NJGSWL Bylaws revised 3/29/2022 by R. Rodriguez  

ARTICLE 1: NAME

This  organization shall be known as the NEW JERSEY GRADE SCHOOL WRESTLING  LEAGUE.  

ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE

Purpose  of the organization shall be to promote amateur wrestling and good  sportsmanship among member teams.  

ARTICLE 3: FISCAL YEAR 

This  organization’s fiscal year shall run from September 1st to August 31st of  each year.  

ARTICLE 4: OFFICERS 

A.   The organization shall consist of the following officers:  President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.  

B.   No two (2) officers shall be from the same team and shall not preside as  a team representative, if possible.  

C.   The President shall preside at all meetings. The President shall have the  power to enforce the team provisions of the by-laws and all other rules and  regulations passed by a majority of the representatives in attendance. In the  event the President cannot attend a meeting; the Vice President shall preside  with the same power.  

D.   The Secretary shall keep accurate records of the proceedings of the  meetings and attend to all correspondence pertaining to league business. The  Secretary shall maintain minutes as permanent records.  

E.   The Treasurer shall maintain a bank account for all the league funds. A  financial report will be communicated at each meeting. An attended treasurer’s report will be made at each meeting so the treasurers’ balance is in the  minutes.  

F.   The President and Treasurer shall have signatory rights for league  checks. The treasurer shall be the primary signature of all checks. The  President will only conduct financial business in times when the treasurer is  unavailable and business must be conducted.  

G.   The President shall oversee all league activities and shall serve as tournament chairman.  

ARTICLE 5: BOARD OF CONTROL

The  Board of Control shall be comprised of the officers of the league and shall  review and decide on any controversial issues not covered in the by-laws. The  Board of Control can be overruled by a majority of the teams present and voting  at the next regular league meeting.  

 ARTICLE 6: MEMBERSHIP

A.   Every team will be subject to an annual tournament fee to be recommended  by the President and approved by 2/3rds of the teams present at the  September meeting. This fee must be paid in full prior to the start of the season. A  $25.00 per month fine will be levied with the past due amount.  

B.   Proof of teams liability insurance must be submitted to the League  Secretary by the November meeting, a $25.00 per match fine will be levied for  the past due insurance certification.  

C.   Membership in the league shall be open to an affiliated or sponsored  community organization on a first come first serve basis and accompanied by the  necessary fees.  

D.   All members must participate in all league competitions provided for by  the by-laws. Failure to do so is subject to a $100.00 fine first offense,  automatic probation second offense and revocation of membership by a 2/3rds  majority of the teams present and voting, third offense.  

E.   All member teams must have a varsity team in order to participate in the  league.  

F.   Each new team shall be on probation for a period of one (1) fiscal year,  and at the end of that one fiscal year period a 2/3rds majority vote of the  member teams present and voting is necessary for final acceptance, except  charter year.  

G.   Teams on probation shall have no voting rights.  

H.   Member teams may be placed back on one (1) fiscal year probation period  by a 2/3rds majority vote of the member teams present and voting. At the end of  the one (1) fiscal year period, the team must be removed from probation by a  2/3rds majority vote of the member teams present and voting or have their  membership automatically revoked.  

I.   Teams not fulfilling league obligations are to be assessed a fine of  $25.00 for each infraction payable to the league  

A.   Not attending a season scheduled match for reasons other than weather or  emergency  

B.   Failure to provide adequate facilities for a match including table help  or officials  

C.   Failure to provide adequate table help for the Final Exam for the  scheduled periods  

ARTICLE 7: MEETINGS 

A.  The regular meetings shall be held prior, during and after the season.  League kickoff meeting to be held in September and if needed, a meeting prior to the start of the season, seeding meeting prior to the Varsity tournament and the end of season meeting for wrap up items.  The time and date shall be set at each  proceeding meeting.  Additional meetings may be held as needed and will be held  at the discretion of the President.

B.   The meeting in March shall be called the “Annual Meeting” at which time  officers for the wrestling season will be elected.  

C.   Each organization or sponsor team or teams shall submit two (2) names to  the league each year as team representatives. Alternates shall be allowed, with  approval of the President.  

D.   Each member team shall send of minimum of one (1) rep per team with a  maximum of two (2) per team, to attend league meetings; failure to do so will  result in a fine to the sponsor or organization involved. The fine shall be  $10.00 / first offense, $25.00 / second offense, $50.00 / third offense and  automatic probation / fourth offense.  

E.   Only attending representatives from each team’s organization shall be  allowed to vote or make motions for the team.  

1 A  majority quorum is required for a meeting (majority is defined as 2/3rds).   

2 The  President shall have the tie-breaking vote at any time a tie results from the  team voting.  

ARTICLE 8: RULES

N.J.S.I.A.A.  wrestling rules will apply except for the following:  

1) Time  periods shall be 2:00, 1:30, and 1:30 minutes respectfully.  

2)  Weights, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130, 140, 150, 175  and heavy weight. A heavyweight class shall be recognized subject to the  following restrictions: The wrestler must weigh in above 150lb. This minimum  weight shall increase accordingly when the weight allowances are given. The  maximum weight shall be 240lb.  

3) A  1lb weight allowance will be given as of December 23rd of each season year and February 1st or the league tournament or playoffs, whichever comes first.  

4)  Ages: Maximum 15 years of age after September 1st of each season. Minimum age  of 10 years as of September 1st of the current season.  

5)  Grade: Grades fifth, sixth seventh and eighth  

6)  Weight class eligibility:  

a)    Certified weight shall be defined as the lowest weight class in which a  wrestler shall be eligible to complete the balance of the season, including the  league tournament.  CERTIFIED WEIGHT WILL BE THE LOWEST WEIGHT MADE DURING  THE FIRST 2 WEEKS OF THE LEAGUE SCHEDULED MATCHES AND AT WHICH HE/SHE WRESTLES  IN THE DUAL MATCH, WITH HIS/HER WEIGHT BEING recorded.   The wrestler does  NOT have to wrestle at that particular weight class and can move up as stated  in our bylaws.  He/she just needs to wrestle in a Varsity match (forfeits  included) that day as part of the league. 

b) A  wrestler may compete in no more than two (2) weight classes higher than his/her certified weight at any time during the season.  It is the coach’s responsibility to be sure that a wrestler weighs in at the  lowest weight class at which the wrestler will compete during the season.   

ARTICLE 9: LEAGUE ELIGIBILITY

A.  Rosters: team rosters shall consist of participants name, grade and approximate  weight, also  team and coach’s name.  

B.  Teams will post their complete rosters on the website twenty-four (24) hours  prior to a match that team is scheduled to wrestle. The weigh-in time will be  considered the match time. Wrestlers not on the roster at the time of the first  match may be permitted to wrestle. The opposing team will enter the match as a  win by forfeit. If there are multiple matches on the date in question, they  will all be considered forfeits.  

C.  Roster additions after the first team match of the season are permitted using  this criteria:  1 A broadcast email of the addition informing all teams is  sent  2 The wrestler weighs in and certifies at season opening weight (no  weight allowance besides the .2) at the first varsity match which cannot take place for 7 days after the roster addition.  

D.  Programs with more than one team may move a wrestler to their other team  provided the wrestler has not competed in any matches. Exhibition matches do  not count as matches. The coach will need to communicate with the opposing team  via broadcast email 48 hours prior to the start of the match. Wrestlers who  have earned seed points or competed in a match, are NOT eligible for this  consideration, but may be moved using section ‘B’ of this article (above). If a  wrestler is  moved and does not compete, the team must still follow  Section D to return them to the other team.  

E.  Programs may only roster wrestlers who are attending a sending district for  their high school. If there is more than one high school, the schools must  share a common border and be public in nature. This dual status is to be voted  upon prior to the start of the season with a 2/3rd majority ruling.  

F. A wrestler  must choose between Varsity  and JV league tournaments, if so qualified.  

G. Combined teams must be from two teams within our league

ARTICLE 10: WEIGH-INS 

A. If  officials are unavailable, coaches are to weigh-in contestants for Varsity and  J.V. bouts at ½ hour before the meet starts.  

B.  Weigh-in will be done in team uniform/singlets with arms held out for skin check and all wrestlers will receive a .2 allowance.  

C.  Wrestlers may only wrestle in the weight class based on their weight for that day and two weights above keeping in mind that a wrestler may compete in no more than two (2) weight classes higher than his/her certified weight at any time during the season.  Therefore if a wrestler weighs in a weight class above their certified weight, they can only wrestle at the weigh-in weight or go up one weight class.  Any match outside of those weight classes will be considered exhibition and the team will forfeit the bout to the wrestler’s  opponent.  

D. If  any team competes in more than one match in 24 hours a one pound allowance will  be granted to all wrestlers of the teams competing in subsequent matches. This  also applies to matches wrestled outside the league provided that all teams  have been notified and are aware that there will be a one pound allowance.  Teams must be notified at least 5 days in advance of the match. The allowance  only applies to other leagues, and not tournaments.  

E.  Teams are required to present a weigh in sheet only from the website. After  weigh-ins concludes the sheet will be signed by the coach on both teams.  

F.  All wrestlers will receive an additional one pound allowance for weeknight matches.  

ARTICLE 11: TOURNAMENT

A. Any  team interested in hosting a league tournament must apply to the  President. The President will determine per guidelines set by  the league, if the site is adequate. If accepted they will be put at the end of  a tournament list and hosting will be determined by rotation. The first year  tournament will be determined by draw.  

B. In  the event there are problems due to weather that would prevent the tournament  going on as scheduled, the host team should call the President who  will determine action whether it be postponement or delay.  

C.  Varsity Tournament eligibility:  

1. A  wrestler must wrestle a minimum of ½ of the league scheduled matches to be  eligible for the league tournament. In addition, wrestlers must wrestle at the  weight in which he/she had the most matches  

2. Only  intra-division league matches will be considered for seeding purposes.  a.  Seeding points will be determined by entry into the league website. The  information stored in the database online will be presented in a clear manner  at the league seeding meeting.  

3. A  rostered wrestler who is sidelined during the regular season no matter what the  reason can participate in the Final Exam provided they comply with the  following provisions:  

a. The  coaching staff makes the league teams aware of the intent by January 1st of the  season.  

b. The  wrestler is weight-certified no less than three-weeks prior to the tournament  date.  

c. They  participate based on seed points (if any) gained during the regular season.   

 D.  Teams will assign one (1) wrestler to each weight class and when completed  change all wrestlers not competing in the end of the year Varsity tournament to  no seed. In order to allow all teams sufficient time to prepare for the meeting  this must be complete twenty-four (24) hours prior to the start of the seeding  meeting. Teams may assign their final seeding weights anytime after their last  match is completed. Teams not in compliance with this provision will be  assessed a $50.00 fine  

E. Seed  points will be awarded as follows:  

 Var-win  by pin, default, forfeit or disqualification = 7 pts.  Var-win by  technical fall (15 or more pts) = 6 pts.  Var-win by major decision (8 to  14 pts) = 5 pts.  Var-win by decision = 4 pts.  Var-loss = 1 pt.   

F. In  cases where two wrestlers end up with the same seed points, the following  consideration will be taken until the tie is broken:  

1 Head  to head result  

2 The  wrestler with the better individual tournament finish (prior year only), will  be seeded higher.  

3 Flip  a coin.  

4  Reseeding will be done after tournament weigh-ins  

G.  Individual awards will be awarded to wrestlers at the discretion of the league.   

H. The  Daniel R. Hutchins Outstanding Wrestler trophy will be awarded at the league tournament by a vote of one (1) representative from each team. In the event of  a tie, the President will be the  tiebreaker. If the President isn’t in  attendance, then the vote will be recast using only the wresters  involved  in the tie.  

I. Team  champion will be determined based upon the team points in the varsity  tournament as per  N.F.S.H.S.A.  

J. All  tournament financial affairs shall be the responsibility of the Tournament  Director (host team coach or other designated member of the host team  sponsoring organization).  

K. The league tournament will only include the top 16 wrestlers  in each weight class. The only exception is a previously reported injury where  a wrestler did not have enough matches to qualify.  If a weight class has less  than 16 eligible wrestlers, add wrestlers not eligible based on seed points  until a total of 16 is achieved.

 L. Varsity Tournament: In the event of “combined”  teams, team scores will be separated.

 ARTICLE 12: LEAGUE WEBSITE 

A.  Teams will have access to enter matches on the league website via a username  and password combination. The username and password is only to be used by one person.  Only authorized delegates of the team are to be allowed access to the  restricted area of the site.  

B. Team  delegates who are properly signed in to the authorized areas of the site are  permitted to correct/update any errors in match reporting provided they contact  the teams involved in the match making them aware of the changes made. If no  contact is made within forty-eight (48) hours then contact with the President or website administrator explaining the action is required.  

C. Wrestlers  not on a roster of the opposing teams roster will be considered forfeits  

D. The  league will designate a website administrator for the season. Any problems with  functionality should be reported to the administrator immediately. If there is  no movement in remediation of the problem, then the issue must be reported to  the league president who will have the authority to determine a course of  action.  

E. It  is the responsibility of the Home team in the match to enter results of every  bout into the website. If the teams in the contest are at a facility away from  their home facility the home team is the team that is considered green by the  referee.  

F. Each  team is responsible for posting all matches they are hosting at their facility  on the website calendar. The start time is considered the weigh-in time. The  meet type Dual, Tri, Quad etc is to be followed by the location and the teams  contesting that day. Additional information may be listed, but it should be  below the basic information.  

 G.  Matches are to be entered into the league website within 7 days of the match.  Teams that fail to do so without contacting the President with a  reasonable explanation are subject to a $25.00 fine for each match not entered.   

ARTICLE 13: OFFICIALS 

A.  Varsity and J.V. matches must use N.J.S.I.A.A., NY or PA officials. No cadets  unless agreed to.  

B. At  minimum, one official will preside over all matches. The hosting team is  responsible for providing an official. In the event an official fails to appear  for a match, the coaches may agree on an official from the gallery. If there  isn’t a suitable replacement, the visiting team has the right to request a  rematch at a later date.  

C. The  host team shall be responsible for providing the match official. The visiting  team shall provide at least one (1) scorekeeper.  

D.  Should a referee eject a head coach or assistant coach from a match, the team  coached by the ejected individual is subject to a $25.00 fine payable to the  league. The league Board of Control prior to the levy of the fine must review  the situation.  

ARTICLE 14: COACHES 

A.  Coaches are encouraged to require their teams to shake hands after a match.   

B.  Coaches are required to avoid running feuds with the officials working a match.  Complaints with officials should be aired during a time out.  

ARTICLE 15: DUTIES OF THE HOME TEAM 

A. A  home team must furnish guardians to keep order and protect the officials  working a match and the visiting team. Failure to do so may result in a fine or  forfeit.  

B. The  home team shall provide a bench for the visiting team.  

C. The  home team shall provide a time clock, timekeeper and scorekeeper. Visitors must  approve.  

D. In  the event of cancellation, the match must be made up before five (5) days of  the league tournament.  

ARTICLE 16: ADMISSIONS

A.  Admission charge to matches is left up to the home team, but shall not exceed  $3.00 per adult and $1.00 per child (12 and under). 

B.  Admission charge to the Varsity Tournament shall be $5.00 per adult and $2.00  per child (12 and under).  

ARTICLE 17: PLAYOFFS 

Playoffs will be include the top four teams from each division with seeding based on divisional record with tie breaker scenarios using head to head result then overall record.  Combined  teams are not eligible for the playoffs.  Only wrestlers that have wrestled in a Varsity match (forfeits included) during the regular season schedule, are eligible to be on a teams playoffs roster. 

ARTICLE 18: INJURIES

The  league or the host team is not responsible for any injury incurred while  participating in the wrestling  program or the end of the year tournament.  This is the responsibility of the individual’s team.  Wrestlers with skin  issues are required to bring the official NHSCA skin form filled out by a  doctor clearing the individual for participation, prior to being allowed to  wrestle. Wrestlers with pre-existing conditions such as eczema can use the form  for the entire season. Form is located on our league website.  

ARTICLE 19: AMENDMENTS

Any  amendments to these by-laws shall be brought before the league at the end of  season meeting. Such amendments shall be in writing. The proposed amendment  shall be read and acted on at the September kickoff meeting. A two-thirds  majority of the combined vote of the league officers and the representatives  present is necessary for passage.  

ARTICLE 20: DISBANDMENT

Should  the league ever disband, the officers shall hold all moneys and properties  accumulated by the league for a period of one (1) year. If the league is not  reorganized within this time, all moneys and property shall be divided among  member teams during the year of operation.  

ARTICLE 21: ORGANIZATION 

A. Said  organization is organized exclusively for charitable, religious, educational  and scientific purposes, including for such purposes, the making of distributions  to organizations under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or the  corresponding Section of any Federal Tax Code).  

B. No  part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit of, or  be distributable to its members, trustees, directors, officers or other private  persons, except that the organization shall be authorized and empowered to pat  reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and  distribution compensation for services Section 501 (c) (3) purposes. No  substantial part of the activities of the organization shall be the carrying of  propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the  organization shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the  publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of  any candidate for public office, notwithstanding any other provision of these  articles. The organization shall not carry on any other activities not  permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization except from Federal Code (or  corresponding section of any future Federal Tax Code) or (b) by any  organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170 (c) (2)  of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future Federal  Tax Code).  

C. Upon  the dissolution of this organization, assets shall be distributed for one or  more except purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal  Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future Federal Tax Code, or shall  be distributed to the Federal Government, or to a state or local government,  for public purposes.  

D.  However, if the named recipient is not in existence or no longer qualified, or  willing or unable to accept distribution, then the assets of this organization  shall be distributed to a fund, foundation or corporation organized and  operated exclusively for the purposes specified in Section 501.