Chapter 2
Match Logistics

Bruce Gabrielson, PhD
1994 US SOMBO Team Coach

SOMBO Matches

SOMBO tournaments and matches are similar to freestyle or Greco- Roman wrestling matches, with time periods equivalent to AAU time periods for individual age groups. While time periods change on occasion, the current time periods are listed below:

Group/Age

Bantam/8 under & Midget/9-10
two 1 min. with 30 sec. break

Junior/11-12
two 2 min with 30 sec. break

School Boy/12-14 & Cadet/15-16
one 4 minute

Elite/17-18 & Open
one 6 minute

Masters (over 30)
two 2 minute

Called to the Mat

To start the match, wrestlers are called to the opposite sides of the little circle at the center of the mat and shake hands with the referee. Wrestlers normally stand on the same side as their color shown by the referee. The referee inspects jacket sleeve length (must reach wrist) and belt tightness of each wrestler. Then the wrestlers shake hands (rather then bowing as in JUDO) step back and prepare to wrestle on the whistle.

Action starts and stops on whistle signals by the referee. The referee does not need to be in the center with the wrestlers to start the match. Often he will step back several feet before blowing his whistle.

The mat itself is a soft surface wrestling mat (13 meters by 13 meters) with the match setup as shown in the figure below. Coach's (usually one or two each) are allowed to sit at the mat corners on each side of the table. As in other international wrestling styles, there are three officials for a match, a head official at the table, one on the mat (referee) and one sitting across from the table (mat judge).


Typical SOMBO Mat Set-up

The referee and judge work together but make each call based on their own viewing perspective and opinion. Since each has a different viewing perspective they do not always agree on a call, allowing the head official to mediate the technique points he feels are correct. The head official only makes the final decision when the mat judge and referee do not agree. If they both agree on a call, and the head judge doesn't agree, he can request a conference at the table. If after a conference the mat judge and referee still agree, the head judge is required to follow their decision, even though he is the head official.

Two officials must always agree to score a total victory fall or any other technique points. However, if a wrestler has two cautions and is in danger of being cautioned out, a fourth official will be brought to the mat, and all four must agree to default a match on a third caution.

SOMBO Uniforms

SOMBO wrestlers compete in outfits that combine the wrestling singlet with a JUDO type jacket or gi. Unlike JUDO competitors who are bare-footed, SOMBO wrestlers wear special light weight leather shoes or traditional wrestling shoes. Shorts (tight or loose) and no shirt are the normal under-jacket uniform. Often, especially in kids competitions when the event is held with other styles, wrestlers will only wear the bottom half of a traditional wrestling singlet. Female wrestlers are allowed to wear a t-shirt under their jacket.

While JUDO jackets are acceptable, but not recommended, for club practice, the regulation SOMBO jacket itself differs from a judogi jacket in four ways: (1) sleeves extend to the wrist (similar to karate and Tae Kwon Do jackets), (2) the body of the jacket fits tighter and is slightly shorter and heavier, (3) the jacket has epaulets or shoulder cuffs sewn on each shoulder for grasping, and (4) the belt is worn through loops which keep it in place (the belt can be held in SOMBO).

Wrestlers compete in a red or blue jacket and singlet just as in wrestling, rather then white with a colored belt as in JUDO. This means that competitors must have two jackets, a red and a blue, rather then a single white jacket. However, some local competitions allow the white SOMBO jacket with a colored belt.

Tournaments

In the U.S., SOMBO tournaments draw slightly fewer competitors then average JUDO events. However, there are fewer SOMBO events, so competitors normally travel further to compete. It is not unusual to find wrestlers from the mid-west at east coast tournaments and vice-versa. Some U.S. regions, particularly the Mid-Atlantic area have experienced considerable growth in recent years, with a marked increase in tournament frequency and participation. The biggest factor in holding tournaments is the availability of jackets for competitors, since few newer wrestlers have their own. In Europe, SOMBO is considered a major sport, and most competitors are required to have their own equipment.

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