Wrestling Coaches and ADs-

***SO MUCH IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW***

Year one of sanctioning was quite the year- a big shoutout to all of you coaches, officials, and ADs who jumped off the deep end with us at the IGHSAU to make it a memorable one! Together, we were able to provide opportunities for over 2300 high school female wrestlers and create pathways for junior and youth girl wrestlers as well. So far this year, we’ve got over 240 schools who have indicated participation (some cooperative sharing), with just over 200 host programs.

Please take a moment to review the 2023-2024 List of Wrestling Programs document to verify the information submitted by your school. If you are not listed, there is a high likelihood that the activity form on Bound was not submitted this summer. If your program is not listed or the cooperative sharing agreement is not correct- don’t panic. Please email [email protected] for changes.

The 2023-2024 season is similar in make-up to that we rolled out last year. Detailed guidance on regular season competition, season manual, and information on postseason tournament will be released in Preseason Memo #2 on October 3rd. Please make note of the following important dates: 

Updated 2023-2024 Season Timeline:

  • September 18th Trackwrestling Login information released to schools
  • October 9th Official Weight Assessments may begin (final date is January 25th)
  • October 21st Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Convention (Des Moines)
  • October 23rd Bound-Rules Meeting Released (must be done by 1st day of competition)
  • October 30st First Practice Date
  • November 6th Last Date to Declare/Dismiss Cooperative Sharing
  • November 13th First Competition Date
  • December 6th Coaches Survey due on Bound (Postseason Weight Classes)
  • December 11th            growth allowance begins for those who qualify
  • December 22nd Super Regional Assignments Released
  • 24-Jan. 1st Winter Break, no competition allowed
  • January 26th Super Regional Qualifying Meets
  • February 1st-2rd State Tournament, Coralville

TRACKWRESTLING

Those schools who hosted programs last year should have received a mass email from Trackwrestling, “noreply@trackwrestling” this past Monday with login information and access to the 2023-2024 IGHSAU wrestling season. Reminder- girls wrestling is NOT located in the same Trackwrestling season as the IHSAA. Make sure you are entering rosters and team information into the correct season under the IGHSAU! If you do not possess login information because you are a new coach, AD, or new program- please go to Trackwrestling Support for access. Body Composition Assessors should have also received access on Sept. 18th. If there is a new assessor who is not in the system, please have them email me for access and verification. New this year- materials for administrators and coaches for getting started and guidance (also found on our website- ighsau.org Coaches & Administrators)

Trackwrestling Quick Guide

Trackwrestling Detailed Season Guide

Trackwrestling Team Admin Guidelines

NFHS RULES MEETING & RULE BOOKS

The 2023-2024 NFHS Wrestling Rules Meeting will be available on Bound starting October 23rd. The same meeting is good for both the IHSAA and IGHSAU organizations. It only needs to be completed once, if your program has a shared head boys/girls coach. This meeting must be completed by the first competition date. The IHSAA will be mailing out NFHS rules books to schools on October 1st. If your school has indicated they will host a girls’ program, your school should receive an extra rules book in the IHSAA mailing- also sent to coaches of boys’ programs. Additional rule books may be purchased online through the NFHS.

IOWA WRESTLING COACHES AND OFFICIALS’ ASSOCIATION

The IGHSAU has also strengthened our partnership with the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA) and has added positions to their board and several committees to best advocate for the opportunities that come with the growth of our sport for the Iowa Girl. Last year, the IGHSAU also brought on board Bruce Ennen as our Coordinator of Wrestling Officials. He and a handful of other appointed officials will help to not only assign post season tournament officials, but to also create a system of in-season evaluations and clinic opportunities for all IGHSAUestling officials. We are making a special push this year to encourage all wrestling coaches and officials to become members of the IWCOA nd attend the convention held in Des Moines on Saturday, October 21st. Much work has been put in to make this event purposeful, educational, and interactive for all who attend. The IWCOA has designed ucational mini sessions that will be helpful for new and veteran coaches and officials alike! We hope to see all coaches here!

Clarification on Girls Competing Against Boys:

When competing as a member school under the IGHSAU sanctioned umbrella, female athletes are not allowed to compete against male athletes during school sponsored events. This includes all regular and postseason tournament activity. Coed instruction and practice are permissible for grades 7-12. 

Unlimited Scrimmages for Girls:

Girls’ programs will not have restrictions on the number of scrimmages with other IGHSAU female school programs during the 2023-2024 season. The intent of this is for programs with low numbers of females to be able to find quality practice opportunities with other females. This scrimmage rule only applies to IGHSAU girls’ programs. IHSAA Boys’ programs will still follow the three-scrimmage rule.

Clarification on Junior High Wrestling:

The decision to sanction girls’ wrestling for the 2022-2023 season and beyond was for female athletes in grades 7-12. It is permissible for a joint junior high boy/girl meet to be held at one location. It is permissible for stand-alone junior high girls or junior boys’ events to take place. Schools may attach a junior high girls’ event to a high school girls’ event. In any set-up for junior high competition, the expectation from the IGHSAU remains the same: females are to compete against only females, and junior high cannot compete against high school athletes.

Cooperative Sharing:

Member High Schools have until November 6th, 2023, to declare whether a cooperative sharing agreement will exist between host and sharing schools. Forms for cooperative sharing need to be filled out on Bound between all cooperative sharing parties and approved by the IGHSAU. For those junior high programs who would also like to participate in program sharing, that is a matter of local control and communication. The IGHSAU is not responsible for any program sharing agreements that exists on the junior high level.

Weight Management:

The first date of official weight assessment/certification for females is October 9th, 2023. The last date to certify is January 25th, 2024. A reminder that a minimum weight for females is 12% body fat. Weight loss progression plans remain the same the IHSAA. Two-pound allowances for wrestlers who have made scratch weight will begin December 11th, 2023. All information will continue to be tracked through OPC and Trackwrestling. The same NFHS 14 weight classes that were adopted last year will be used again this year.

Be sure to continue to check our website at ighsau.org (look under Coaches & Administrators- Wrestling) for the MANY updates yet to come for preseason, regular season, and postseason details. We here at the IGHSAU look forward to serving our ADs, Coaches, and Iowa Girls in the sport of wrestling during this special inaugural year, and for many years to come! Please don’t hesitate to contact me directly at [email protected] with any of your girlsrestling questions! 

Cheers!

Erin Gerlich

IGHSAU Associate Director

Wrestling Administrator