If you have a question regarding wrestler eligibility on a team, before reading these rules, an easy way to determine whether he/she is eligible, is to ask yourself this question: If your youth wrestler was in high school right now, living at their current address and attending schools within that school district, (open enrollment not considered), what team would he/she be allowed to compete on under Minnesota State High School League rules?  This is the case regardless if that high school team has a youth program or not.

Boundaries Map to determine which region your team should participate in.

  • For dual team tournaments, region and state, only schools recognized as CO-OP’s by the MSHSL will be allowed to wrestle as one team.  For a list of CO-OP’s, please click the link for MN State High School League Assignments.
  • There are 15 weight classes with 6 alternates for the region team tournaments, K-6 team competition, and also for the state team tournament. They are as follows: 45 – 50 – 55 – 60 – 65 – 70 – 75 – 80 – 84 – 88 – 93 – 102 – 115 – 130 – HWT (maximum 215 lbs.)
  • There are 9 weight classes with 4 alternates for 7-8 team state tournament.  They are as follows: 85 – 95 – 105 – 115 – 125 – 135 – 150 – 160 – HWT (maximum 235 lbs.)
  • Minimum weight for heavyweight class is 115.1 at regions and 116.1 at state because of the one-pound allowance at state.  For the 45 lb. weight class, a wrestler can weigh 45 lbs. at regions and 46 lbs. at state with no minimum.  There is no one-pound allowance at regions.  All wrestlers will receive a one-pound allowance at state, but at STATE ONLY, NOT at regions.  The tenths will remain uncovered at both regions and state.
  • Regional entry fee per team is $200.  Registration for the team regionals are completed online only and the deadline to register is two weeks prior to the event.  This is also the deadline to withdraw and still receive a refund.
  • Team rosters can change until the end of weigh-ins the day of the team tournament both at regions and at state.
  • State entry fee is $300 for all teams.  Final roster must be completed and fee paid online. (rule updated 1/14/19)
  • Region team tournaments must use certified referees.
  • Region team tournaments are double elimination.
  • If a wrestler attends the individual region in which his/her team is also wrestling in and that team region tournament is the Saturday or Sunday after individual regions, then the wrestler’s individual weight from Friday or Saturday will count towards the team weigh in on Saturday or Sunday; they do not have to weigh in again.  ALL region team coaches must agree to this weigh-in.  Team region directors MUST be onsite at the individual region tournament to record and verify the weights of the wrestlers wrestling in both the individual and team region tournaments (rule updated 3/27/2024). If the wrestler is attending a different individual region tournament than the team, they cannot have their weight in count (rule updated 2/18/19).
  • NYWA has implemented a percentage-based system for the number of teams each region sends to state.  The percentages will depend on the number of teams registered from each region competing for the 32 spots at state.  The region team directors will be notified of how many teams will advance to state prior to their tournament (rule updated 10/30/19).
  • Wrestlers wrestling in both individual and team at state may weigh in Friday night for both individual and team (grades K-4).  Then on Saturday, that wrestler can weigh in again at a different weight class for team competition.  The 5-6 grade wrestlers do NOT need to weigh in again on Friday evening unless they are wrestling at a different weight for K-6 team.
  • Team wrestlers can move up only one weight class as in high school.
  • Only coaches can present a wrestler to wrestle.  It doesn’t matter who runs out on the mat at any given time, when the coach tells the table workers who is wrestling, that is the presentation of the wrestler.
  • All dual team wrestlers must have shoe laces taped or covered as in high school rules.
  • All dual team wrestlers must wear head gear as in high school rules.
  • All dual team wrestlers must wear singlets.
  • For dual team tournaments, region and state, all wrestlers on each team must attend schools that feed into the high school program.  If the wrestler attends a private school or is home schooled, then he/she is allowed to wrestle with the team that comes from the school district he/she lives in except if that private school is outside the district the wrestler lives in and is currently cooped with a high school program.  If the school they attend outside the district they live in does not coop with any high school wrestling program, then the original rule will apply that they can compete with the team in the district in which they live. If a wrestler lives in one district and is home schooled or attends a private school in that district, but his/her sibling open enroll in another district, then the wrestler can wrestle with the team that is in the school district his/her siblings attend.  If you have a question regarding wrestler eligibility on a team, ask yourself this question: If your youth wrestler was in high school right now, living at their current address and attending schools within that school district, (open enrollment not considered), what team would he/she be allowed to compete on under Minnesota State High School League rules?  This is the case regardless if that high school team has a youth program or not.
  • The coach from each team is responsible to ensure that only wrestlers that are on the roster qualify under the preceding rule above. If any wrestler on the roster does not qualify, that team will be disqualified that year and the year following the infraction.  Any questions regarding if a wrestler qualifies or is eligible to wrestle for a specific team, please call the NYWA office at (800) 540-4140.
  • Regions must wrestle to the 7th and 8th place in the event a higher team cannot go to state.
  • Team plaques will be given to the top four teams at the regional level.  The top eight teams at state will receive awards.
  • Biting – this will be determined by the referee and follows the same criteria as injury time outs.
  • Crying Rule – this will be determined by the referee and follows the same criteria as injury time outs.
  • Teams may forfeit weight classes at regions and state for one match and not forfeit that weight the next match.
  • Teams must compete at the regional team tournament that their school district falls under.  Check the boundaries map here.
  • Sixth graders are allowed to be on the 7-8 team roster to fill smaller weights; however, no one under 6th grade can participate on the 7-8 team.
  • In the event a team is unable to attend the state team tournament, NYWA reserves the right to replace that team with any other team, beginning with the teams that wrestled in the region tournaments.
  • Any team qualifying for the state tournament but is unable to attend must notify NYWA as soon as possible so NYWA may select another team to replace them. Team or teams not notifying NYWA of their state participation by Tuesday night prior to the state tournament may be replaced by alternate teams selected by NYWA.
  • Any team that decides not to attend NYWA state for any reason will forfeit their entry fee; the team that fills the open spot will not pay an entry fee.
  • Any team invited to fill a vacant spot in the state team tournament must wrestle in that spot only.
  • Teams that are located on the bordering line of a region can choose which region they want to attend for team regions; however, once a decision has been made to attend a certain region, that team cannot switch and go to another region.

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