PIAA Board of Directors unanimously passes 2nd reading of proposal to reduce high school wrestling weight classes
Updated Jun 15, 5:49 PM; Posted Jun 15, 4:52 PM
https://www.pennlive.com/highschoolsports/wrestling/2020/06/piaa-board-of-directors-unanimously-passes-2nd-reading-of-proposal-to-reduce-high-school-wrestling-weight-classes.htmlBy Dustin Hockensmith | dhockensmith@pennlive.com
The PIAA Board of Directors cleared a pivotal step on Monday to approve a reduction in the number of high school wrestling weight classes from 14 to 13 for the 2020-’21 season.
The board unanimously passed the measure on a second reading, setting up a third reading at its July meeting. If the proposal is approved at the board meeting on July 14-15, the measure would pass for the upcoming season.
The 13 weights in the PIAA proposal are: 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215 and 285. The current weights are: 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285.
Monday’s vote was conducted following a review of the proposal earlier this month by the PIAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. That committee concluded a reduction in weight classes posed no clear health or safety issues, and committee members unanimously supported returning it to the PIAA board.
“I’m not going to question the abilities of our doctors. They’re tremendous,” Lombardi said. “The beauty of our sports medicine advisory group is they’re all involved with athletics at the local schools they cover. They’re boots on the ground… I’m glad the board sent it there. We couldn’t have gone to a better, more educated group because the conversation we had at the sports medicine meeting was second to none. They didn’t leave anything unturned.”
Richard B. Sandow, the Pittsburgh-based attorney representing Josh Gray and others in a push to maintain the current 14-class system, had a chance to make his case to the PIAA executive board. He reiterated that an elimination of the 182-pound weight class could have potential health issues as well as an adverse effect on the participation of juniors and seniors in the upper weights.
Sandow also took exception to the timing of the weight change proposal in the midst of a pandemic that might not allow for wrestlers to safely navigate the weight change. He pointed to the expectation that the National Federation of High Schools would take a closer look at the weights next year and that additional time could be beneficial to align nationally.
The PIAA worked with the NFHS to form a cohesive national weight class plan, but the national federation declined to act.
Several board members discussed the issues raised by Sandow and others prior to the vote.
Ron Kanaskie asked if there was any sentiment for adjusting the proposal, to which Lombardi said would not be an option.
Lombardi discussed the data-driven initiative that was passed by the PIAA wrestling steering committee by a 13-1 vote in April. He also contended the issue raised about the timing since a weight class reduction plan has been discussed for the past three years.
The weight proposal as it stands now will be the one the board will review once more in August.