Be the Referee: Wrestling Start Position
By
Brent Rice
MHSAA Assistant Director
February 24, 2022
Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.
Below is this week's segment – Wrestling Start Position - Listen
Today we’re on the mat, ready for the next wrestling match.
We’ve got a wrestler ready to get into the offensive starting position. Which of these should he or she do?
► Place their head on or above the mid-line of the opponent’s back
► Place their arm loosely around the opponent’s body with the palm of the hand placed loosely over the defensive wrestler’s navel
► Not have their legs or feet in contact with the defensive wrestler.
If you said yes to all of these things – you are correct. The wrestler in the offensive position should do all three of those things.
Do that – and you are ready to wrestle.
Previous editions
Feb. 17: Hockey Delayed Offside - Listen
Feb. 10: Basketball Timeout - Listen
Feb. 3: Basketball Video Review - Listen
Jan. 27: Wrestling Inspections - Listen
Dec. 16: Ball Over Backboard - Listen
Dec. 9: Winter Officials Mechanics - Listen
Nov. 26: Instant Replay - Listen
Nov. 11: Tourney Selection - Listen
Nov. 4: Receiver Carried Out of End Zone – Listen
Oct. 28: Volleyball Back-Row Block – Listen
Oct. 21: Soccer Disallowed Goal – Listen
Sept 30: Field Goal Falls Short – Listen
Sept. 23: Volleyball Obstruction – Listen
Sept. 16: Catch or No Catch – Listen
Sept. 9: Intentional Grounding – Listen
Sept. 2: Pass Interference – Listen
Aug. 26: Protocols and Mechanics – Listen
Performance of the Week: Fowlerville's Maggie Buurma
March 6, 2025
Maggie Buurma ♦ Fowlerville
Senior ♦ Wrestling
Buurma became the first four-time MHSAA Individual Wrestling Finals champion in the girls division as she defeated Romeo's Belicia Manuel 1-0 in the 145-pound championship match at Ford Field. Buurma added that title to her previous championships won at 115 pounds as a freshman, 125 as a sophomore and 135 as a junior. She also capped her season Saturday with a 38-3 record this winter and 105-11 record for her career.
Manuel entered the weekend as the reigning champion at 140 pounds, and the two had faced off for both District and Regional titles – Buurma winning their District match and Manuel winning at the Regional. Buurma also played volleyball and softball her first three seasons of high school, and this fall played golf instead of volleyball. She is still considering her college options but intends to continue her wrestling career.
@mhsaasports 🤼♀️POW: Maggie Buurma #wrestling #fowlerville #finals #champion #history #part1 #highschoolsports #tiktalk #interview #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ original sound - MHSAA
@mhsaasports 🤼♀️POW: Maggie Buurma #oliviarodrigo #laughingcrying #sleep #cheesepizza #gossipgirl #part2 #performanceoftheweek #mistudentaid #fyp #MHSAA ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys - Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
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Previous 2024-25 honorees
Feb. 28: Maren Studt, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep skiing - Report
Feb. 21: Olive Krueger, Marquette swimming - Report
Feb. 14: Hunter Lemmon, Fraser swimming - Report
Feb. 7: Aubrey Hillard, Rochester competitive cheer - Report
Jan. 31: Wyatt Spalo, Reed City wrestling - Report
Jan. 24: Olivia Flynn, Harbor Springs basketball - Report
Jan. 17: Levi Rozema, Holland Christian swimming - Report
Jan. 10: McRecco McFadden, Burton Bentley basketball - Report
Dec. 18: Nash Leonard, Bay City Western hockey - Report
Dec. 11: Blake Cosby, Dundee wrestling - Report
Dec. 4: Keaton Hendricks, Zeeland West football - Report
Nov. 29: Kate Simon, East Grand Rapids swimming - Report
Nov. 22: Ella Kokaly, Essexville Garber volleyball - Report
Nov. 15: Caroline Bryan, Grosse Pointe South swimming - Report
Nov. 8: Kaylie Livingston, Whitmore Lake cross country - Report
Oct. 25: Oliver Caldwell, Grand Rapids West Catholic tennis - Report
Oct. 18: Alex Graham, Detroit Cass Tech football - Report
Oct. 11: Victoria Garces, Midland Dow cross country - Report
Oct. 4: Asher Clark, Bay City John Glenn soccer - Report
Sept. 26: Campbell Flynn, Farmington Hills Mercy volleyball - Report
Sept. 19: TJ Hansen, Freeland cross country - Report
Sept. 12: Jordan Peters, Grayling soccer - Report
Sept. 6: Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie cross country - Report
Aug. 30: Grace Slocum, Traverse City St. Francis golf - Report
PHOTO Fowlerville's Maggie Buurma, right, wrestles Romeo's Belicia Manuel for the 145-pound title at Ford Field. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)