Wrestling Team Policy


Franklin Knight Wrestling 

          Handbook 

2023-2024





Parents and wrestlers: sign the rules acknowledgement sheet at the back of this packet and return that page only to Coach Heckathorne or Coach Exley before the start of the season. Keep this book for your reference. Give copies of the season schedule to your family and encourage them to come to our matches. 

Our website for FHS Wrestling is on the Franklin High School Winter Sports Schedule page. Here is the link.


Coaching Staff 

Varsity coaches 

Email: jpheckathorne@staff.vgsd.org 

814-437-3759 ext. 1113 (Rocky Grove High School) 

814-758-7586 (cell) 

Junior High wrestling coaches 

Volunteer assistants 




Franklin Administration 

Dr. Eugene Thomas, Superintendent 

K.C. Miller, Principal 

Thomas Holoman, Principal

Becky Barnes, Athletic Director/ Trainer

Zack Baughman, Athletic Trainer 

                                              Ideology 

This packet is an installation of a program that is intended to structure Franklin wrestling. The idea is to create a basis from which a solid, coherent wrestling team can be formulated. Procedures, philosophies, practices, and approaches have been amalgamated so as to ensure the promulgation of athleticism, sportsmanship, and success on and off the mat. 

We will be using the SportsYou app to communicate with parents and wrestlers. Please be sure to add this free app to your phone or email, so that you can get necessary announcements. The code for our team is: 

                                    KJXG9DCQ (varsity)    

   

                                                                           7M3R-6UCD (jr high)













Franklin JV-Varsity Wrestling 2023-2024

Dec 4 @ Warren HS 7:00 pm  Bus leaves FHS- 3:45 pm

Dec 13 vs Saegertown HS 7:00 pm Be @ FHS by 4:45 pm

Dec 16 @ Sharpsville Duals Tournament  Bus leaves FHS-6:40 am

Dec 19 @ Cambridge Springs HS 7:00 pm Bus leaves FHS-4 pm

Dec 28 @ Redbank HS 7:00 pm Bus leaves FHS- 4 pm

Jan 3 @ Cochranton HS 7:00 pm Bus leaves FHS- 4:30 pm

Jan 6 @ Indiana, PA HS Bo Wood Tournament Bus leaves FHS on Jan 5: 3:30 pm

Jan 10 @ Commodore Perry  HS 7:00 pm Bus leaves FHS-4:30 pm

Jan 17 vs Conneaut Area HS 7:00 pm Be @ FHS by 4:45 pm

Jan 20 @ Howland, OH Tournament Bus leaves FHS-6:15 am

Jan 24 vs Maplewood HS 7:00 pm Be @ FHS by 4:45 pm

Jan 26, 27 @ Grove City HS Fred Bell Tournament Bus leaves Jan 26 8:45 am; Jan 27-6:30 am

Jan 30 vs Meadville HS 7:00 pmBe @ FHS by 4:45 pm

Feb 1 @ Cranberry HS 7:00 pm Bus leaves FHS- 4:30 pm

*The junior high will wrestle the above dual meets, but not the tournaments.

Jr high Meets: 6 pm start 

Jr. High Wrestlers are encouraged to go to individual tournaments, as well. These may be found by going online to PYWrestling.com and selecting “Tournament Listings.” 

Link to PY Wrestling 

                   Link to PA Wrestling Tournaments.org






                Red and Black Club Athletic Boosters 

Dear Parents and Fans of FHS Wrestling: The Red and Black Club has been supporting athletics at Franklin for years. Because of it, our kids have updated facilities and training equipment, as well as opportunities to travel to better themselves against diverse opponents. These are chances that the school board cannot afford to offer, so we are lucky to have a booster organization to help out. 

That’s why I’m asking you to consider coming to the meetings and representing all of us—your athlete, yourself, and your wrestling family. A little involvement can go a long way toward strengthening this booster club, as well as giving us the chance to pursue some facility improvements for the wrestling program. 

If you can find time to go to a meeting this year, we may begin to establish ourselves as a positive contributor to all the best that our school can offer to our sons and daughters. Meetings are the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm at FHS. 



                         Core Values 

Being on this team means that you have made a promise to your parents, coaches, teammates, and yourself to help everyone to succeed. The list below needs to be more than a set of words; it needs to be what we all live by to contribute to this season, and to our lives. All of us--coaches and athletes, need to keep these in our thoughts and actions to make these more than just words. This is your team as much as anyone else’s. That means that you make it whatever it ends up being. 

Discipline We need to be in control of ourselves. Emotions are tools, not rulers. We do 

what needs to be done. We work when we are tired and unmotivated. We maintain our priorities. We don’t worry about wins and losses--only effort. 

Responsibility We take care of ourselves and each other. Everyone plays a part 

and looks for ways to improve our practices and procedures. We communicate our needs and thoughts to our practice partners, our coaches, our parents, and our teachers. We plan ahead for matches and tournaments and get our gear ready. 

Respect We speak and listen calmly and thoughtfully. We help out. We thank those who 

get us to practices and matches. We keep our facilities clean. We use polite manners, even in situations where we don’t get them back. We work hard in matches because we respect ourselves, our teammates and our opponents. 

Integrity We are honest with each other and ourselves. We do what we say. We 

apologize when we make mistakes. We represent ourselves and our team well (even when no one is looking or other teams don’t act well) because we know that our team is us and we are our team. 

You define the team you are on. If you think it’s good, that’s because you make it that way through your words and actions. 

                                 Rules and Procedures 

If you stay in the wrestling program, you have cause to be proud because, through desire, determination, maturity, and discipline, you have proven yourself to be capable of handling the privilege of participating in one of the most grueling sports offered at Franklin High School. You are the ones who have sacrificed time, sweat, and comfort in order to become better, stronger individuals. Do not let your efforts go to waste by losing this privilege. In other words, adhere to the following rules. 

*Coaches are responsible for making the final decision in all matters. Practice and Match Check-In and Pickup 

      1.   Practice starts at 4 pm. That means that the mats need to be taped and mopped by 4 pm. 

    Wrestlers should be ready to go--all personal preparations need to be done by 4 pm.

      2.   pick up: We will end practice at 6 pm. We will roll up the mats, clean up our area, and prepare 

     to leave FHS. Plan to allow for 10-15 minutes after 6 pm for this. 

      3.  If you feel ill, text or call a coach. If you are in school, you are to come to practice and observe.

Behavior 

1. Represent our team well. Be a positive role model in class, on the mat, at home, and in the community. Support others in our school community. Hold doors for people. Say “please” and “thank you”. Stay calm when things don’t go your way. 

2. Do not drink alcohol, vape, or take drugs, including tobacco. If caught, you may be dismissed from the team. 

3. Arrive on time for practices. If you need to see a teacher after school, bring a note from him/ her. Include the time you left the teacher. 

4. Detentions/ suspensions are considered unexcused absences. Three unexcused absences will result in possible expulsion from the team. A multi-day suspension will be one absence. 5. Respect yourself, officials, parents, teachers, and coaches. Do not talk back, throw headgear, or scream at others. 1st offense: 100 grass drills. 2nd offense: 100 grass drills and suspension from the next match. 3rd offense: expulsion from the team. 

6. All wrestlers are to shower at school after practices and matches, unless otherwise noted by coaches. 

7. Clean your locker and help to maintain the team room.

 8. Support each other as a team. Taunting, hazing, or bullying will result in disciplinary action (grass drills for taunting/ teasing; match suspension or expulsion for hazing or bullying).

    General

 9. All wrestlers are to wear sports shorts and a t-shirt to practice. Sweatshirts/ sweatpants may be worn only for running and weight training. Otherwise, they hinder movement necessary for wrestling and drilling. 

10. Wrestlers are to provide their own shoes and equipment, other than a warm-up and singlet. Shoes may be any color, as long as they adhere to PIAA rules. 

11. Wrestlers are to be AT LEAST within three pounds of their competition weight on the day before a match, in order to be eligible to wrestle. This includes wrestle-offs. Overweight wrestlers will not participate in the scheduled match, as it is unhealthy to lose large amounts of weight in a short period of time. On the day of wrestle offs, the wrestler needs to make the contended weight. 

12. Wrestle-offs: any eligible wrestler may challenge for a varsity/ starting position. Each wrestle-off will consist of one match, which will be refereed by a Franklin coach or selected official. The winner will earn the position. PIAA rules will be followed for ties, penalties, and so forth. If three or more wrestlers are challenging for a weight class, a tournament style playoff will be used to determine the starting wrestler. Random draw will determine matches, if necessary. Wrestlers may request a wrestle-off by asking the head coach. It will be conducted at the earliest time deemed possible by the coach. If a wrestler misses a wrestle-off due to unexcused absence, it is considered a loss by forfeit. 

13. If a wrestler chooses to not actively participate in practice, either by being passive, or by not paying attention (i.e. goofing off), they may be asked to leave practice for the day. This will be considered an unexcused absence regardless of when it occurs in the practice. 

14.  Practices will be approximately two hours long. Since time is limited, we will have to accomplish many tasks quickly. Pay attention and listen for instructions. 

15. All wrestlers must participate in practice set up and clean up.

16. Academic eligibility: as per the Franklin athletic policy/ PIAA rule, any ineligible athlete may not participate in any part of practice. Rather, ineligible wrestlers are to show up to the gym with study materials. In other words, if you are academically ineligible, you need to bring your books to the practice, so that you may study in an adjacent area. Pre-practice studyhalls may be set up for mandatory remediation, as well.

● Extended ineligibility may result in the athlete being cut from the team, as he/ she has demonstrated the need to focus more time on academics. More than three weeks of ineligibility are considered as being extended. Budget your time so that you remain academically successful. You are hurting yourself and the team if you are not able to participate. 

● Upon gaining eligibility, the coaches will decide when the wrestler is capable of participating in matches. 

17. All wrestlers are to record their weights before and after practice. A weight sheet will be posted for this purpose. Lack of records will result in a practice penalty. 

18. Equipment: All school equipment is to be returned to the wrestling coaches at the end of the season. It is to be IN WORKING ORDER. Wrestlers are to replace or refund any equipment that is damaged beyond what is considered normal wear and tear. Coaches will select the distributor to fill replacement requests. You must return the equipment that was issued to you. Do not swap with other wrestlers.

19. Free days: all wrestlers will be given three free vacation days from practice to use as they please (for hunting, rest,…) no questions asked. Wrestlers are to return to the next scheduled practice, and will not be subject to penalty. These days cannot be applied to detentions/ suspensions, the day before matches, match days, or any practices missed due to academic ineligibility. 

20. All wrestlers are to leave school grounds immediately after all practice and match requirements have been fulfilled. No one is to loiter at the school. If you are staying to watch another event, represent yourself and our team well by showing self-discipline and maturity. 

21. Wrestlers and their families are to procure transportation to and from practices. A van will be available for RGHS students to get to FHS after school. 

        22. Wrestlers are not to leave FHS to go to Dollar General or Red Express once they arrive at FHS    

               for practice. 

  23. Because of the time between lunch, practice, and evening meals, wrestlers are encouraged to eat a   

        small meal before practice. Bring a pbj, chocolate milk, fruit, or other small non-fried food.


Match Day 

1. Varsity and junior high are both responsible for home match set up. Varsity will tear down. All wrestlers must participate. You are expected to complete this before talking to parents/ coaches/ friends. In other words, if there is still equipment to be put away, no one should be holding a conversation, using the restroom, etc…. 

2. Check your bag for headgear, warm-up, singlet, knee pads, lace covers, and any other match necessity. Forgetting equipment equals 50 grass drills at the next practice; this increases by 50 for each subsequent infraction. 

3. Check your hair and fingernails to make sure that each adheres to PIAA rules. 

4. Weigh Ins: wrestlers are to wear singlets/ wrestling uniforms (not warm ups) to weigh in.   

     Wrestlers are expected to be quiet and reserved for weigh-ins. Refrain from loud conversations    

     and disruptive behavior. 

5. Any wrestlers being treated for skin conditions (ringworm, psoriasis,…) must have a PIAA skin form signed by a doctor to present at weigh-ins. This handbook contains a form. They are also available online at 

http://www.piaa.org/assets/web/documents/Skin%20Form-Revised(1).pdf. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DOCTOR SIGNS THE CORRECT LINE AND FILLS IT OUT COMPLETELY. You cannot wrestle with an untreated skin condition. 

6. While it is your overall choice what to eat before a match, coaches reserve the right to bar extreme circumstances that may cause you embarrassment or harm. Therefore, if you ingest energy drinks, diuretics, or any substance deemed as a risk, you may be removed from eligibility due to your choices. This results in an unexcused absence penalty. 

7. We will leave all facilities in clean working order. We will clean up any garbage we create upon the conclusion of matches. This includes tournaments and home and away matches, as well as buses. 

8. Wrestlers are to dress up on match day, whether at home or away. Proper dress consists of slacks and a sweater, shirt and tie, or collared shirt. For home matches, the team may vote to wear warm up tops and slacks. However, this will be offered as a privilege, based upon practice effort, attendance, and so forth. 

9. Missing a competition: if a wrestler misses a scheduled competition due to an unexcused absence (any non-emergency or non-previously approved absence) he/ she will not wrestle in the next competition he attends (he/ she does have to be there), be marked for an unexcused absence, and will be expected to fulfill required practice work as a result. If two competitions are missed during a season, the wrestler may be dismissed from the team. 

● Excused absences: please inform the coaches directly (a note or text is acceptable) of the absence prior to the day of competition (SAT exam, funeral…). In the case of 

emergencies, please contact the coaches at your earliest convenience. 

● If a wrestler misses a match and is replaced by a JV participant, the varsity position is retained by the absent party, unless other infractions dictate punishment or expulsion. 

● Any ignored extra accommodation made to aid a wrestler in getting to a match, as well as lying by a wrestler in order to miss a match will increase the penalty to possible expulsion from the team. 

10. Tournaments: As we are allowed only a maximum of two coaches per corner, and as issues of liability may arise, parents are to refrain from mat side coaching at all varsity, junior varsity, and junior high school tournaments, unless prior provisions have been made with the coaching staff. Please stand back from the mat. 







Captains: The following is a partial list of captains’ duties

 The team will vote for captains. However, the coaches have the final decision as to the choice of team leaders/ captains. Look for the person who leads well by performance and/ or desire, as well as through positive encouragement. We want to be led by workers who embrace our ideas 

of desire, determination, maturity, and discipline—in short, who represent our team and school well. 

2. Captains will lead stretches during practices and matches. 

3. They will help to focus wrestlers on tasks, such as match set up and practice intensity. 4. Captains are to help organize wrestlers before, during, and after tasks. If they ask you to help roll up a mat, for example, you are to help. 

5. Captains are not to exercise discipline. That is the coach’s job. 

6. Captains are role models. They are to act in such a way, so as to personify the team’s philosophies and goals. If they fail to do this, then they may be demoted from the post. 7. Captains are to enact coin tosses prior to the start of matches. 

8. Wrestlers who do not follow the reasonable requests of the captains will be subject to penalties, as deemed by the coaches, based on [the captains’] report of the misconduct. 

Questions/ Concerns: 

1. Any questions or concerns need to be addressed to the coaches in a mature, honest manner. We need to communicate in order to adapt and remain positive. Please address your queries before or after practice, or call me at home. My number is 814-758-7586 (cell). Each issue will be considered seriously by the staff. That being said, the rules on these pages will be followed. If any special circumstance arises, we will strive to work toward a resolution that benefits the team as a whole, while maintaining integrity for all. 

Special Allowances: 

If a real emergency occurs (i.e. death, birth, illness, accident, etc.…) call or text me, or write a note and place it in my school mailbox at Rocky Grove at your earliest convenience. Life is unpredictable, so we must be conscious of unexpected situations. However, if you don’t contact me at some point, I will be forced to adhere to the guidelines set forth in this document. 


“Everybody wants to be a champion. That’s not enough. You have to start by wanting to be a contender, the man coming up, the man who knows there’s a good chance he’ll never get to the top, the man who’s willing to sweat and bleed to get up as high as his legs and his brains and his heart will take him.” 

--Vito Donatelli from Robert Lipsyte’s The Contender





                                                                    Team Offensive Philosophy 

1. Maintain position and attack 

2. Control your opponent’s hips, hands, and head 

3. Move and score throughout the entire match 

Neutral Position: 

In order to be successful, we must control the neutral position. How? By focusing on three aspects: 1. Inside control 

2. Set ups and tempo control 

3. Shot position 

*Ask yourself “Am I in control? Is the shot open? Where should my head, hands, and hips be? How can I finish and score from here?” 

Top Position: 

Work and pressure to keep your opponent down. Once he is flat, keep your weight on him and your hips above his. Do not let him rest. Work for a pin. 

1. Control his hips. Pressure him. 

2. Control his hands 

3. Create scoring opportunities by staying tight to the man, forcing him to carry your weight, and attacking with available moves. Chain wrestle. 

Bottom Position: 

As with any position, move first off of the whistle and put together at least three moves nonstop. 1. Get hand control 

2. Keep your head up 

3. Clear your hips and chain wrestle 

To accomplish these tasks, it is necessary to program yourself to perform each move correctly, crisply, and without pause. In order to do this, a lot of practice time will be devoted to drilling. The goal is to change bad habits, while creating good ones. The number of moves covered depends upon the team’s progress. The more you improve, the more we can cover. 

You perform how you practice! 

Attitude is also key. You must work to set goals and remain positive. Improvement cannot happen if you do not believe it can, or if you become complacent. This applies to coaches, as well as wrestlers. 

Wrestlers: Believe it or not, great teams like Penn State and Iowa write weekly goals. Keeping and reading a notebook of your daily and weekly goals can help you to improve your practices and match strategies, so that you become a better competitor. 






                                                        Nutrition 

Two seemingly paradoxical facts about nutrition are that you need to make weight, but you are also growing. That is why it’s important for you to really be aware of what and when you’re eating, so as to have the energy to wrestle at your chosen weight class. Keep in mind that wrestling is a sport that demands a lot of calories for performance and recovery. If you were to keep track of your calories on an app, for instance, you’d find that you’d have to eat more to recover from periods of intense practices or matches. That being said, any time you eat more than this, you will gain weight. 

A huge problem with wrestling is that wrestlers think that they need to cut a lot of weight to be successful. This approach only leads to lack of nutrition and then, ultimately, to the yo-yo of gaining and losing weight through eating everything in sight, and then drastically cutting out necessary calories. In the long run, one of two things happen: either you lose your energy, over-train, and start to lose matches—and the ability to be mentally or physically competitive—or you just don’t make weight for late season or post season matches and/ or become injured). That is why it’s better to build up to a healthy weight class in the off-season through weight training and nutrition. If you look at the top NCAA teams, they don’t cut a lot of weight. Rather, they train to get bigger and stronger. Check out Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, or Lehigh workouts on Youtube to see what this looks like. 

Food is fuel. It rebuilds you after you tear yourself down through training. If you don’t eat, you don’t get better. Here’s a link to NCAA nutrition information. Once on the site, follow the links to the left. 

http://www.ncaa.org/sport-science-institute/nutrition 

What you eat matters, too. Fried food, processed food (hot dogs, chips, etc…), and sugar (soda, candy…) will slow your recovery. These will also hinder you from performing. It’s okay to have them in moderation on days when there is no match; however, avoid these at tournaments or before matches. Plan ahead. Bring food with you that will help you to wrestle better. Otherwise, why go through the grind of practices just to mess up your body during matches? 

What follows is information from the University of Iowa, and from the NCAA. 

Nutrition Secrets of Iowa Wrestling Team 

Mar 21, 2016 BJJEEArticles, 

The University of Iowa wrestling program is one of the most successful athletic programs in NCAA Division I. The University of Iowa Hawkeyes are a member of the Big Ten Conference. Iowa is second in NCAA history with 23 national championships, all of which have come since 1975. Sports Illustrated recently named the Iowa program one of the top sports dynasties of the 20th century. Here is Iowa’s sports nutrition program for their Wrestling team. 


UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HAWKEYE PERFORMANCE NUTRITION 

Maximum Performance, Recovery & Body Compositional Changes Performance Nutrition is not Nutrition for Health/Fitness (Wellness) 

Our goal with the performance nutrition program is not to provide you with a strict diet to follow, but rather to educate you and provide you with the resources necessary to make good decisions when it comes to your diet. In this program we will break down the differences between good and bad fats, whole grain and processed carbohydrates, as well as lean and fatty protein sources. We will also discuss how each affects your performance and body composition and hopefully provide you with a base of knowledge that will allow you to change your eating habits. It has been my experience that eating habits, and not calorie counting, are a more effective way to manage body composition and improve performance. This does not mean that calorie intake is not a factor, but rather focusing on nutritious, healthy foods will often help achieve your performance goals along with hard work. CARBOHYDRATES  

1 – – Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of energy for most athletic activities and thus should make up the majority of the calories that you consume. 

2- Aim for at least half of your grains to be whole grains (non-processed). Excellent sources of carbohydrates are whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, oatmeal, quinoa and brown rice, to name a few. 

3- Intake should be consistent with training level. 

4- The average athlete on a training day will need approximately 2.7-4.5 grams of carbohydrates/pound of body weight per day. 

5 – Choose foods that are nutrient dense. (whole grains, fruits and veggies, NOT chips and candy) 6 – Always eat carbohydrates with a protein source. 

PROTEINS 

1 — Proteins are part of every cell, tissue and organ in our body. Protein is used for building and repairing muscles and tissues, red blood cells, hair and fingernails and for synthesizing hormones. 2 – An athlete needs approximately 0.6 and 0.8 gram of protein/pound of body weight per day. 4 – Spread your protein intake throughout the entire day. 

5- Include a protein source with most meals and snacks you eat throughout the day. 6- Protein builds muscle and you are either building up or breaking down, if you do not consume enough protein frequently enough your body will break down muscle. 

8- It is important to note that protein is the body’s least efficient energy source. 9- A 3oz. piece of chicken (about the size of a closed fist) has 25 g. of protein. Other lean meats have similar protein content. 

10- Some of the top protein sources are: Fish, Chicken or Turkey Breast, Eggs and Egg Whites, Other Lean Meats, Low Fat Dairy Products. Other good sources are tofu, seeds, nuts and legumes beans and lentils). 

FATS 

1- Good fats are extremely important in cell repair, vitamin storage and absorption, hormone production, mental functioning, satiety as well as several other vital body functions. 2-The majority of your fat consumption should be derived from good fats (polyunsaturated and monounsaturated). 

3- Monounsaturated fats = Olive Oil, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, avocados, peanut butter and many nuts and seeds. 

4-Polyunsaturated fats = soybean oil, corn oil, safflower oil, salmon, mackerel, herring, trout, walnuts and sunflower seeds. 

5- Minimize trans fat and saturated fat intake (Bad fats). These include animal fats (fatty meats, whole milk, butter, cream, palm or coconut oil. 

6-These fats are all very good for you In Moderation. They are very high in calories so be conscious of this. 

DAILY MEAL PLANNING 

1 -Try to choose foods that are Nutrient Dense and Low in Fat, especially saturated, but don’t cut fat out of your diet – just eat it in moderation. 

2 – On days you are not training, cut back your food intake, especially carbohydrates. 3 – Try not to eat processed carbohydrates ever by themselves, instead eat a Protein source along with them. 

4 – Spread your food consumption throughout the day instead of eating huge amounts at one sitting. You should eat 4-6 moderate meals a day. 

DEVELOPING PERFORMANCE NUTRITION EATING HABITS 

Keep it simple like it’s meant to be, focus on the basics – your Daily Food Intake, not calorie intake and PLAN AHEAD!!: 

1. Spread out your food intake throughout the day. Instead of eating 3 huge meals it is best to eat 4-6 smaller meals or at least lessen your food intake during your 3 bigger meals and have a few large snacks in-between them. Try never to go more than about 2-3 hours without a proper snack/food (combo Carbs and Protein) and don’t ever skip a meal, especially breakfast! 

i.e. Turkey sandwich, banana, wheat crackers or Piece of fruit and handful of seeds/nuts 2. If you are trying to maintain body composition/weight you should eat only to the point where you are no longer hungry (you are satisfied, not full). If you are trying to gain weight you can eat past being satisfied but not to where you are really full/stuffed. It’s much better to spread the additional food out into your smaller meals/snacks. If you need to lose excess body fat, do it right! Choose lower fat foods, cut back carbs slightly, but high GI carbs significantly. Also cut as much “bad” fat from your diet as possible. 

1. Pre-Game meal should be eaten approximately 4 hours prior to competition/training. Eat a normal size meal made up of Low GI foods and Lean protein sources. 

i.e. Scrambled eggs, ham, cereal w/milk, and a banana. 

2. Prior to competition/training eat a snack (combo Low GI carb and Lean protein source) within 1-1 ½ hours 

i.e. Peanut butter sandwich 

3. Immediately after competition/training (within 15 minutes) drink a fluid replacement drink past the thirst-quenching point. Then within an hour eat a meal that is made up of High and Low GI foods and protein. Follow this meal with another one like it, with the exception of being larger than the first, within 4 hours post-training/competition. 

i.e. Baked Potato, Cooked carrots, Roast beef, Cranberry juice/Pop, and Frozen yogurt MOST COMMON MISTAKES 

1. Don’t drink enough fluids, especially water – Dehydration occurs 

*Drink throughout the whole day not just during meals and don’t go by thirst – Carry a water bottle around (in your pack) 

2. Dehydration and tiredness leads to a loss of appetite or a craving for “junk food” *Don’t eat what you feel like, but how much you need – You need to eat more in season than out of season 

3. The undisciplined/uncommitted athlete will already be living a lifestyle that is counterproductive to recovery (Lack of sleep, alcohol, junk food “binging”) 

*This is probably the area most common, most abused and that has the greatest negative impact on training and performance 

4. Combine 2 & 3 with either skipped workouts/not moving the appropriate amount of weight because you don’t “feel” like it – Loss of Lean Muscle Mass 

*Don’t skip a workout and don’t lift according to how you feel – Warm-up extra and move as much weight as you can. 

5. Nutrient Dense Foods are cut – Especially Proteins, Fruits and Vegetables 

*Even though you might not feel like these foods you must eat them to stay healthy and maintain lean muscle mass. 

6. Because the appetite is down and because of a busy schedule there are long stretches without eating, so energy levels go up and down like a yo-yo 

*Take snacks with you wherever you go – Even a not-so-healthy snack is better than going without eating. 

7. A “feeling” of tiredness and depression about your body sets in – The once disciplined athlete will begin to develop really bad eating and lifestyle habits (Lack of sleep, alcohol, junk food “binging”) *Don’t go on how you feel or look – keep focused on making the best choices you can. 8. Combine 5 – 7 and the body not only stops burning fat, but it begins breaking down lean muscle mass and storing fat 

*Your performance will go down as you lose muscle and gain fat. 

9. The combination of all these things runs the body down and makes it much more susceptible to sickness and injury 

*It is no fun being sick and injured most of a season – take care of yourself and give yourself a chance to perform. 

This is vicious cycle that becomes tougher and tougher to stop as the season progresses – Don’t allow it to begin 

10. Always remember You CAN’T OUTWORK A BAD DIET!!!! 


Plan your meals ahead. Matches start the day before the actual date of competition. 




                                         Wrestling: A Mental Game 

Think about this: every wrestler who has ever stepped on the mat has largely learned the same moves. If that’s so, then how come some of these guys dominate? While strength and talent play a part, the biggest factor in separating the better wrestlers from the rest is mental. They want to learn, they are determined, and they are ready to battle. It’s not that they don’t get nervous. Rather, they have found a way to make that nervousness a tool. They have also found ways to work through the tedious moments, those ones that drag on. 

The good news is that anyone can do this with effort. You can decide to refocus your nervousness. You can also pay attention to yourself and find ways to work through tough training or a blah day. It takes time, but if you continue to refocus yourself on 1. What words you use to describe your wrestling and athleticism, and 2. what you can control—i.e. your effort, improvement, and outlook—rather than the things you can’t, such as a bad call, a tough opponent, and the like, you will have taken steps toward succeeding in ways that too many athletes, students, and even professionals/ adults have neglected.


Free Day Vouchers: Hand one in to the coaching staff prior to taking your penalty free day. 

Free Day # 1 

I will not be at practice on 

______________ because I am choosing to take this vacation day. I know that this is not valid for the day before/ day of a match; nor may I use it to miss practice due to a detention or suspension. I also know that, if I do not submit this voucher, my absence will be considered unexcused. 

Signed___________________________Wrestler’s printed name:________________ ________________________________

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Free Day # 2 

I will not be at practice on 

______________ because I am choosing to take this vacation day. I know that this is not valid for the day before/ day of a match; nor may I use it to miss practice due to a detention or suspension. I also know that, if I do not submit this voucher, my absence will be considered unexcused. 

Signed___________________________Wrestler’s printed name:________________ ________________________________

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Free Day Vouchers: Hand one in to the coaching staff prior to taking your penalty free day. 

Free Day # 3 

I will not be at practice on 

______________ because I am choosing to take this vacation day. I know that this is not valid for the day before/ day of a match; nor may I use it to miss practice due to a detention or suspension. I also know that, if I do not submit this voucher, my absence will be considered unexcused. 

Signed___________________________Wrestler’s printed name:________________ ________________________________

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This space was intentionally left blank.









Franklin Junior-Senior High School Wrestling 

Acknowledgment of Policy and Procedures 

By signing this form, I acknowledge that I understand and will comply with the policy and procedures set forth by the coaching staff for the coming year. If I have any questions, I may contact the coaches for clarification. I also understand that, if I choose not to sign, my participation in wrestling indicates my agreement to follow the policies set forth in the 2023-2024 handbook. 

*Parents/ Guardians may email this information to me at jpheckathorne@staff.vgsd.org. Include the sentence, “I agree to the 2023-2024 FHS wrestling team policy.” 


_____________________________

(wrestler’s printed name)                                                                                        

______________________________ __________ 

(wrestler’s signature)                                                                         (Date)


I allow my son/ daughter’s picture to be used on the team website  and literature (check the line if you agree). ____



________________________________________ ______________ 

(parent’s guardian’s signature)                                                            (Date)                        

Health Information (inhaler access, recent injury, etc.): 





The coaching staff reserves the right to amend the team policies over the course of the year, in order to better maintain a viable long-term wrestling program. In the event of necessary changes, parents and wrestlers will receive notification. As a physical manifestation of our program, this is an organic document meant to reflect the maturation of our policies and processes. 

Return this signed sheet to Coach Heckathorne. You need to have all PIAA, high school and team paperwork submitted to be allowed to participate in practices and matches.