NOTE: For additional information, access the Weight Control Manual under the "Documents" heading on the Wrestling page.

Below please find information from the Rules and Regulations Section of the PIAA Handbook regarding the Wrestling Weight Control Program adopted by the Board of Directors:

Weight Control Program

Pursuant to the Weight Control Program adopted by PIAA: 1) the deadline for a PIAA member senior high school to enter its complete varsity wrestling schedule into the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Optimal Performance Calculator (OPC) is one week prior to the first assessment (Friday, October 16, 2015) (see NOTES 1 and 2) prior to the participation by any student in interscholastic wrestling, the Minimum Wrestling Weight (MWW) at which the student may wrestle during the season must be (a) certified to by an Authorized Medical Examiner (AME), and (b) established NO EARLIER THAN six weeks prior to the first Regular Season Contest day of the wrestling season (Friday, October 23, 2015) and NO LATER THAN the Monday preceding the first Regular Season Contest day of the wrestling season (Monday, November 30, 2015) (see NOTE 2).  This certification shall be provided to and maintained by the student’s Principal, or the Principal’s designee.

In certifying to the MWW, the AME shall first make a determination of the student's Urine Specific Gravity/Body Weight and Percentage of Body Fat, or shall be given that information from a person authorized to make such an assessment ("the Assessor").  This determination shall be made consistent with National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rule 1, Competition, Section 3, Weight-Control Program, which requires, in relevant part, hydration testing with a specific gravity not greater than 1.025, and an immediately following body fat assessment, as determined by the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Optimal Performance Calculator, Scholastic Edition (together, the "Initial Assessment").

NOTES:

1. Any subsequent additions or substitutions to a PIAA member senior high school’s complete varsity wrestling schedule must be approved by that school’s PIAA District Wrestling Chairman.

2. For senior high school wrestlers coming out for the Team AFTER the Monday preceding the first Regular Season Contest day of the wrestling season the OPC will remain open until January 15th and for junior high/middle school wrestlers coming out for the Team AFTER the Monday preceding the first Regular Season Contest day of the wrestling season the OPC will remain open all season.

3. Any athlete who disagrees with the Initial Assessment may appeal the assessment results one time by having a second assessment, which shall be performed prior to the athlete’s first Regular Season wrestling Contest and shall be consistent with the athlete’s weight loss (descent) plan.  Pursuant to the foregoing, results obtained at the second assessment shall supersede the Initial Assessment; therefore, no further appeal by any party shall be permitted.  The second assessment shall utilize either Air Displacement Plethysmography (Bod Pod) or Hydrostatic Weighing testing to determine body fat percentage.  The urine specific gravity testing shall be conducted and the athlete must obtain a result of less than or equal to 1.025 in order for the second assessment to proceed.  All costs incurred in the second assessment shall be the responsibility of those appealing the Initial Assessment.  Where the Initial Assessment and/or a second Assessment establishes a percentage of body fat below 7% for a male or 12% for a female, the student must obtain an AME’s consent to participate.

For all wrestlers, the MWW must be certified to by an AME. 

To reduce or eliminate “clerical errors”, it is required that each head wrestling Coach initial the MWW of each of his wrestlers before the school’s Principal certifies to the eligibility of the school’s wrestlers. 

A two (2)-pound growth allowance is authorized on or after Friday, December 25, 2015 for both junior high/middle school and senior high school wrestlers. 

The deadline for senior high school wrestlers to establish their MWW is Friday, February 19, 2016.

Procedure to Request Relief from Delinquent Hydration Test(s) and/
or Weight Assessment(s) in PIAA Wrestling Weight Control Program

1. A member school shall submit the following, relative to its request for relief:
   
   1. A letter requesting relief from the delinquent hydration test(s) and/or weight assessment(s) submitted, on behalf of the affected student(s), by the concerned Principal.
   2. Confirmation from the school’s attending assessor of the respective dates of failed hydration test(s) and the hydration level(s) achieved.
   3. Any pertinent information from the attending assessor of any assessments attempted and the rationale of why those assessments failed.
   4. All information must be forwarded to the PIAA District Wrestling Chairman on or before Friday, February 19, 2016, for that wrestling chairman’s consideration, with a courtesy copy of the cover letter requesting relief from the delinquent hydration test(s) and/or weight assessment(s) forwarded to the involved PIAA District Chairman.
   5. The District Wrestling Chairman will submit all provided information to that District’s Chairman with a cover letter of support or nonsupport of the request for relief.
   6. The District Chairman will review all information and either approve or reject the request for relief.
   7. Upon request by the Principal of the concerned school, the District Chairman may convene a hearing before his District Committee into the request for relief.
   8. Decisions of District Committees may be appealed by the Principal of the concerned school to the PIAA Board of Directors or a PIAA Board of Appeal by requesting an appeal, in writing, to the PIAA Executive Director.