It seems to me that Pitzer is a perfect example of why there should be a weight class somewhere between 197 and 285. An 88-pound gap between weight classes is ridiculous. A 225 pound weight class might make sense, but that still leaves a 60-pound gap. Would a 240 pound class be better? This would essentially split the difference. I have never understood why there is such a huge gap between the two heaviest weight classes and Pitzer's situation provides an even sharper focus on this question.
PItzer
- Thread starter New York Panther
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Not a very knowledgeable person about wrestling, but saw a few high school matches this year. The 215 bouts showed a complete different body type from the heavyweight class. And 88 pound difference between 285 and 197. Another factor, according to one of my students, is how some kids play football weighing 220 and have to cut to make 197.
First, they are not going to add a weight class without getting rid of another so you need to think about a complete rework of all weight classes. Second, 240 doesn't really work because it would destroy the HWT division and there is no corresponding international weight.
The easiest way to add an upper weight is to mirror freestyle and have a 213-215 range.
The easiest way to add an upper weight is to mirror freestyle and have a 213-215 range.
Is the reason for this because coaches only have enough scholarships for 10 weight classes? What is so sacred about the existing weight structure that a complete rework should not be done to reduce the 88-pound difference to a more reasonable level? 213-215 would help.
The large programs probably would not complain about an additional weight class but most coaches are never happy with having to spread 9.9 over across a roster and additional weight means another mouth to feed.
The current weight class came in for the 98/99 season, before that it went 190 then 275, so there is a willingness to make changes but I don't think there are enough coaches who have issues with the current system for there to be a change. For example, there seems to be an absolute ton of support for some form of push out rule but they struggle to even get that done.
If you take a step back and look across the NCAA right now it is not that big of a problem overall, of course there are guys who fall between weights but no system is perfect.
I would be 100% against an additional weight class in that range. Kyle Snyder ushered in what is probably the best heavyweight era in history. These are certainly the best heavyweights that I can recall in terms of pure wrestling skills, and that's because of the light heavyweights who are so much more than the dancing bears of old.
If you put in a 220 or 230, you're going to weaken both classes. As someone who did high school rankings for several years, I can tell you, there usually wasn't much depth past 171.
Too many of the top athletes at those weights are going to choose football over wrestling, and I can't fault them for that. There's a much bigger upside for a college scholarship and pro future.
I agree 100% and in reality, there are not many of the 275-285 pound HWTs anymore with Colton being the only one ranked in the top 10 this year.
Hey Eric:
I certainly defer to your opinion since you know a lot more about this than I do, and there is obviously no push for this at all since it has been this way for awhile.
However, without trying to be argumentative, I still can't get completely past the fact that in no other weight class can a wrestler be out-weighed by multiple pounds as they can in the heavyweight class. When two equally skilled heavyweights go against one another, the guy who weighs a lot more would seem to have the advantage more often than not. So for someone who's a fan but doesn't know nearly as much as you do about the sport, an 88-pound spread seems huge.
Thanks for bearing with me as I try to wrap my mind around this.
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It has been this way for basically the history of NCAA wrestling.
This really only an issue for Pitzer right now and is not affecting any other heavyweights and it is why most heavyweights redshirt to add size and strength. Also, like Eric mentioned those upper weights are not that deep, and adding say 213 would give you 3 average divisions and would weaken 2 great classes and the best heavyweight wrestling we have ever seen.
No problem! I'm happy to engage and try to do it without coming off like a jerk, because that isn't my intention. I was a lightweight, so I do come at this with a little bias, but here's how I see it:
The top and bottom of the lineups are always going to be the weakest in terms of depth and hardest to fill. That's more prominent in high school but trickles up to college as well. You only have so many guys small enough to wrestle 107 in high school, but those are often freshmen who grow into really good middleweights.
Population-wise, there are probably a lot more 220+ high schoolers, but as I said before, a high percentage of the really athletic ones are concentrating solely or significantly on football. Look at high-level preseason or summer events - there are often 100+ guys in the middleweights and 16 at heavyweight.
So, in some ways, lightweights and heavyweights already have an advantage because the pool of competition is much smaller.
is it unfair that someone could be given up 88 pounds? Yes. Does it happen? Very infrequently. I don't have the numbers, but my guess is that most 285-pounders in college weigh between 240 and 260. A guy like Dayton is the exception, not the rule.
And, has been mentioned before, adding an 11th weight class is unlikely because of the scholarship/monetary considerations. That's the real roadblock.
Two of the all time college best hwts ever weighed around 215. Lou Banach won 2 ncaa championships weighing 209-214# and there was no weight limit At that time. Kyle Snyder did the same thing.
Thanks. Appreciate your response. I think I have a better understanding now.
