Click on the question to go to the answer.
(The questions are in no particular order)
What is a novice wrestler?
How does a wrestler qualify for MMWA Regionals at a particular weight?
How are clubs assigned to a MMWA regional site?
How many wrestlers advance to the MMWA Finals from each MMWA Regional?
Do I get a pound allowance at the MMWA Finals?
What are the standard age groups and weight classes?
What are the standard age groups and weight classes for girls?
Can 14 year old high school students wrestle MMWA?
Can a wrestler who does not belong to a member club participate in MMWA tournaments?
What does it mean when they 'block weights' at an MMWA tournaments?
Do I need a mouth guard if I have braces?
Is my hair too long? Do I need a hair net?
Do I need headgear/earguards?
What are the Middle School Eligibility rules?
What does it mean to 'bump up', or to be 'bumped up'?
A wrestler is no longer considered a Novice if any ONE of the following criteria is met:
The award count carries over to the next year or years.
How does a wrestler qualify for MMWA Regionals at a particular weight?
If a wrestler weighs in at "X" weight twice (or more), and completes the tournament (wrestle until eliminated or a medal is earned), he/she will be able to wrestle that weight at regionals, provided of course that the wrestler is at or below the weight. It doesn't matter if that wrestler weighs in at other higher weights in other tournaments.
If the tournament officials BUMPED them up (moved them to the next higher weight class) then they will still qualify at the lower weight registered at two weigh-ins. Each club coach/league representative is required to track this information during the season.
However, if the wrestler weighed in only once in at a lower weight and one or more times at a higher weight, they must wrestle at higher weight.
For example: you're 9 years old, and weigh in at 82 lbs. at Swartz Creek, and compete in the 85 lb. weight class. Then you get sick for a week, and lose 5 pounds because you can't eat normally. Then you weight in at 77 lbs. at Lake Fenton, and compete in the 80 lb. class. Then you don't happen to compete any more before regionals. At regionals, you weigh 79 lbs. - the pairing people will move you to the 85 lb weight class.
You can always wrestle at a higher weight class at regionals. If you have competed at 85 pounds all season but at regionals weigh-in you happen to weigh 88 lbs, you can compete at the 90 lb. weight class.
The reason this is done is to discourage young wrestlers from losing weight to a lower weight class just before regionals. Young wrestlers should be focused on improving their wrestling skill, not losing weight.
Also, in MMWA, you must complete all your assigned matches for it to be a valid tournament. You can't just weigh-in and then default your matches, or leave without wrestling. It also won't count if you are injured and can't continue your matches, unless you go to the mat and default those matches.
All wrestlers are checked for this prior to the start of an MMWA Regionals tournament, and those who do not qualify are not allowed to wrestle.
How are clubs assigned to a MMWA regional site?
On February 1st, a non-binding estimate of how many wrestlers from each club will compete at regionals is provided to league officials. League officials then attempt to divide the clubs among the 3 regional sites geographically, while also keeping a nearly even total count of wrestlers at each regional.
By the Monday meeting in February, each club can then modify their count. League officials take the modified counts, and make final adjustments to their regional assignments to even out the totals as best as possible. Each club must pay for this number of wrestlers given on that day.
If a club has a valid reason to request either the Saturday or Sunday of regionals, they can submit a letter with such a request to the league board before the first Monday in February. The board tries to accommodate all such requests when possible. Note that you can request the day, not the particular regional site.
Sometimes clubs are asked to travel to a site other than the one closest to their hometown to balance out the number or wrestlers. This is only done when necessary.
This sometimes results in one regional having lots of kids in one weight class and another with only 4 or 5. No attempt is made to make sure a weight class has about the same number of wrestlers at one regional as another. Since each club can enter as many wrestlers as it has in a weight class, there is no way to balance it out for each weight class. And the really good wrestlers could be on the smaller chart. You never know where the best kids are.
It can also happen that the majority of good wrestlers in a given weight class are all from one regional. I've seen several instances where 3 of the top 4 placers at the Finals in a weight class all came from one regional. No matter what regional we are assigned to, think of Regionals and Finals as one long tournament. To place or win the league, you must compete against everyone and win the matches you get.
How many wrestlers advance to the MMWA Finals from each MMWA Regional?
When there are 3 MMWA Regional sites, only the top 5 in each weight class from a Regional advance to the MMWA Finals.
If the MMWA has sufficient wrestlers to have 4 Regional sites, then only the top 4 in each weight class would advance to the MMWA Finals.
What are the standard age groups and weight classes?
The MMWA age groups are: 4-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14.
Age shall be determined as of December 31st prior to the start of the current wrestling year.
The standard Weights Classes are:
4-6 – 37, 40, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67 & Hwt. (Max 107)
7-8 - 40, 43, 46, 49, 52, 55, 58, 61, 64, 67, 72, 77, 82 & Hwt. (Max 142)
9-10 – 51, 55, 59, 63, 67, 71, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110 & Hwt. (Max 190)
11-12 – 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 112, 119, 126, 133 & Hwt. (Max 233)
13-14 – 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 107, 114, 122, 130, 138, 145, 155, 170 & Hwt. (Max 275)
For girls, the MMWA age groups are: 4-8, 9-11, 12-14.
Age shall be determined as of December 31st prior to the start of the current wrestling year.
The standard Weights Classes are:
4-8 – 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 70, 80, 90, Hwt (Max 138)
9-11 – 50, 55, 60, 65, 75, 85, 95, 110, Hwt (Max 190)
12-14 – 70, 80, 90, 100, 113, 126, 140, 156, Hwt (Max 268)
Do I need a mouth guard if I have braces?
Yes you do! Whatever braces you have, you must have a mouth guard that covers all the metal. So if you have braces on the top and bottom rows, make sure you have a mouth guard that protects both rows. The referees WILL stop you from wrestling in any round of the tournament if you don't have your mouth guard.
And if you have braces that aren't covered and the referee didn't notice in the first or second round matches, they can still catch it in a later round and not let you wrestle. (So don't lose it in the middle of the day) It's only to keep you and your opponents healthy.
If you don't have braces on your teeth, you may use a mouth guard, but it isn't required.
If you are competing at an MMWA Novice tournament, you are not required to wear headgear.
If you are competing at an MMWA Open tournament, and you are required to wear headgear.
Why isn't it all the time? The MMWA wants to encourage young kids to compete, so they allow novices to start with no headgear. This also helps lessen the initial cost for parents.
Why do you need them at all? If you are wrestling hard, during tie-ups your ears can get scrunched, twisted, or smashed against your head - which in itself is painful. This can also cause an ailment called cauliflower ear. Your ear (one or both) swells with fluid, becomes painfully sore, and makes it impossible to wrestle. Your doctor will have to drain them, or perhaps perform minor surgery to repair them - both of which are uncomfortable and costly. So, protect your ears by wearing your headgear.
Even though they are not always required, the MMWA encourages all wrestlers to wear headgear when competing and when practicing at your home clubs.
What are the Middle School Eligibility rules?
The MHSAA governs the eligibility rules for middle school and high school students. For wrestling, the
rules say the following:
Once your Middle School team competitions begin, you may participate in two (2) competitions
outside of your Middle School team schedule.
The rule is clear, in that it doesn't matter when your practices with your middle school team begin,
only the competitions. The Middle School team may also have "scrimmages" with other teams. These also
don't matter - only the competitions.
After your Middle School team competitions end, you may participate at will in competitions
outside of your Middle School team schedule.
For example, say your Middle School will begin practices January 12th, and the first competition is January 26th, and you are on the team. You can compete in any number of MMWA tournaments up until January 26th, without jeopardizing your eligibility. After January 26th, you may only compete in 2 tournaments - in any league - until the end of your middle school team's season.
Your middle school team's last competition is February 23rd. After that date, a you can again compete in MMWA tournaments. That may leave one weekend of regular season tournaments in MMWA, or perhaps only Regionals and Finals, depending on when the tournament dates happen to occur in the particular season.
Is my hair too long? Do I need a hair net?
A hair net is not mandatory, but it is advised. If your hair is long, it should in a braid, a pony tail, or bound into a man bun.
Some girls wear scrunchies, barettes, or other 'devices' in their hair to hold it up. These are not allowed.
In MMWA, girls are required to wear a t-shirt under their singlet, unless it is a girls style singlet. A singlet without a V-neck or scooped neck design requires a t-shirt underneath, for modesty reasons.
The referee is also within the rules to award a point to your opponent if you appear at the mat with hair not bound, or in any other way not prepared to wrestle.
What does it mean to 'bump up', or to be 'bumped up'?
Normally at a tournament you weigh in, and your actual weight puts you in a particular weight class, and then you wrestle your matches, etc. Sometimes at a tournament there may be only 1 or 2 wrestlers in your weight class.
When this happens, the tournament officials may decide to "bump you up" - to move you into the next higher weight class, so you have more opponents and can get more matches that day. For ages 4-10, you will never be bumped up more than one weight class. Ages 11-14 may be bumped one or two weight classes.
Occasionally, wrestlers who were very good could decide when they weighed in that they wanted to 'bump up' to the 11-12 age group so they could get tougher opponents. This is allowed, but you must indicate this at weigh-in. Note that you must wrestle 2 tournaments in your age group to qualify for Regionals.
MMWA Tournament officials will ask you to bump up an age group in the special circumstance that you are heavier than the Super-Super Heavyweight class for your age group, or if there is no one in your age group for you to wrestle. If asked, the decision is up to you and your parents.
Can 14 year old high school students wrestle MMWA?
MMWA was started in part to provide instruction and competition for wrestlers before they reached high school. We recommend that any 14 year old high school compete with his high school team.
We also recognize that some 14 year old wrestlers in high school feel they are not ready, or don't wish to compete for their high school team.
If you have not participated in the Alpha weigh-in for your high school team, and are still 14 according to MMWA age group rules, you may compete in MMWA tournaments.
Can a wrestler who does not belong to a member club participate in MMWA tournaments?
Non MMWA member wrestlers with USA Wrestling memberships may be allowed to participate in MMWA tournaments providing there are openings. They will not be allowed to participate in MMWA Regionals and Finals. They must email their name, birthdate, current USA number, exact weight, and club to the Head Pairer.
What does it mean when they 'block weights' at an MMWA tournaments?
The MMWA always wants it's wrestlers to get matches when they compete at a tournament. Sometimes, in the 11-12 and 13-14 age groups, there aren't a large number of wrestlers in adjacent weight classes. So, we "block" wrestlers together to get marches for all wrestlers.
For example, at a tournament in the 13-14 age group, there is 1 wrestler in 80 lb. class, 2 in the 85 lb. class, and 1 in the 90 lb. class. MMWA would block these wrestlers into 1 class, (and most likely) wrestle a round-robin format with these 4 wrestlers. Thus, each wrestler would get 3 matches instead of 1 or no matches.
Care will be taken to be sure that the actual weight difference between wrestlers in a blocked weight class is reasonable.
Note that this will not be done at Regionals or Finals.
Do I get a pound allowance at the MMWA Finals?
Unless you are in the Heavyweight classes in your age group, yes, you do get a pound allowance when you weigh in at the MMWA Finals. So, if your weight class was 63 lbs. at MMWA Regionals (and you qualified for the Finals), you must be 64.0 lbs. or less when you weigh in for the MMWA Finals.
For the 4 heavyweight classes in each age group - Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight, Super Heavyweight, and Super Super Heavyweight - you must be within the weight ranges specified in Heavyweight Classes for Regionals.