LHAC Championship

[PAMDGrappler]

Your point is true for the defensive coach.  The offensive coach in every sport is going to look to exploit any weakness they can find.  In basketball, if the defense goes into a zone, the coach will counter by putting in his best perimeter shooters, even if it means pulling their best guard.  In baseball, if the defense brings in a left handed reliever, the coach will counter with a right handed batter, even if it means sitting the hitter with the most home runs.  In football, if the defense walks the safeties to the line, the offense will audible to a play action pass to counter.  Wrestling is no different.  The team that wins the toss is the offensive team and can counter the moves of the other team.

[Colonel Mustard]

In all of the scenarios you mention each coach has the opportunity to counter the other coaches strategy. If I'm understanding the way it works in wrestling, the coach that loses the coin toss never has the ability to choose the match-up??  So you are at a disadvantage the entire match? It doesn't make sense to have an entire match decided by a random coin toss.

[Wercrlions]

This is a team match - do what u have to do to win the match- get the most points- very simple

[Earl34]

14 bouts in a high school match. Winning the flip allows the coach to choose when he sends his wrestler to check in first, the odd number bouts or the even number bouts. The opposing coach must send his wrestler first in the opposite bouts. The flip winner tries to manipulate the matchups at pivotal bouts, but the opposing coach still has control of seven bouts.

[Colonel Mustard]

That makes more sense. Other posters made it sound like the coin flip dictated the whole match.

[PAMDGrappler]

Yes, each team has to show first at seven of the weights. However, in a close match, one that will be decided by one or two pivotal matches, the coin flip ultimately can dictate the whole match. Coaches typically have two separate strategies based on whether they win or lose the coin flip.

[FunFacts]

Why don’t coaches have to submit their lineups at the start of a match. Even if you are worried about someone finding out they could be in a sealed envolope.  You still have the strategy of trying to guess but you also can’t straight up avoid a wrestler once you know where he is wrestling.  Just curious why it has always been done that way.   Is college the same way?  I know there are less classes but still.  

[Earl34]

Individual combat sports is always about matchups and styles. Some kids simply struggle with certain style wrestlers. Telling a coach to simply weigh em in and send em out takes all strategy out of his hands. If he has the opportunity to send a kid that matches the opponent better style wise, he has that option, which in turn gives his team a better chance to win the overall match. He has to look not only at winning or losing each bout, but also opportunities for bonus point in each bout, either saving in a loss or gaining in a victory. Controlling matchups to optimise team points.

[CCDevil2012]

That makes more sense. Other posters made it sound like the coin flip dictated the whole match.

Sometimes in a close match it does. Typically you can look at a lineup and know where your points are and aren’t. But in ones where it could go either way, thats where coaches can win a coin flip and try to get a better matchup. But really it’s no different than choosing to get the ball first or deferring to the second half 

[Bagman]

I think the lineup needs to be set before the match begins or only score the actual matches. I have been to three matches this year and there were at least 4 forfeits in each and some of them had guys at that weight on the bench. It is hurting the sport.