In the most significant change in high school wrestling weight classes in more than two decades, the National Federation of State High School Associations has approved an upward shift of weights.
The change will affect 10 of the 14 weight classes, with increases of one to 11 pounds.
The 14 weight classes approved by the committee for 2011-12 are: 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220 and 285.
The old weight classes were: 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215 and 285.
The changes were made to try equalize the percentage of wrestlers in each weight class, according to Dale Pleimann, chair of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Committee.
The last major change in weight classes occurred in 1988, when the lowest weight class was increased from 98 to 103 pounds. In 2002, the number of classes went from 13 to 14 and the 215-pound weight class became mandatory. In 2006, the 275-pound class was increased to 285 pounds.
Wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 272,890 participants in 10,363 schools during the 2009-10 season, according to the NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. In addition, 6,134 girls were involved in wrestling in 1,009 high schools.
- Bill Paterson
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