BETHEL ALL STARS

Jr. Wrestling Club

M   E   M   O   R   A   N   D   U   M

To:         All Bethel All Stars Parents

From:    Bethel All Stars Board of Directors

Date:     November 2010

Re:         Challenge Rules

Parents: Please review the following Bethel All Stars Junior Wrestling Club’s rules associated with Challenges. Challenges are utilized to fill the weight classes in both age divisions by determining the best wrestler at each weight is in place to compete at dual meets and post season tournaments.  Please understand challenge nights are very busy for coaches and your child needs to be ready to report to the mat at any time.  We also ask for your support in helping manage your child during these evenings, we cannot have children running around unattended and potentially risking our use of the Bethel School District’s facilities.  The Bethel All Stars coaches and board members are not a babysitting service.

1.    Challenge Nights will be challenges only no other practice

2.       In order to qualify and have the opportunity to challenge for a Varsity or Junior Varsity position, your wrestler must attend a minimum of two practices per week.  This can be any of the regularly scheduled Monday thru Friday practices or any Sunday afternoon open mat session when this opportunity arises.  Preferably if your wrestler is a returner they will be attending Monday, Wednesday, and Friday practices, however we realize sometimes there are schedule conflicts therefore a Tuesday, Thursday, or Sunday practice is acceptable.

3.       Parents must sign their child up to challenge for a specific weight class by the date given (this will be announced at practices and posted on the website at least a week prior to Challenge Night).  To sign your wrestler up you must fill out a Challenge Request Form and the form must be signed by the parent/guardian and the wrestler.  Challenge Request Forms are required to be turned in to Troy Gifford no later than November 24^th for Challenge Night December 1^st and December 6^th for Challenge Night December 8^th, NO EXCEPTIONS. Late signups will not be accepted.  

4.       There will be one final challenge night on December 15, 2010 prior to sub division.  In order to participate in this challenge you must have placed in the top four in both of the previous Challenge Nights.  You also must have all your weigh-ins at the weight you wish to challenge.  Same rules apply when attempting to occupy a Varsity or Junior Varsity position; you must defeat the current wrestler two consecutive times. Challenge request forms for this challenge night are required to be turned in no later than December 13, 2010.

5.       If you will be unable to attend Challenge Night, notice must be given to Troy Gifford no later than 4:00 pm the day of.  If you fail to provide notice of the pending absence your child will forfeit their position at that weight class and will be required to start at the bottom of the bracket for the next Challenge Night. If receipt of the pending absence is received, we may need to perform the challenges at the next available practice. There will be no challenges on Saturdays – NO Exceptions

6.       Challenges will be run like a tournament – cross bracket challenge for 2^nd (JV) only

7.       The initial Challenge Night will be run as a bracketed tournament with all wrestlers who have signed up for a specific weight class included.  A Varsity and Junior Varsity wrestler will be determined for most if not all weight classes at that event.

8.       Challenges following our initial Challenge Night on December 1, 2010 will be wrestled in a bracketed format for all wrestlers who don’t currently hold the Varsity or Junior Varsity positions. Once a winner of the bracketed tournament is determined, that wrestler will have the opportunity to wrestle for the Junior Varsity position.  This wrestler must defeat the Junior Varsity wrestler two consecutive times in order to have the opportunity to wrestle for the Varsity position.  Whichever wrestler comes out with the Junior Varsity position will have the opportunity to wrestle for the Varsity position but must defeat the current Varsity wrestler two consecutive times.  A Varsity or Junior Varsity wrestler cannot lose their current position unless they are defeated two consecutive times.

9.       If your wrestler has earned a Junior Varsity position, they will be allowed to Challenge up a weight class in order to attempt to achieve a Varsity position.  In order to achieve the Varsity position, your wrestler will be required to wrestle through the entire bracket and will be required to defeat every wrestler with a maximum of a 5 minute break between matches.  If this wrestler makes it through the bracket they will first wrestle for the Junior Varsity position.  They will be required to defeat the current Junior Varsity wrestler two consecutive times, in order to challenge for the Varsity position.  In order to achieve the Varsity position they must then defeat the Varsity wrestler two consecutive times.  For both the Junior Varsity and Varsity Challenge matches the only allowed rest period will be at the request of the current Junior Varsity or Varsity wrestler.  There will be no break for the challenger if they make it to the opportunity to challenge the Varsity wrestler.  If your wrestler fails to win the Varsity position they cannot occupy the Junior Varsity position at the weight they challenged up to, they will be required to occupy the Junior Varsity position at the lower weight class and the original Junior Varsity and Varsity wrestlers at each weight class will remain.

10.   If your wrestler takes the third place position at the weight class you have selected this wrestler will have the opportunity to challenge up a weight class to attempt to occupy the Junior Varsity or Varsity positions. They too must defeat every wrestler in the bracket in the same manner as in 9. above and then defeat the Junior Varsity wrestler twice in order to have the opportunity to challenge for the Varsity position.  If this wrestler does not defeat the Varsity wrestler in two consecutive matches they will be the new Junior Varsity wrestler.  If they do defeat the Varsity wrestler they will become the new Varsity wrestler and the defeated Varsity wrestler will become the Junior Varsity wrestler.  If positions change, the processes described in 8. and 9. above will potentially start over until we have given every wrestler the opportunity to determine the outcome on the mat.

11.   The only reason we will allow a wrestler to challenge down a weight class from where they have registered is first of all they must be within one pound of that weight class on Challenge Night and secondly either the Junior Varsity or Varsity position at that weight class must be open.  If the Varsity position is filled the wrestler that has chosen to challenge down will have to defeat the current Varsity wrestler two consecutive times in order to win the Varsity position. If both positions are filled a wrestler cannot challenge down a weight class but will be allowed to register for that weight class for the upcoming Challenge Night but still must be within one pound of that weight class.

12.   The Bethel All Stars do not encourage first year wrestlers to challenge.  In the event there is an open weight class at either 8 and under or 9 and over, it is possible your child may be asked to fill that spot.  It is up to the wrestler and their parents to determine whether or not you wish to do so.  Otherwise, first year wrestlers must be invited to, or asked by a coach to compete at challenge night.  Please do not automatically assume Challenges are open to everyone.

If there are any questions associated with the above information please contact Gar Rodside or Troy Gifford.