Coaches deal with weight class changes

Prep wrestling coaches are taking one of the biggest changes of this season in stride.

Coaches have had to adapt to the new weight classes implemented by the National Federation of State High School Federations.

The increase includes three pounds to the lowest weight class, while eliminating a weight class between the 125 and 145-pound range and adding an upper weight. Four weights remain the same, including 145, 152 and 160. The heavyweight class also will remain at 285, keeping 14 weight classes.

The new divisions haven't necessarily been welcomed but some coaches have come to terms and accepted them.

“I'm not going to say I like it or dislike it,” Alburnett Coach Kane Thompson said. “It's fine for me because of the fact that's the way it is. We're not changing it this year, so I've just settled in with it.”

Coaches don't make the rules, so they have to live with them. It's the same for the wrestlers as well.

"It just takes getting used to," Cedar Rapids Prairie Coach Blake Williams said. "If that's the way it's going to be, it's going to be."

Cedar Rapids Kennedy Coach Brent Paulson isn't a fan of the new classifications, but admits it doesn't mean it's a bad move.

“It depends on the year,” Paulson said. “For our team, the strength was in the middle where they took out a weight.”

Select programs have benefited. Class 3A second-ranked Southeast Polk has ranked wrestlers in the largest seven weight classes, including top-ranked wrestlers at 170 and 220 and No. 2 and No. 6 at 195 and 182, respectively. One of them would not be in the lineup without the changes. West Delaware, second in 2A, has been able to spread out its talent in the upper weights.

“I think a lot of it depends on what kind of team you have at that time,” West Delaware Coach Jeff Voss said. “For us this year, it fits in pretty well. For some others maybe it doesn't.”

The NFHS said it attempted to restructure classes to match an equal percentage of participation at each weight based on participation figures. The number is a little higher than seven percent.

The Hawks wrestle competition from all three classes. The new classes appear filled, and seem to provide opportunities for heavier wrestlers.

“There are definitely kids getting into lineups that wouldn't get to,” Voss said. “We haven't seen a lot of forfeits. The weights have been filled for the most part.”

Some were concerned about the quality of wrestlers getting the opportunity. The perception is lower-weight wrestlers are more technical and active during a match.

“I think what it's done is made the middle weights a lot tougher,” Voss said. “There's a lot of good kids in those weight classes and you can't spread them out.”

Seven of 17 teams had 195-pounders at the Benton Community Bobcat Jerry Eckenrod Invitational on Jan. 7, and six of 12 teams at the Cedar Rapids Jefferson J-Hawk Invitational on Saturday had 220-pounders.

Overall, Paulson said the competition at those weights are better than he expected and he hasn't seen many forfeits either.

“I've seen some good wrestling at the upper weights,” Paulson said. “I don't think it's thinned out too much.”

Now, an emphasis might be on attracting larger athletes to the sport. Maybe even pulling in more football players into the sport.

"It would be nice for schools to be able to attract more bigger kids out for the sport," Williams said. "That's a challenge, I think, everywhere.

Feelings may change as rosters are adjusted. Voss will delay a strong opinion until the changes have been in place for a while.

“Maybe it's going to take a couple years for the depth of those weight classes to fill in,” Voss said. “It's kind of hard to judge it on the first year.”