Published: 4/30/2021 6:14:27 PM
Modified: 4/30/2021 6:14:24 PM
Unroll the mats, they’re going to see some sun.
The MIAA Board of Directors unanimously approved modifications for a spring wrestling season Friday 17-0.
Schools are encouraged but not required to host outdoor wrestling meets. Practices should also occur outdoors whenever possible. Each team will provide their own anklets or leg bands for competition.
Participants must wear masks, and if one is removed or altered during a competition, the official must stop the match unless it is a scoring situation. The process mirrors the rule on protective ear guards coming loose.
Wrestlers must use hand sanitizer between rounds, and the mats need to be disinfected prior to and following competitions.
Winners hands won’t be raised, but officials will point to the match’s victor and raise their arm with the corresponding color wrist band to the wrestler’s anklet.
Only dual and tri-meets will be allowed, and teams can only compete against a single opponent per day unless the games are back to back, the facility has multiple fields, courts or surfaces, the facility has adequate transition space and no teams or players are required to wait for the second game other than the break to transition.
Rotation of mats is recommended so one can be cleaned while another is in use.
The modifications were approved 16-0 by the COVID-19 task force and 11-1-3 by the wrestling sport management committee. District and league meets will be prioritized.
On-site weigh-ins will be administered separately by team rather than by weight class. The three pound allowance at night for weigh ins will be eliminated.
The MIAA spring season has already begun. Many teams started practice Monday, and games are set to begin Thursday.