We need to take a step back here with this herpes scare going on.
Last night the ref would not allow my 285lber to wrestle because of a scratch/bruise(had a mother look at it who is a nurse after weigh-ins and she said the same thing). He felt it was a close call and with the scare he couldn't let it go. The other coach agreed with me when we talked. I did not question the ref because it is his job. He stated with this stuff going around he could not chance it.
The funny thing is before the news got ahold of this he wrestled tuesday night with the same thing and no questioning.
Now we are going to have Dr. at the district weigh ins because of the scare! I hope they are dermatologists and not a general dr.
What is going on? RR said it right in another post, we need to take a step back and take a deep breath. I know its better to be safe than sorry but when and where do you stop?
Sorry to rant and rave but had to get this off my chest.

Unfortunately, that's how it is in 21st century America -- a ton of prevention for an ounce of cure.

My suggestion would be to all coaches and parents of wrestlers to check their kids and have anything that looks "funny" checked out. Then bring the documentation (on a state form) with you so the officials have the most recent medical assessment available to make a determination.

We are not medical professionals but we have been charged with trying to determine "what is what". I believe districts should have medical personal to help with this but if "you " take care of it yourself then there should be no question.

Good Luck All

quote:

Originally posted by Metro Ref 79:
My suggestion would be to all coaches and parents of wrestlers to check their kids and have anything that looks "funny" checked out. Then bring the documentation (on a state form) with you so the officials have the most recent medical assessment available to make a determination.

We are not medical professionals but we have been charged with trying to determine "what is what". I believe districts should have medical personal to help with this but if "you " take care of it yourself then there should be no question.

Good Luck All

Agree with everything posted here so far (except that there is no way there is a hand inside of Kermit) but...

According to the latest newsletter from the NSAA found here.

quote:

Herpes Gladiatorum Outbreak
All schools were e-mailed and FAXed information on January 31,
2007 regarding the herpes gladiatorum outbreak in the state of
Minnesota. Only a small number of schools had competed against
Minnesota teams. The NSAA believed there was enough evidence
to request skin checks of all high school wrestlers to curtail any
possible outbreak in Nebraska. Schools are asked to keep
monitoring skin conditions with all athletes involved in the sport of
wrestling. The priority of the NSAA is the safety and health of the
athletes. The NSAA has recommended that each district
tournament site have a physician check each wrestler at weigh- ins.
The onsite physician’s decision will OVERRIDE any NSAA
Physician Form for skin lesions. Please contact the NSAA office of
any herpes gladiatorum cases within your team.

That could certainly make for some interesting skin checks at weigh ins for the District or State Tournament. I can see a battle over Specialist vs General Practitioner coming. Personally, with everything I have read from Coach Allison and iowan@heart regarding how this mess got started and the medical tests that have been done since, I see no need for any more precautions than we normally take.

Does a referee have the authority to hold out a wrestler, even if the wrestler has an NSAA form signed by a Dr.? Let's say the Dr. signed the form the previous day (within 24 hours).

Coach Meyer

I think the only way a wrestler with a note is held out is if Dr. on site overrules.

YES he does..ALL depends on how the form was filled out and the issues at hand..

Big Mac

On the NSAA form it states, "ART. 4.... If an on-site physician is present, he/she may overrule the diagnosis of the physician signing the physician's release form for a wrestler to participate with a particular skin condition."

It does not say anything about the referee being able to keep a wrestler from wrestling if all the spaces on the form are properly completed. I'm just trying to get to the bottom of this issue (not to cause problems).

Coach Meyer

Coach Meyer,
I specifically asked this question two years ago. An official has no business overruling proper medical clearance.

SlvrHwk, you are correct..The key words here are Proper medical clearence..When the form is properly filled out and the issue is NOT contagious..I've seen doctor's note's that say that the issue at hand IS still contagious thus wrestler has a properly filled out sheet but can't wrestle..So again it depends on the issue and how the form was filled out...In most all cases the official will go by the form and most are properly filled out..In that case then NO the official can not over-rule a properly filled out and diagnosed form for a doctor..

Eight wrestlers kicked today at a tourney because each had a wart. This could quickly become a joke.

Predicament

Where did this happen? Who were the officials or was it an on-site Dr.?

Coach Meyer

Humboldt. On-site quack (doctor).