed - there should be several Refs designated to review the film and make a quick decision - therefore nobody loses a match that he should win - there is too much at stake here - once a bad call is made and the match is lost - you can't get it back!!

 

 

 

 

First, if the ref didnt award teh points then in his opinion they weren't earned. Its not like the kid got a takedown and the ref forgot to give the points. Its like saying a guy got fouled in basketball, then in the 4th period when he gets his 4th foul you start arguing he has 5 because you think he committed a foul earlier. 

 

Second, most wrestling tournaments barely have the ability to have table workers and people who can keep the score correctly. Now your wanting different camera angles and coaches challenges in a sport thats known for not having breaks? Please tell me you thought this through after typing. 

 

Your son must be an awesome wrestler if the entire state of ky wrestling is going on the decline because he didnt win a state championship.

[Tarzan 21]

Refs make a lot of bad calls period at all levels and nearly all refs take up for each other it will not change . Ohio refs are in no way the best ,

And any # of ky coaches who are honest could attest to the unethical calls aimed at KY kids over and over .

Nice speech but all of us dads are not armchair quarterbacks and some work as hard or harder than any refs and guess what ????

We do not get paid to cheat anyone ,we do it for the love of our kids and the sport ,

Now ask any coach from CC or Sk about some refs . I have seen it in every level and style , Fargo , Ohio , Ky , and nationals , it's all good no one is perfect but sometimes it's less than on the up and up . Sometimes I honestly think someone deserves an @&& beating .!!