Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Clash 8 National High School Duals
Updated as of March 25, 2009

What are the dates for the tournament?

Dates: Friday and Saturday, January 8-9, 2010

When does my team wrestle on Friday?

Your team may wrestle in the morning session (9am) or afternoon session (4pm) on Friday. You will not know until Monday, December 21st. If you are flying into Rochester, you will definitely need to get here on Thursday in case your team wrestles in the morning session on Friday. The brackets are determined by the seeding and the seeding is done by national sportswriters based on rankings and early season results.

There are 5 national tournaments the weekend of the 18th that we need the results from in order to properly seed the Clash. The tournaments include (with their 2009 dates):

Dec. 18th-19th - Minnesota Christmas Tourney
Albert Lea, MN
Apple Valley, MN
Hastings, MN
Kasson-Mantorville, MN
Plainview-Elgin-Millville, MN
St. Michael-Albertsville, MN
Scott-West, MN
Simley, MN

Dec. 18th-19th - Midwest Wrestling Classic Kansas City
Blue Springs, MO
Oak Grove, MO
Omaha Skutt, NE
Park Hill, MO

Dec. 18th-19th - Reno Tournament of Champions
Ponderosa, CO
Vacaville, CA

Dec. 19th-20th - Beast of the East
-No Clash teams this year-

Dec. 20th - Five Seasons Duals - Cedar Rapids, IA
Waverly Shellrock, IA

Jan. 1st-2nd - Cheesehead - Kaukauna, WI (After Clash Seedings)
Apple Valley, MN
Simley, MN
Montini, IL
Kaukauna, WI
Wausau West. WI
Luxemburg-Casco, WI

How many wrestlers can we bring?

Roster: You may weigh-in 20 wrestlers each day. These do not have to be the exact same wrestlers each day so you may choose to bring along a couple extras in case someone gets hurt or ill. You will be given 20 wrestler passes only.

How many tickets/passes does a team get?

Tickets – Each team will receive up to 28 passes for the event. These passes are for: 20 wrestlers, 6 coaches (including trainers and assistants), and 2 cheerleader chaperones. Up to 6 cheerleaders (in uniform) for each team will also be admitted without charge. Additional tickets can be purchased at the door. Ticket prices are Adults: $12 per session, or $30 for a two-day pass. Coaches’ passes include meals.

Do we get a weight allowance?

Weight Allowances – There will be a 3 pound weight allowance on Friday and 4 pounds on Saturday. For example, a wrestler will need to weigh 106 or less to wrestle in the 103 pound weight class on Friday (and 107 or less on Saturday). This is due to a 2 lb Minnesota growth allowance granted on January 1st along with an extra pound due to a number of teams having duals Thursday evening, January 7th.

When do we weigh in?

Weigh-ins - Your first-day weigh-in order is determined by the order in which we receive your signed contract. Although our weigh-ins go quickly and efficiently, the earliest weigh-in times of the day are assigned to the teams who submit their contract the earliest. The second day weigh-ins are determined by your first day order of finish. Please see the two tables below.

Weigh in Schedule - Friday, January 8th, 2010
Team	State	Weigh-in	Team	State	Weigh-in
Blue Springs	MO	7:00AM	Albert Lea	MN	2:00PM
Grand Island	NE	7:00AM	Kasson-Mantorville	MN	2:00PM
Hastings	MN	7:00AM	Owatonna	MN	2:00PM
Plainview Elgin Millville	MN	7:00AM	Simley	MN	2:00PM
Apple Valley	MN	7:15AM	Glenbard North	IL	2:15PM
Baylor	TN	7:15AM	Kaukauna	WI	2:15PM
Ponderosa	CO	7:15AM	Minneota	MN	2:15PM
Sturgis	SD	7:15AM	Waverly-Shellrock	IA	2:15PM
Carl Sandburg	IL	7:30AM	Mt Carmel	IL	2:30PM
Independence	IA	7:30AM	Park Hill	MO	2:30PM
Skutt Catholic	NE	7:30AM	Vacaville	CA	2:30PM
Wausau West	WI	7:30AM	Wisconsin Rapids	WI	2:30PM
Montini Catholic	IL	7:45AM	La Quinta	CA	2:45PM
Oak Grove	MO	7:45AM	Neuqua Valley	IL	2:45PM
Roseburg	OR	7:45AM	Punahou School	HI	2:45PM
Scott West	MN	7:45AM	St. Michael-Albertville	MN	2:45PM

Weigh in Schedule - Saturday, January 9th, 2010
Team	Weigh-in	Team	Weigh-in
Teams finishing 5th	7:00 AM	Teams finishing 1st	2:00 PM
Teams finishing 6th	7:15 AM	Teams finishing 2nd	2:15 PM
Teams finishing 7th	7:30 AM	Teams finishing 3rd	2:30 PM
Teams finishing 8th	7:45 AM	Teams finishing 4th	2:45 PM

What do we need to do for opening ceremonies?

Opening Ceremonies - At the start of the morning and afternoon sessions, we will have a brief ceremony to introduce the teams. Please go to your assigned mats at least 20 minutes prior to the start of wrestling (8:40 AM for the morning session and 3:40 PM for the afternoon session). Line your team up on one side of the mat. We will introduce each team (en masse). When your team is introduced, they should walk to the center of the mat. When both teams are at the center, instruct your wrestlers to shake hands with whoever happens to be across from them. They should then return to their side of the mat and stand at attention until all teams are introduced (first couple wrestlers can warm up) at which time we will have the national anthem.

Friday, 1/8/2010 - 9 AM Mat Assignments

Mat 1: Sturgis vs Scott West
Mat 2: Baylor vs Grand Island
Mat 3: Carl Sandburg vs Blue Springs
Mat 4: Apple Valley vs Independence
Mat 5: Skutt vs Hastings
Mat 6: Montini vs Oak Grove
Mat 7: PEM vs Wausau West
Mat 8: Ponderosa vs Roseburg

Friday, 1/8/2010 - 4 PM Mat Assignments

Mat 1: Mt Carmel vs Kaukauna
Mat 2: Minneota vs Waverly-Shellrock
Mat 3: Owatonna vs Glenbard North
Mat 4: Simley vs Punahou
Mat 5: Neuqua Valley vs Kasson-Mantorville
Mat 6: Park Hill vs La Quinta
Mat 7: STMA vs Vacaville
Mat 8: Albert Lea vs Wisconsin Rapids

Who does the seedings?

Seedings - Seedings are based on input from nationally respected wrestling columnists including John Hennessey, Bob Preusse, John Hennessy, Tom Owens, Rob Sherrill and others. Teams were also positioned to avoid matches in the first two rounds between: nationally ranked teams, teams from the same state, and teams that may meet in the course of the regular season.

What is the format of the tournament?

Format: Three “qualifying” matches in 8-team brackets and then three round-robin matches. The three Friday matches will place the teams in positions 1^st through 8^th. On Saturday, the four teams that win their brackets will be placed in a 4-team round robin bracket (called group 1) for three more matches. Likewise, the four 2^nd place teams will be grouped together into “Group 2” and so on. Trophies will be awarded for 1st and 2nd place in each of the eight groups.

Where is the tournament?

Venue: The competition venue for the tournament continues to be the University Center-Rochester (UCR) field house. The street address is: 851 30th Ave SE, Rochester MN. The UCR campus is home to Rochester Community and Technical College, Winona State University Rochester Center, and the University of Minnesota-Rochester.

Who gets awards?

Awards: - There will be team trophies for the 1^st and 2^nd place teams in each pool. In addition, there will be individual trophies for the wrestlers on the winning team in each pool and individual medals for the wrestlers on the team that finishes second in each pool (if individual medals are allowed by your state association).

We are arriving early. How do we arrange a practice session?

Practice Sessions - Please contact Chuck Siefert, the site coordinator, directly at 507-398-3400 to schedule your practice session(s).

Is there an all-tournament team? How is it selected?

All Tournament Team - We will be selecting an all-tournament team at the conclusion of the tournament. This team, made up of one wrestler from each weigh class, will be selected based on the wrestler’s accomplishment at the tournament without regard to his or her team’s placement. The wrestlers selected to the all-tournament team will receive a commemorative plaque. To identify this team, we have one wrestling enthusiasts who is not associated with any team in the tournament, assigned to each weight class. He or she will follow that weight class throughout the tournament and identify his or her candidate. The final all-tournament team is then voted on and approved by the Clash organizing committee.

When does wrestling start? When are the finals?

Schedule – Wrestling is divided into two sessions each day. The morning session will have matches at 9am, 11am, and 1am and the afternoon session will have matches at 4pm, 6pm and 8pm. 16 teams will wrestle in the morning sessions and 16 teams will wrestle in the afternoon sessions. Whether you wrestle in the morning or afternoon on the first day is determined by your request, when you sent in the contract, and your seeding in the tournament. Your positioning on the second day will be determined solely on your results from the first day. Teams that win their first match on Friday will finish in the top 16 and will wrestle Saturday afternoon. Conversely, teams that lose their first match on Friday will be in the Saturday morning session. There are no “finals” as in an individual tournament. The champions of each pool are decided during the course of the second day of wrestling.

I’m with a newspaper/radio station/website. Can I get a press pass?

Press: Please let us know if you plan on attending and covering the Clash tournament in advance by contacting Kent Harfmann. Kent's contact information is available on the "Contact Us" page. Passes for the media and press will be available at the field house pass gate on the days of the tournament. Please be prepared to present some form of identification to receive your pass. You will be allowed access to the floor of the tournament and to the media room were all results will be posted electronically. Members of the press are encouraged to contact the Clash committee prior to the event to identify any unique on-site electrical or telecommunication requirements.

I/we need a room. Where should I stay?

Hotels: Contact information and rates for hotels arel posted on the travel page of our website. These are hotels that actively support wrestling in this community.

What about bad weather? Is there an alternate date?

Weather: Although Minnesota has had mild winters the last few years, the average temperature in Rochester for the first week of January is 12 degrees. Please Note: This event will NOT be cancelled or rescheduled, regardless of the weather conditions.

Late Arrival Policy: If you are late arriving to the facility, for any reason, including weather problems and airline delays, then you will forfeit all matches missed up to that point and will have up to 2 hours prior to the next round to weigh-in.

My son has a persistent skin condition. Is there anything I should do regarding skin checks?

Skin Checks - I can’t stress enough the importance of taking skin conditions seriously. There is a copy of the “Minnesota State High School League Wrestling Skin Condition Report” to be copied and used by any wrestler with a questionable skin condition. The form should be taken by the wrestler with the observable skin condition (like persistent Psoriasis or severe acne) to his or her family physician to be completed. For athletes with observable skin conditions, this form will speed up the on-site skin checks greatly. I have included a copy of this form in this package. Please note: The on-site Dermatologist will have final say in all questions of participation. There is no appeal process.

Will the tournament be starting with the 103# weight class?

Starting Weight Class : We will be drawing for a starting weight class at the coaches banquet on Thursday night January 7th. Each successive round will start at one weight class higher. For example, if 160 is drawn, then the sequence would be:

Day 1
Round 1 ---> 160, 171, 189, 215, 275, 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152
Round 2 ---> 171, 189, 215, 275, 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160
Round 3 ---> 189, 215, 275, 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171

Day 2
Round 4 ---> 215, 275, 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189
Round 5 ---> 275, 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215
Round 6 ---> 103, 112, 119, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, 152, 160, 171, 189, 215, 275

Where do we park at the venue? Is there a pass gate for teams?

There is plenty of parking at the venue. Please check out the aerial view of the fieldhouse for appropriate parking for fans and teams. We ask that teams enter the South pass-gate entrance so that they do not need to wait through the lines at the main gate.