VII. Communication (Hand Signals & Table)

Hand Signals

Communication must be Visual and Verbal. The scorer's table, coaches, and fans need to know what you called.

Call	Signal	Verbal
Awarding Points	Raise arm with correct color wristband, hold up fingers (1, 2, 3, or 4)	Shout the points: "Two!", "Three!"
Out of Bounds	Extend arms horizontally and sweep them inward (like closing a gate)	"Out of bounds!"
Neutral	Arms crossed in front of chest (safe signal) and extended	"Neutral!"
Defer	Hand moves in a brushing motion away from the body	"Defer!"
Stalling Warning	Raise fist with correct color, extend arm forward with open hand (Stop sign), point to offender	"Stalling warning, [color]!"
Stalling Point	Same as warning, then award point(s) to opponent	"Stalling, one point [color]!"
Potentially Dangerous	One hand grasps the wrist of the other hand above the head	"Potentially dangerous!"
Illegal Hold	Hands clasped behind the head (or neck)	"Illegal hold!"
Near Fall Count	Arm raised, palm down toward mat, counting visibly	"One-thousand-one, one-thousand-two..."
Fall/Pin	Slap mat once, then raise winner's arm	"Fall!"

Knowledge Check

What signal do you give for "Potentially Dangerous"?

Answer (flip to read):

One hand grasps the wrist of the other hand, held above the head.

Knowledge Check

What's the difference between the illegal hold signal and the potentially dangerous signal?

Answer (flip to read):

Illegal hold: Hands clasped behind YOUR head/neck. Potentially dangerous: One hand grasps the WRIST of the other hand above head.

Table Protocol ("Table Out")

The Golden Rule: All conversations with coaches must happen at the scorer's table. Never engage a coach at the corner of the mat.

Why go to the table?

Witnesses: The scorer and timer are there. It is a neutral, official zone.
De-escalation: Moving to the table gives everyone a moment to breathe and think.
Professionalism: It separates the official from the "heat of the battle."

Scenario: Coach Approaches at the Corner

You call a reversal for Red. Green's coach rushes to the corner of the mat during the next stoppage, wanting to discuss the call. The coach is not at the scorer's table.

Call: Direct the coach to the table. "Coach, if you want to discuss this, meet me at the table." Walk to the scorer's table yourself. Do not engage in conversation at the corner of the mat - there are no witnesses there, and it can escalate quickly. The table is neutral ground.

Knowledge Check

Why should all coach conversations happen at the scorer's table?

Answer (flip to read):

Witnesses (scorer/timer are there), de-escalation (gives time to calm down), and professionalism (neutral official zone, separates you from the heat of battle).

The Coach's Conference

A coach may call a conference only to dispute a misapplication of a rule (not judgment calls).
Scenario A (Coach is Correct): You correct the error (e.g., timing issue, scoring error). No penalty.
Scenario B (Coach is Incorrect): You explain the rule. If the coach's argument is invalid (or was a judgment dispute), the coach receives a Coach Misconduct Warning (1st offense) or Penalty (2nd offense).
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: If a coach is abusive or profane, penalize immediately (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), regardless of the conference outcome.

Scenario: Valid Conference Request

You award a 2-point near fall. Red's coach approaches the table and calmly says, "I believe my wrestler had the near fall for 4 seconds. Can we check the timing?" The coach is asking about a potential rule misapplication (time count).

Approach: This is a valid conference request - the coach is questioning a potential misapplication, not a judgment call. Check with the timer. If you indeed miscounted and it was 4 seconds, correct to 4 points - no penalty. If your count was correct, explain: "Coach, my count was 2 seconds. The call stands." No misconduct warning since the question was legitimate.

What Would You Call?

Green's coach requests a conference to argue that your takedown call was wrong - they believe it should have been neutral because neither wrestler had control. This is a judgment call, not a rule misapplication. How do you handle it?

Answer (flip to read):

Briefly explain your call ("I saw control established"), then assess a Coach Misconduct Warning since this was a judgment dispute, not a rule misapplication. Coaches cannot challenge judgment calls.

Knowledge Check

What happens when a coach challenges a judgment call (like whether it was a takedown or not)?

Answer (flip to read):

Explain the call briefly, then assess Coach Misconduct Warning (1st offense) or Penalty (2nd offense). Judgment calls are not subject to coach's conferences - only rule misapplications are.

De-escalation Techniques

Conflicts will happen. How you handle them defines your professionalism.

The Golden Rules of De-escalation:

Stay calm. Your tone sets the tone. Never match emotion with emotion.
Listen first. Let the person say their piece (briefly). Feeling heard often diffuses anger.
Keep it short. Don't get into extended arguments. A brief explanation is fine; a debate is not.
Use "I" statements. "I saw..." rather than "You did..." keeps it less confrontational.
Move on. After addressing, redirect focus to the match. "Let's get back to wrestling."

Useful Phrases

Coach, I understand your concern. Here's what I saw...

I'm going to need you to return to your bench now.

That's my call, Coach. Let's move on.

We can discuss this after the match if you'd like.

I need you to lower your voice. I can't have a conversation like this.

Scenario: Angry Coach

You call a penalty on Green for unnecessary roughness. Green's coach storms to the edge of the mat, face red, shouting "That's ridiculous! That was clean! You're blind!" The crowd is getting into it.

Approach:

Stay calm. Don't raise your voice or get defensive.
Let them vent briefly. Sometimes people just need 5 seconds.
Respond simply: "Coach, I saw unnecessary contact after the whistle. That's the call."
Redirect: "I need you back at your bench so we can continue."
Warn if needed: "If you continue, I'll have to assess unsportsmanlike conduct."

If the coach doesn't comply, follow through with the warning. Your credibility depends on enforcing boundaries.

What Would You Call?

A parent in the stands is continuously yelling at you throughout the match. "Bad call! That was a takedown! Open your eyes!" It's becoming distracting but the person hasn't used profanity or crossed any major lines.

Answer (flip to read):

Ignore it if possible - spectators will be spectators. However, if it's truly disruptive, notify the event administrator or host school personnel. You don't engage directly with spectators; that's for event management to handle.

Knowledge Check

What should you do FIRST when a coach is upset, before explaining your call?

Answer (flip to read):

Listen first. Let them say their piece briefly. Feeling heard often diffuses anger before you even need to explain.

Knowledge Check

What's a good phrase to end a conversation with a coach and move on?

Answer (flip to read):

"That's my call, Coach. Let's move on." Brief, firm, redirects to the match.