What's Wrestling

This page was updated on August 9, 2025

What's Wrestling?

Also see the website sub-tabs

Everything is explained below :)

Also see the "tournaments format" tab or CLICK HERE

High School Wrestling for anyone grades 9-12

Beginners and Advanced

Boys and Girls

Choose any weight: 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 144, 150, 157, 165, 175, 190, 215, HWT

Girls-only events will use the following Weight Classes

100, 107, 114, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 165, 185, 235

Girls may compete directly against the boys, plus they can enter their own separate tournaments just for girls!

Boys can not enter girls-only tournaments!

Wrestling promotes a healthy safe life-style!

Don't cut weight - get mentally tough!

For Starters

High School "Folkstyle" Wrestling

Is NOT the WWE

Wrestling is Safer than Most Other Sports

Get Fit

Get Strong

Get Tough

Don't Cut Weight

High School "Folkstyle" Wrestling Involves Referees

Safety Measures

And Lots of Competition Opportunities

For

Individuals and Team

Tackle, Roll, Explode,

and

Compete!

High School Rules Briefly Explained:

High school Folkstyle wrestling matches involve three 2-minute periods!

Plus overtime if needed

Six matches maximum per day

Max of 10 matches in a 2-day period

Matches must be a minimum of 30 minutes apart

Maximum of 50 matches prior to the February Regional championships

Wrestling improves physical conditioning for other sports!

Wrestling makes you mentally tougher!

1st Period

2 minutes long

What's a Take-Down?

1st period starts in the in standing "Neutral" position

period is 2 minutes long

3 points for a "take down"

Example: Nick Marck takes down Eric Doran, former state champ, in 2023 State Quarter Finals Click Here

2nd Period

2 minutes long

When starting 2nd period in the bottom "Referee" position you either need to escape for 1 point or reverse for 2 points

What's an Escape?

Example: Nick Marck escapes for 1 pt from bottom against Eric Doran, former state champ, in 2023 State Quarter Finals

Click Here

What's an Escape?

Example: Nick Marck escapes for 1 pt from bottom against Keagan Judd, former national and state champ, in 2023 Region Finals

Click Here

What's a Reversal?

Example: Nick Marck reverses for 2 pts from bottom against college opponent in northeast U.S. futures tournament ~ Click Here

3rd Period

2 minutes long

What's Wrestling?

3rd period in the top "Referee" position

the goal is to

either turning his back to the mat

for

Near Fall: 2 pts for 2-seconds, 3 pts/3 sec, 4 pts/4 sec

Example: Nick Marck turns opponent's back to the mat to get "near fall"

in 2023 Regional semifinals ~ Click Here

Get The Pin!

What's Wrestling?

3rd period in the top "Referee" position

the goal is to

either turning his back to the mat

for

Near Fall: 2 pts for 2-seconds, 3 pts/3 sec, 4 pts/4 sec

Example: Nick Marck turns opponent's back to the mat to get "near fall"

and Pins opponent in tight cradle in 2023 college match ~ Click Here

plus

Get The Pin!

A "Near Fall" is defined in section 5 of the NFHS book: "Criteria for a near fall occurs when any part of both shoulders or both scapula of the defensive wrestler are held within 4 inches of the mat or less; or

when one shoulder or scapula of the defensive wrestler is touching the mat and the other shoulder or scapula is held at an angle of 45 degrees or less with the mat; or when the defensive wrestler is held in a high bridge or on both elbows".

~ Ultimate Goal is to Pin at Anytime in the Match ~

~ Folkstyle Ultimate Goal ~

"Pin"

your opponent's shoulders or

upper back to the mat

for two seconds!

Ref: Rule-5, section 11, Article-1

Top left: Nick pins for 5th place at 3A States in 2021

Bottom left: Nick pins in round-1 at 4A States 2023

Shoulders pinned at Region Semifinals 2020!

A "Pin" is called a "Fall" and is defined in section 5 of the NFHS book: "when any part of both shoulders or both scapula of either wrestler are in contact with the mat for two seconds. The shoulders or scapula must be held in continuous contact with the mat".

Scoring Rules

Scoring Rules for Season 2025-2026:

3 points for a take-down.
Turn their back toward the mat on a 45-degree angle to get the following points:
- 2 points for holding them for 2 seconds.
- 3 points for holding them for 3 seconds.
- 4 points for holding them for 4 seconds.
1 point to escape from the bottom out from under the top-man.
2 points to "reverse" control from being on bottom to subsequently be on top (after the whistle with them on top).
Winning "by a decision" gets your team 3 team points if you beat your opponent by 1-7 points more.
Winning "by a major decision" gets your team 4 team points if you beat your opponent by 8-14 points more.
Winning "by a technical fall" gets your team 5 team points if you beat your opponent by 15 points more.
Winning "by a pin, or "fall" as it is called", is accomplished by holding your opponent's back to the mat for 1 second (6 team points).

Tournament Formats and Examples

Events typically held on Saturdays in the Winter Season

Sometimes once during a weeknight too

Typical Layout for Many Simultaneous Matches Where Individuals Compete in Brackets with Lots of Teams

Classic Championship Match Under Spot Light

Team Dual Face Each Other 106-285 Pounds

Season 2021-2022 District Finals Intro

Season 2019-2020 District Finals Intro

Example Wrestling Matches, Instructions, and Drills

Click on any one of them to get a sneak peek of a real match or practice session

Example Olympic/World matches:

Gable Steveson wins 2021 Olympic Gold in last few seconds ~ Click Here
David Taylor wins 2021 Olympic Gold in 2021 ~ Click Here

Example college matches:

Big Upset with Wyatt Hendrickson beating Gable Steveson in NCAA heavy weight finals March 2025 ~ Click Here
NCAA finals (Mark Hall of Penn State vs Michael Kemerer of Iowa) ~ Click Here
Kyle Dake vs David Taylor in NCAA College Finals ~ Click Here
2023 NCAA Finals Highlights Extended ~ Click Here

Example Practices for High School:

Demonstration by 1-year female wrestler on Russian Ties ~ Click Here
Typical practice session for HS and youth wrestlers (escape from bottom) ~ Click Here
Example instruction/drill session for HS and youth (take downs) ~ Click Here
Example team instruction session for HS and youth (singles)~ Click Here

Commentators describe wrestling as fun and beneficial for both men and women ~ CLICK HERE

Benefits of Wrestling

- Wrestler interview ~ Click Here

- 7 reasons all can wrestle ~ Click Here

- Online article on health benefits ~ Click Here

- Online article on why kids should wrestle ~ Click Here

- Inspires self restraint (international examples) ~ Click Here

- Parent testimonial online regarding why they invest time and money in wrestling ~ Click Here

WRESTLING IS GREAT FOR CROSS FIT

National studies and research indicate that:

Participation in athletics and activities promotes citizenship
Students involved in activities have higher grade point averages than do non-participants
Students involved in activities have better attendance records than do non-participants
Of all students who drop out of school, 96 percent are NOT involved in school activities
Participation in school activities is one of the most accurate predictors of success after college

Reference: Derek Farrey LCPS Athletic Superintendent

Wrestlers

learn how to maintain

a good stance and position!

Wrestlers learn how to explode through their opponents!

Wrestlers learn how to become mentally tough, overcome adversity, and be forcefully determined!

Matt Millen: Number: 55, Position: LB

Teams: Penn State, Raiders, and 49ers

Years Played: 1980-88

Interviewed saying wrestling is best sport for football players!

https://twitter.com/espnpr/status/1109270555402952704?lang=en

The Raiders selected Millen in the 2nd round of the 1980 NFL Draft out of Penn State. He Matt Millen helped the Raiders win two Super Bowls. While with the Raiders, he played in 133 regular season games with 127 starts and recorded 11 sacks, 7 interceptions for 114 yards and 4 fumble recoveries.

He also helped the 49ers win one Super Bowl.

~ See our specially dedicated "Football Applications" website subtab ~

Extra Notes

Notes:

Some online links may require paid subscriptions to TrackWrestling or FLO

Wrestling Sport Safety

- Wrestling at the youth, high school, and collegiate levels are very different than what is seen on TV, and the sport contains many checks and balances to maintain a positive and safe atmosphere.

- USA Wrestling implements broad safety procedures ~ Click Here

- Safety standards are available online for review by several organizations including (a) National Federation of State High School Associations, (c) Virginia High School League, (b) AAU, (c) USA Wrestling ~ Click Here

Folkstyle Wrestling Explained

- This style is used by high school wrestlers in the United States.

Basic Rules for Folkstyle

- Wrestling 101 with John Smith, Head Coach for Oklahoma State University ~ online video

- Wrestling 101: Takedowns, Referee's Position, Escape, Reversal, Scoring, Locked Hands, by John Smith, ~ online video

- Wrestling 101: Pin/Fall, Out of Bounds, Illegal Moves, Injury Timeouts, Match & Dual Meet Scoring, by John Smith ~ online video

- Wrestling 101: Control, Stalling, Potentially Dangerous, Stalemate, Narrated by John Smith ~ online video

College matches

- More 2017 NCAA Highlights ~ online

- 2016 NCAA Wrestling Highlights ~ online

- Logan Steiber (Ohio State) vs Zane Retherford (Penn State) popular ~ online

- Gene Mills (Syracuse) vs Joe Gonzalez (Cal State) 1979 historically infamous ~ online

- Classic match with Kolat (Lock Haven) vs Ironside (Iowa) ~ online

- Classic match with Gable vs Owens ~ online

Other Examples

- Example of single leg attack ~ Click Here

Structure of an Individual Match

Overall Structure for High School "Folkstyle" Wrestling

Wrestlers compete individually against another opponent, however, practice room partners play a large role in helping competitors advance in terms of skill and readiness for tournaments.
Tournaments can either be:
- - "brackets" whereby individuals compete to the finals by beating one opponent at a time. Typically, these types of events allow competitors to continue until they lose two matches.
  - "duals" whereby teams comprised of 14 wrestlers (each in weight classes from 106 to HWT) compete against other teams thereby allowing multiple rounds of competition.

High school seasons begins early November involving the regular season which ends early February.
The "Post-Season" allows competitors to proceed to Conference/Regions and States whereby winners keep going as individuals. The Post-Season is typically February 1-20.
Matches are six minutes long each comprised of three consecutive periods which are two minutes each. At the high school level, VA-state allows a maximum of six matches in a given day, each of which has to be 30 minutes apart for recovery.
Referees oversee each match very closely to ensure safety, sportsmanship, and rules are followed. Matches are stopped for illegal moves or injury potential.

Typical Match for High School "Folkstyle"

First period (2-minutes) involves two wrestlers facing one another on their feet with the object of taking the other down to the mat (for 3 points) and continuing to wrestle for additional positions.
Second period (2-minutes) involves one wrestler starting on the mat on their hands and knees (in "referees" position) followed by the other wrestler on top with one hand on the belly button and the other hand on the elbow. The top wrestler tries to turn the other to expose the back to the mat or pin them. The bottom wrestler tries to escape or reverse to gain control and points.
Third period (2-minutes) involves the other wrestler on the bottom to do the same as the above.
Variations on the aforementioned positions may occur based on wrestlers choices, coach tactics, and unique rule opportunities.

College Winter Folkstyle Weight Classes

125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, 174, 184, 197, 285

International, Olympic, and Youth Off-Season Wrestling Styles

Freestyle and Greco Roman