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The Beat: New guides grapple with weighty issue

By Mike Biglin/ Daily News staff
Monday, September 18, 2006

So, got an E-mail on Thursday from Nathan Bonneau of the MIAA, announcing nutrition and weight management workshops for wrestlers during the offseason and coming winter season.

And I thought immediately how cool this was, that the MIAA has tackled something that hasn't really been discussed, yet holds the utmost importance -- the health of these young student-athletes in such a demanding sport.

So, I picked up the phone and started calling the bevy of gung-ho wrestling coaches we have in the News area to get their thoughts on the subject.

And after a couple of those calls, I realized this was a much bigger story than first thought -- one that one area coach said is "going to change the face of wrestling."

The workshops -- the first being the night of Tuesday, Oct. 3, at the MIAA office in Franklin -- have been set up to "facilitate the implementation of the NFHS (National Federation of State High Schools) Mandatory Weight Clarification Rule."

This new rule, recommended by the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee and NFHS Board of Directors after the death of three college wrestlers who engaged in unsafe weight loss activities, hopes to discourage rapid weight loss. The revised rule will include a hydration test (to mark a level not to exceed 1.025), as well as the already-in-place body fat assessment (no lower than 7 percent for boys, 12 percent for girls), and a monitored weekly weight loss plan not to exceed 1 1/2 pounds per week.

So, in layman's terms, here's what I just wrote: kids are going to be checked to prevent putting on five layers of sweats and running seven miles to sweat off pounds to make weight, or starving themselves to drop weight classes. This year, wrestlers are going to have to give a urine sample before competition to be cleared to take the mat.

The first tests will take place before preseason practice starts, and then another test will be administered just before the season starts. At that time, it will be determined what will be the optimum weight class they can wrestle, as well as the lowest weight they can fall.

"It's a big change, and one that's difficult to grasp right away," says Hudson coach Aaron Polansky. "But what it really does, in my opinion, is it eliminates the opportunity for anyone to take a shortcut. It eliminates quick weight cutting, and I think it will promote athletes to come into the season in better shape."

If they're not in shape, they might not be able to hit the mat right away. And that's something that has scared a lot of coaches. What if a wrestler comes into preseason out of shape, then goes through two weeks of the grueling season and loses a lot of that overweight quickly? It could become an inherent problem with this new system.

"Kids are normally losing weight anyways, because wrestling is such a high intensity sport," says Framingham's Jon Kanavich. "Our practices are the closest thing to a Marine boot camp in high school sports. They're going to naturally lose weight because of all the calories they're burning. And should kids be punished for that, if they're losing the weight the right way?"

Kanavich knows there's a stigma about the sport, of kids starving themselves to make weight. But he says those old days are gone.
"It's not like we weren't looking out for kids before this rule," he says. "They had to be certified by a doctor -- not a nurse or a trainer, a doctor -- and they had their weight, height and body mass index checked for their optimum weight classes. We (coaches) take care of our kids."

Kanavich supports the hydration test -- "That makes sense to me," he says -- but is afraid the constant new testing will take too much of a toll. "I'm going to have to fill out eight forms per kid. If I get my usual 50-60 kids out, I'm going to need a CPA to deal with all this paperwork."

"I think, in the long run, it will promote health in the sport," says Polansky. "But it's a tough pill for everyone to swallow. At this point, it's a major change. And with any major change, there's anxiety -- just how we're going to handle this one."

That's what longtime Wayland coach Gary Chase is pondering these days. "From what our coaches association has heard, where it has been implemented in other states, its working. But we'll have to wait and see how it works out here. The jury's still out.

"I know this is generating a lot of feeling on both sides, but I don't feel strongly about it one way or another," says Chase. "I just have to see if it helps or hurts. The hydration test -- urinating in a cup -- that may turn kids off, so that might hurt marginal programs always looking for numbers. Then again, it could help, because we have this reputation of starving kids to death, and this might in one sense eliminate that."

He told the tale of one of his former wrestlers, Greg Bergman, as an example. "His junior year, he really battled to stay at (a lower) weight, and by the end of the season he was wiped out and pulled out of the final meets," Chase recalls. "So, his senior year, he decided to wrestle at his natural weight, and he had a much more productive senior year. So, there's a certain thing to be said about wrestling at your natural weight. It works well for older kids."

Polansky refers to his own schoolboy days while talking about his personal grapple over the issue. "I tell my kids this is the best thing for them," he says, "but then I look in the mirror and see the guy who was a sophomore running at night to drop seven pounds to make weight at 110, or the guy in college who was at 149 and got down to 118.

"But I remember how much that hurt, and how uncomfortable it was," he adds. "And looking at these kids now, I see them being in a much more comfortable situation. So, in the long run, I think a lot more good will come out of it."

Like Chase said, it'll be wait and see.

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Journalists predict gold medalists at 2006 World Wrestling Championships in China

International Journalists
09/19/2006

This will be updated as more selections are received

IKUO HIGUCHI
Japan Wrestling Federation website

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sammie Henson (USA)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Sajid Sajidov (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Khadjimurad Gatsalov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Lazaro Rivas (Cuba)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Eusebiu Diaconu (Romania)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Nikolay Gergov (Bulgaria)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Varteres Samourgachev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Alexei Mishine (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Hamza Yerlikaya (Turkey)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Mijian Lopez (Cuba)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Hitomi Sakamoto (Japan)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Jing Ruixue (China)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

BRYAN VAN KLEY
W.I.N. Magazine publisher

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Albert Batyrov (Belarus)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Sazhid Sazhidov (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Georgi Gogshelidze (Georgia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Tolly Thompson (United States)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Hamid Sayan Reinhanpour (Iran)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Seref Eroglu (Turkey)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Oleg Mikhalovich (Belarus)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Vasilliy Tepoulkhov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Mijial Lopez (Cuba)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Carol Huynh (Canada)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Patricia Miranda (United States)
55 kg/121 lbs. - Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Sara McMann (United States)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. - Meng Lili (China)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

MIKOLAJ JAROCKI
Zapaznik (Poland)

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Radoslav Velikov (Bulgaria)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mavlet Batirov (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Yoel Romero (Cuba)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Ali Reza Heidari (Iran)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Lazaro Rivas (Cuba)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Ali Askhani (Iran)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Nikolay Gergov (Bulgaria)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Mark Madsen (Denmark)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Alexei Mishine (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Karam Gaber (Egypt)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Georgi Tsursumia (Kazakhstan)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Xueceng Ren (China)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ida Theres-Karlsson (Sweden)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Meng Lili (China)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

BRYANT ARMSTRONG
www.aroundtherings.com

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Oleksander Zakharuk (Ukraine)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Alan Dudaev (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Gela Sagarishvili (Georgia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Yoel Romero (Cuba)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Shamil Gitinov (Armenia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Armen Amoyan (Armenia)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Tamas Loerincz (Hungary)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Mark Madsen (Denmark)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Mikhaylo Nikolaev (Ukraine)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Mijial Lopez (Cuba)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Patricia Miranda (United States)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann (United States)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Elene Perepelkina (Russia)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Ohenewa Akuffo (Canada)

CRAIG SESKER
TheMat.com

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sammie Henson (USA)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Yandro Quintana (Cuba)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Buvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Yoel Romero (Cuba)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. – Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Tolly Thompson (USA)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Istvan Majoros (Hungary
60 kg/132 lbs. – Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Harry Lester (USA)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Mark Madsen (Denmark)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Oleg Daragan (Ukraine)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. – Justin Ruiz (USA)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Mijial Lopez (Cuba)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Patricia Miranda (USA)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Tonya Verbeek (Canada)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Ayako Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann (USA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Meng Lili (China)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

CLINT KINGSBURY
Canada Amateur Wrestling Association (CAWA)

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Sammie Henson (United States)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Alan Dudaev (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Yoel Romero (Cuba)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Khadzimurat Gatsalov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Kuramagomed Kuramogomedov (Russia)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Ali Askhani (Iran)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Tamas Loerincz (Hungary)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Varteres Samurgachev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Alim Selimav (Belarus)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Karam Gaber (Egypt)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Georgi Tsursumia (Kazakhstan)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Makiko Sakamoto (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Patricia Miranda (United States)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Tonya Verbeek (Canada)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ida Theres-Karlsson (Sweden)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Martine Dugrenier (Canada)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Ohenewa Akuffo (Canada)

JASON BRYANT
InterMat

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Yandro Quintana (Cuba)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Serafim Barzakov (Bulgaria)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Sajid Sajidov (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Georgi Gogshelidze (Georgia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Eldar Kurtanidze (Georgia)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Lazaro Rivas (Cuba)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Tamas Lorincz (Hungary)
74 kg/163 lbs. - T.C. Dantzler (USA)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Karam Gaber (Egypt)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers (USA)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Carol Hunyh (Canada)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. - Patricia Miranda (USA)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Seiko Yamamoto (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Kaori Icho (Japan)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Katie Downing (USA)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kyoko Hamaguchi (Japan)

AL BEVILACQUA
NYWrestling.com

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Dilshod Mansurov (Uzbekistan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Mavlet Baitrov (Russia)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Makhach Murtzalev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Adam Saitiev (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Khadjimurad Gatsalov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Hamid Reinhanpour (Iran)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Hussamadin Rajabov (Azerbaijian)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Varteres Samurgachev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Justin Ruiz (USA)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers (USA)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Irini Merlini (Ukraine)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Hitomi Sakemoto (Japan)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. - Ayako Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann (USA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Meng Lili (China)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Kristie Marano (USA)

GARY ABBOTT
TheMat.com

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Sammie Henson (USA)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Yandro Quintana (Cuba)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Makhach Murtazaliev (Russia)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Yoel Romero (Cuba)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. – Khadjimurad Gatsalov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Artur Taymazov (Uzbekistan)

Men’s Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. – Rovsan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)
60 kg/132 lbs. – Armen Nazarian (Bulgaria)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Alain Milan (Cuba)
74 kg/163 lbs. – Varteras Samourgashev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. – Alexei Mishine (Russia)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. – Karim Gaber (Egypt)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. – Dremiel Byers (USA)

Women’s Freestyle champions
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Chiharu Icho (Japan)
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Patricia Miranda (USA)
55 kg/121 lbs. – Saori Yoshida (Japan)
59 kg/130 lbs. – Ayoko Shoda (Japan)
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Sara McMann (USA)
67 kg/147.5 lbs. – Riu Xue Jing (China)
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Kristie Marano (USA)

MAAHYAR RASAIE
Iran Wrestling Federation

Men’s Freestyle champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Dzhamel Otarsultanov (Russia)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Yandro Quintana (Cuba)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Albert Batyrov (Belarus)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Bouvaisa Saitiev (Russia)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Reza Yazdani (Iran)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Khadzimurat Gatsalov (Russia)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Marid Mutalimov (Kazakhstan)

Greco-Roman champions
55 kg/121 lbs. - Rovshan Bayramov (Azerbaijan)
60 kg/132 lbs. - Ali Askhani (Iran)
66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Nikolay Gergov (Bulgaria)
74 kg/163 lbs. - Mark Madsen (Denmark)
84 kg/185 lbs. - Artur Michalkiewicz (Poland)
96 kg/211.25 lbs. - Hamza Yerlikaya (Turkey)
120 kg/264.5 lbs. - Georgi Tsursumia (Kazakhstan)