02/10/2026
I would like to say a few things about this special girl on my team, Nadia Pond. This past weekend she was denied her chance to qualify for state because her opponent accused her of biting her hand during the match.
The opponent brought it to the referees attention and he examined her hand and asked for confirmation from another ref and from the athletic trainers.
While some kids are wrestling a hand or an arm may accidentally get placed inside of someone's mouth but that person is not intentionally biting down.
There was no reason for Nadia to commit this action because she was leading in the match. I tried to argue her case with the referee and while I was doing so I looked over at the opposing coach and his eyes dropped because he knew that Nadia would not do something like that. His wrestler was injured and he knew that this would automatically qualify his wrestler to making the state tournament. So he said nothing, which I think other coaches might possibly do that too, but there's times to know when to do the right thing when a situation like this comes up.
In the referees rulebook it states that if there are upper and lower teeth marks in the skin then it can constitute as a bite and the wrestler can be called for flagrant misconduct and will be disqualified from the remainder of the tournament.
I do not blame the referee, he did what the rules actually say he should do. But assessing the situation and the position that those wrestlers were in maybe could have been taken into account.
I have been involved in coaching wrestling for 30 years. I have been under some very good coaches, Jason Cullison, Darin Waddington, Daryl Barnes, Jim Kasik, and Dale Bonge. While coaching with Dale one year in the District Tournament at St Paul one of our wrestlers was slammed to the mat. The referee called a slam and if our wrestler could not continue with the match then he would be deemed the winner. Our wrestler basically got the wind knocked out of him and could move on and wrestle. His dad wanted him to stay laying on the mat saying that he was hurt and this would disqualify the opponent and his son would then move on to the state tournament. The offending wrestler would have missed out on wrestling back through and trying to qualify for the state tournament. Dale knew that our kid was okay and said you're going to get up and you're going to keep wrestling. Dad was furious and continued to badger Dale after the match. Our kid did lose but still had the opportunity to wrestle back through. Dale and I went and sat down and I said, "Dale that was the right thing to do." He replied, "I know it was." Even though our kid didn't make it to the state tournament Dale didn't deny the opponent from reaching his goals. The slam was not intentional even though it may have looked like it. And I know that Dale could go home and sleep at night knowing he did the right thing.
After the District tournament was over yesterday I went to that ref and shook his hand and told him, "You did what you thought was right and I cannot blame you for that. I would not have wanted to be in that situation. I believed my girl but you don't know her like her coaches do and you had to call it the way you saw it."
It just stinks because Nadia got robbed from even being able to wrestle back through the losers bracket for her chance to qualify for the state tournament in her senior season.
After I had talked to the referee Nadia went up and shook his hand and I never heard the conversation but I watched her and him and they gave each other a couple hugs and that is a testament of what kind of person Nadia is.
She could have continued on and held a grudge and could have played the blame game, but she came back into the gym after I had a little talk with her and she supported her teammates the rest of the way through she was at the mat side cheering them on celebrating their wins and consoling their losses. It takes a better person, like Nadia, to show all of us that you can move on from a bad situation and continue to be the good person you know you can be.
I am still struggling with this call and I know there's nothing I can do about it. I was never disappointed in Nadia I was just disappointed for her.
I know she's going to move on from this and do great things with the rest of her life. And she can use this experience as motivation and empathy for others that may come across in similar situations. Hats off to you Nadia Pond, you are a great person and I am proud that I have gotten to coach you for the past 6 years.
