NFHS Possible Weight Changes coming in 2020-2021 Season

[vikings24]

I would hate to see the lower weights cut. 106 and 113 have some of the best matches. Great talent flows through those weight classes as freshman/sophomore and handful of kids who are just smaller by nature.

I like the idea of reducing numbers for dual style events but bumping back up to 14 for individual states. Reduces the amount of forfeits while maintaining ample opportunity for the smaller kids. 

[Ironman152]

Statistics show that 106 is by far the most forfeited weight class. If wrestling wants to increase its fan base then forfeits in dual meets need to be eliminated.  If people are being encouraged to come watch a wrestling match and there are multiple forfeits and they dont even get to see their friends or family members wrestle why would the come back?

[Longdayrunner]

The last stat I saw in print dealing with HS Forfeits in Dual Meets was the article listed below.  It is an old article, 2015.  It shows that 106 was forfeited about 35% of the time, but the following weight classes had high forfeit numbers:

113 - 27%
120 - 23%
126 - 16%
132 - 11%
138 -  8%
145 - 13%
152 - 10%
160 - 11%
170 -  9%
182 - 14%
195 - 27%
220 - 25%
285 - 18%

What is more telling is the following:

Forfeits by weight groups:

106 - 120 - 28%
126 - 182 - 12%
195 - 285 - 23%


Maybe weight classes should be done away with all together and have kids weight in and paired by the 8% rule.

https://www.levelchanger.com/blog/2015/07/03/are-forfeits-a-problem-for-high-school-wrestling