Survey of National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletic Trainers’ Administration of the National Wrestling Coaches Association Weight Certification Program

Abstract

Despite implementation in 1997, published research detailing the administration of the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s minimum weight certification program is lacking. This survey aimed to determine how athletic trainers administer this program. Thirty-five of 77 (45.5% response rate) athletic trainers for National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I wrestling programs responded. Most (74.3%) had ≥5 years of experience measuring body composition, and nearly all (97.1%) used skinfold calipers. Caliper type varied, but everyone used the same measurement sites and procedure to estimate minimal weight. There appears to be consistency in the administration of minimal wrestling weight standards across National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I programs.