RULES  

Bracketing

• Double-elimination line-bracketing with complete wrestle-backs to sixth (6th) place for the all Boys & Girls divisions.  True Beginners will be round robin brackets.
• No Double Bracketing allowed, unless competing in Open and True Beginner division. 

BRACKET CHANGES WILL BE MADE UP UNTIL 1 HOUR PRIOR TO THE START OF THE WRESTLING SESSION. Please contact the tournament director with any issues (ie: wrestler missing from bracket or incorrect weight) by email at least 2 HOURS PRIOR to the start of the wrestling session or please come to the head table. 

USA Wrestling Performance Index (PIN): Separation used for all brackets. Click here for more information about PIN 

• The USA Wrestling Performance Index (PIN) measures consistency over time and rates the probability of a person winning against an opponent based on their bodies of work.
• A person with a higher PIN is considered more likely to beat someone with a lower PIN and the closer the PINs are the closer the probability gets to 50/50 chances.
• This does not reward the one time win or head-to-head over an opponent; what it does is rewards consistency over time. If you consistently beat people with higher PINs, you will gain PIN points to surpass them in index given that you do not lose to lesser competition along the way.

2024-2025 Folkstyle Girls Rules: For Video Breakdown CLICK HERE

Step-out rule modifications for Girls Folkstyle Nationals and Tour of America Events

Step-out - Approved at 2023 USA Wrestling at Leaders’ Summit by the JOWC
Modification to Folkstyle Rules In the girls divisions at the Folkstyle Nationals and Folkstyle Tour of America events. Revisions to language approved by JOWC vote Oct1, 2024

Step-out rule - 1 point will be awarded if from a neutral position (with neither wrestler on the mat with one or two knees touching in a down position) the action goes out of bounds based on NFHS guidelines. All attempts by both wrestlers should be made to wrestle aggressively and in the center of the mat. The step-out point will be awarded to the opponent of the wrestler who first steps out with both feet. 

Clarifications:  

• This rule differs from the NFHS rules for being “inbounds”. Once the step-out criteria is met the opponent will be awarded 1 point. If there is a step-out by a wrestler and the opposing wrestler immediately completes a scoring action, that action will be scored the step-out point will NOT be scored. The official should not sound the whistle for the step-out and allow the offensive action to score. 

• Once a wrestler steps out of bounds with both feet while neutral, that wrestler cannot return from out of bounds to score points. The whistle will sound and 1 point is awarded to the opponent and wrestling will resume in the middle of the mat.

• If a wrestler leaves the mat under attack to avoid being scored on, the step-out point will be scored plus 1 point for fleeing the mat.

• If a wrestler uses a straight arm “push-out”, the opponent is NOT penalized. This is considered stalling under the NFHS rules and should be penalized accordingly. 

• If the defensive wrestler stands in an attempt to gain an escape point and is driven out of bounds, without gaining an escape point, there will NOT be a step-out point awarded. (Neutral wrestling was not established)
• If the defensive wrestler stands, is awarded the escape point, and then steps out of bounds, the step-out point will be awarded.
• Step-out points are recorded “SO-1” in a scorebook and will be a “+1” in Trackwrestling. Step-out points are not to be considered penalty points.
• The step out in girls' folkstyle is a 1-point offensive score. The signal for a step-out point in folkstyle will be the pointing of the appropriate index finger indicating the point. It would be followed with the signal of both hands in the air indicating both wrestlers return to the standing position, like when indicating the escape point. This is an additional way of signaling the step-out it is not a penalty but an offensive score.

Neutral Start rule modification for Girls Folkstyle Nationals and Tour of America Events

Neutral Start - Approved at 2024 USA Wrestling at Leaders’ Summit by the JOWC
Modification to Folkstyle Rules In the girls divisions at the Folkstyle Nationals and Folkstyle Tour of America events.

 In the girls divisions at the Folkstyle Nationals and Folkstyle Tour of America events, all periods, both regulation and overtime shall begin in the neutral position.

Clarification for Neutral Start:

-          Following the end of each period, the wrestlers will begin the subsequent period in the neutral position.

-           In the event of overtime, the first overtime period will begin in the neutral position, as in the current NFHS rule. Modification: If no scoring happens, the wrestlers will wrestle for 2, 30-second periods. These 30-second periods will be conducted similarly to the Freestyle “Activity period”. The coin is flipped, and the wrestler winning the coin flip chooses if she wishes to be “on the clock” first. If the wrestler being placed “on the clock” fails to score in the 30 seconds, their opponent will be awarded 1 point. In the 2nd 30-second period the other wrestler is put “on the clock”.  If the score is tied at the conclusion of wrestling, the wrestler “scoring last” will be declared the winner. This allows strategy to be used similarly to selecting the offense or defense wrestling position in the 1st 30 seconds.

-           EXAMPLE: In overtime, as in the NFHS rules, the first points scored of any type in Sudden Victory (1st, 1-minute period) terminates the match.

-           As in the NFHS rules, the entire 30 seconds in each 2nd and 3rd overtime period will be wrestled to completion unless there is a fall. If the wrestler "on the clock" does not score, 1 point will be awarded to their opponent regardless of any scoring by their opponent - stalling, step out, or takedown points will be awarded as earned.

*Tour of America Folkstyle events are considered Regional/National events. 

Approved as of the  2023 USA Wrestling Board of Director’s  National Convention: 

• Participation at Regional & National Championships When both regional and/or national championships are offered to both genders in the same style(s) in Junior and 16U, wrestlers shall only be allowed to compete in the division of his/her gender.
   
• Participation at Regional & National Championships When both regional and/or national championships are offered to both genders in the same style(s) in 14U and below, wrestlers shall only be allowed to compete in the division of his/her gender. 

National Federation of State High School Association scoring rules with USA Wrestling modifications will govern the competition. These USA Wrestling modifications include the following Rules:   

• National Federation of State High School Association scoring rules with USA Wrestling modifications will govern the competition. These USA Wrestling modifications include the following:  

• Headgear is not MANDATORY for all competitors but recommended  

• Mouth guards are not required for wrestlers (even wrestlers with braces)  

• Rest time in between matches is a minimum of 15 minutes  

• A match can be started when a wrestler does not have a coach 

USA Wrestling rules governing ages, weights and match time will take precedence where applicable. 

Click Here for USA Wrestling Rulebook 

Folkstyle Competition Video Challenge Addendum:

Folkstyle modifications will be applied as follows:

1)     The “JURY” will consist of two officials consisting of (1) the official on the mat and (2) an assigned video review official, or an official who has been assigned to officiate in that competition. During championship matches, the second official may be the head mat official(s) or rules clinician.

2)     Coaches’ challenges shall be initiated by the coach walking to the scorer’s table and getting the official’s attention. (This procedure will be in place only if challenge blocks are not being used.)

3)     Challenges must be in a timely manner. (Generally, within 5-7 seconds of when the scoring situation is posted on the score clock but will be ultimately at the discretion of the jury). 

4)     Falls/Pins can only be challenged in the situation where time may have expired, an out of bounds may have occurred, or when an illegal hold is applied by the wrestler when securing a fall.

5)     No challenges will be accepted at the end of the bout unless there is the potential for the result of that challenge changing the winner of the bout, changing the athlete’s advancement in the tournament, or changing the value of team points awarded during team competitions. These challenges, if accepted, must be made before the start of the subsequent bout on that mat or in that meet.

6)     Calls that involve stalling, fleeing the mat, unsportsmanlike conduct, unnecessary roughness, penalties for an illegal hold (except if applied by a wrestler when securing a fall), potentially dangerous holds, or acts of misconduct cannot be challenged.

7)     Errors in “bad time” should adhere to the NFHS rule book. Scoring challenges must be made prior to the start of the subsequent period. However, if a coach realizes a mistake in position has occurred, the challenge should be initiated at that time.

8)     Challenges that do not result in changing the score to the advantage of the challenging wrestler will result in a technical point added to the opponent’s score and the loss of the challenge opportunity for the remainder of that bout.

a)     If there is a technical problem and video is not available, the original decision will stand, and the coach will be given back the challenge opportunity. 

9)     In competitions where the video challenge is in place, it replaces the “Coach Misconduct” rule 5-5 Article 1-3 in the NFHS rulebook. If the coach thinks there was a misapplication of a rule he/she must use a challenge.  A coach may only approach the official, through the scoring table, to question if the proper score was recorded and shows on the clock.  If he/she disagrees with the scoring a challenge must be used.  If the coach lost a challenge in a previous challenge, there can be no further challenges for that bout from that coach and wrestling will continue.  Further attempts by that coach to interrupt that bout will result in him/her being issued, in accordance with the NFHS rule book, an “unsportsmanlike” conduct penalty.

10)  All decisions made by the jury will be final and will not be changed.  Therefore, it is not possible to request a counter challenge.

11)  Challenges/Protest will only be accepted after the end of the bout where a scoring error occurred in the last wrestled period and the wrong wrestler was declared the winner. 

• 1) If the score is correctable by video review, the score is corrected, and the match results will stand or be changed.
• 2) If it is determined that there was a “bad time” the correct score will be established, and “bad time” will be re-wrestle. (End of the match “bad time” for video review, is described as the time remaining in the match after a correction is made.)

12)  Where video challenge is used in a dual meet situation no challenges or protest for a previous match will be accepted after the start of a subsequent bout.

13)  A coach may approach two instances and quickly ask (without initiating the challenge): “Is the score correct on the clock?” or “Is the time correct on the clock?” and receive a response of “Yes coach, it is.” or “No coach, let me correct it?’  If the coach still disagrees with the existing or corrected results, he/she must immediately decide to challenge those results or return to the coach’s corner.  All other differences must be challenged by approaching the scorer’s table and getting the official’s attention.