CIF Wrestling Weight Certification Program Overview

The California Interscholastic Federation believes that one of the primary factors in promoting proper weight maintenance among high school wrestlers is the development of a weight control program that encourages safe weight loss.  Many states have instituted body composition testing programs in the past several years.  The primary purpose of a body composition-testing program is to determine the lowest certifiable, safe and healthy weight for each wrestler in order to provide a safe wrestling experience for all high school wrestlers.  The wrestler’s lowest certifiable weight may not be his or her optimal competitive weight; it is simply the lowest, safe weight at which a wrestler may compete. 

In addition to this Weight Certification Program, it is imperative that the school’s wrestling coach monitors each athlete throughout the entire season to ensure they are maintaining or losing weight properly and in a healthy and safe manner.  This program has been developed in response to the need for guidance of young wrestlers as they make decisions about diet, nutrition, and weight control.  It has been documented that wrestlers often attempt to lose weight rapidly, often in an unhealthy and unsafe manner, to gain a perceived advantage over their opponent.  This Weight Certification Program is designed to assist wrestlers and coaches in avoiding potentially harmful, rapid weight reduction practices utilized to achieve specific weight class participation. Our CIF Assessors are a critical component of this program. 

 All wrestlers must be assessed and the results will be binding..  Any wrestler who has not completed the assessment process is ineligible for competition.

• Assessments may begin on October 16 of each wrestling season.  Wrestlers may be measured on or following that date.
• All wrestlers, including those coming out late, must be assessed and have their minimum weight established before competing by having it entered into the NWCA web site by the Assessor.
• 2 pound allowance on January 1 of each wrestling season.
• The deadline for assessment is January 15 of each wrestling season.
• Results of the assessment will be available to the school and wrestler within 72 hours of completed assessment.

Reminders:

1.  Make sure you have a permission form on file at school or each wrestler PRIOR to assessment
2.   Make sure athletes are hydrated as per instructions in CCS Weight Management binder
3.  Have  Individual Profile Forms completed prior to arrival
4.  Have fee ($10) cash or school check in hand.
5.  BE in proper attire:  Boys--gym shorts & t-shirt or singlet;  Girls--gym shorts, t-shirt or singlet
6.  Shoes may NOT be worn during height and weight assessment.  Bare feet only.
7.  Schools not making their scheduled appointment will be fined $200 as a No Show Fee.

Alert: Girl Wrestlers - Girl's Weight Classes are different than boys for all-girl competitions:

The printouts (Individual Weight Loss Plan) for each student that you will get from the NWCA web site lists the boy's NFHS daily weight classes for the convenience of coaches and wrestlers.
The actual calculations provide for the minimum weight for each day, therefore, for the girls, they MAY WRESTLE in their all-girl competitoins if they make weight for a girl's weight class, as long as they do not weigh so much less than their minimum weight for that week that they are two weight classes below their minimum weight for that week.