Meets
Wrestling is generally conducted in two formats: the dual team meet and the tournament. Dual team meets are generally conducted between two teams, but can also be conducted between three teams (triangular) or four teams (quadrangular). In these meets, teams are paired up, and each team's wrestlers face each other. In tournaments, individuals from each team are placed into a bracket according to weight class. Wrestlers earn individual places, and earn team points based on their individual performances.
Weight Classes
To level the playing field, wrestlers are only allowed to wrestler opponents of the same relative weight. A wrestler's weight class is based on their weight on the day of competition (the official weigh in usually occurs about an hour before the competition begins). While the weight classes have changed over the years, the following are in use today at the middle/junior high level: 65, 70, 75, 80,85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 112, 119, 126, 135, 145, 155, 167, 185, 215 and Heavy Weight.
At the discretion of the coach, a wrestler is permitted to wrestle one weight class higher than the weight class he weighed in at. So, a wrestler whose scale weight was 134 would be in the 135 pound weight class, but could be asked to wrestle at the 140 pound weight class.
In the past (and still currently at most tournaments), wrestling begins with the lower weight classes and moved up towards heavyweight. Currently, before dual meets, the starting weight is drawn randomly, with wrestling progressing toward the heavier weights before coming back to the lightest weight. In triangular and quadrangular matches, as the meet progresses, the starting weight is typically moved forward one weight class after each meet.
Odds and Evens
Before the dual team match begins, the referee will meet with the captains of each team to review sportsmanship expectations, and will flip a colored disk (during the match, teams are either green or red, with the home team usually being green though some referees will make changes based on uniform colors). The winner of the flip chooses whether their team will have "choice" in the odd or even alternate weight classes (see "Match Mechanics" below for a discussion on what "choice" means). In a tournament setting, the coin flip occurs in each match, after the first period.
Match Mechanics
Each match in wrestling is three periods in length, with each period lasting two minutes. The first period begins with the opponents facing each other on their feet, with no wrestler in control (the neutral position).
If the match reaches the second period, the referee will ask the wrestler whose choice it is (see "Odds and Evens" above) to choose "Top, Bottom, Neutral" or Defer". The referee is asking the wrestler to choose the starting position for the second period, or to defer the choice until the third period, and permit his opponent to make the choice now.
The bottom position sees a wrestler on his hands and knees in the middle of the mat. The top position sees a wrestler kneeling next to his opponent, placing one hand on the opponents elbow, and the other around his back so that his palm his on his opponents belly. The choice is based on a wrestler's personal abilities, though most wrestlers will opt to choose the bottom position as it is generally considered easier to escape than it is to hold a wrestler down and turn them over.
In recent years, there have been two changes made to the rules regarding the starting positions. A wrestler starting on top may choose the "optional" starting position. In this case, instead of kneeling down, the wrestler on top stands behind his opponent with both hands on his back. From this position, the wrestler on top can push his opponent away, or may take a running start to try a maneuver. Additionally, the wrestler on top can opt to simply let his opponent up before the match restarts (you may hear the coach yell "let him up". This returns both wrestlers to the neutral standing position, and awards the wrestler who was on the bottom a one point escape.
Overtime
If the third period ends with a tied score, overtime begins. The first overtime is a one-minute "sudden victory" overtime. If either wrestler scores, the match ends. The only exception to this is if a wrestler scores a takedown which instantly puts the opposing wrestler into a potential pinning situation. If this is the case, the referee will allow the match to continue until time runs out, the wrestler in control pins his opponent, or the pinning hold is broken.
If the one minute sudden victory period ends without a change in score, there will be two 30 second periods. The referee will flip the colored coin to determine which wrestler chooses to start in the top or bottom position. The pair will wrestle for 30 seconds, provided one wrestler does not pin the other. In the second 30 second period, the wrestlers switch starting positions. At the end of the second 30 second period, the wrestler who is ahead wins (provided a pin has not taken place in the subsequent 30 seconds).
If there is still a tie, a final 30 second period will be wrestled. This time, the referee determines which wrestler scored first in regulation, to determine choice. If no one scored first, or if points were awarded simultaneously, the referee flips the colored coin to determine choice. The wrestler with choice top or bottom position. The wrestler on the bottom wins if he escapes within 30 seconds. The wrestler on top wins if he prevents his opponent from escaping. Any penalty points in this period would also breaks the tie, and subsequently end the match.
Injury Time/Blood Time/Recovery Time
If a wrestler is injured, or requires medical attention during a match (such as to use an asthma inhaler), the match is stopped, and the clock operator begins to run "injury time". Each wrestler is allotted a total of 90 seconds of injury time in a match. A wrestler may need attention on more than one occasion, but cannot exceed a total of 90 seconds in the match. If a wrestlers uses 90 seconds of injury time, and is unable to continue, that wrestler defaults to his opponent. If a wrestler stops the match twice for injury, his opponent is given the choice of starting position to restart the match.
If a wrestler begins bleeding, there is a separate clock kept called blood time. Each wrestler has a cumulative maximum of 5 minutes of blood time. Blood time only is kept for the time needed to stop the bleeding; not the time needed to clean the wrestler up. Because of the risk of communicable disease, it is important to stop a match at the first sign of blood, stop the bleeding, and clean both of the wrestlers as well as the mat.
Recovery time is used only in the event a wrestler is injured in an illegal maneuver. The injured wrestler is given five minutes of recovery time. If the injured wrestler cannot continue after five minutes, then the injured wrestler wins by disqualification.