Wrestling Box Scores - What if the NBA Did It That Way

When comparing wrestling box scores that are currently used in folkstyle wrestling to box scores available in other sports, I shudder. Why are we so bad? And, why are we so bad when we have the option to do more?

Photo by Cashino NDT - Photo of Boxing Action

Here's Your Wrestling Box Score

When you take a look at Wrestling's Box Scores you'll find we come up lacking. Below you'll see two typical examples of how outlets display box scores. Note, that many outlets build off of the box score and write articles describing the action from a dual meet. This is excellent, but we can do more.

Box Score on Trackwrestling's OPC Page

Box Score Style used by Flowrestling

What Would Your Average NBA Fan Think If Their Box Scores were Converted to Wrestling Style Box Scores

You be the judge of what fans might think of NBA Box scores if they were like wrestling box scores.

NBA Box Score Re-imagined as Wrestling Box Scores

I grabbed the following box scores from a website and converted them to wrestling box scores (for one team).

NBA Box Score Feel a Little Light on Details

You might notice that a few key stats are missing, such as:

• Field Goals attempts and Conversions
• 3Pt attempts and Conversions
• Rebounds
• Steals

Do You Think Wrestling Could Do More

There are some minor details, scratch that, actually very important details lacking, including, but definitely not limited to:

• cumulative riding time
• times on feet vs. number of takedonws
• what period the scoring occurred
• Number of Stall Warnings against a team

When you compare to other sports, these very simple items that are captured during duals in computer systems, are glaringly missing in the current wrestling box scores. And, so I hope you're now with me and can see that Wrestling can and should do more.

While it may seem like we have a ways to go to get there, but I believe we can get there.

One challenge in our way

Trackwrestling's Live Entry dashboard. This is a great tool offered to teams for Dual Meets as part of the OPC, but ... it has one major drawback.

Here's The Problem with Trackwrestling's Live Entry Dashboard

Please note that we at 3DWS love Trackwrestling and the amazing things they've done for our sport. We also know that the Trackwrestling Live Entry Dashboard needs some work. Most importantly: they need to remove the +1, -1, +2, -2, +3, -3 buttons from the Live Entry dashboard for Folkstyle. Every point scored in Folkstyle wrestling has a purpose and should be noted as such. Points entered in error should be changed to the correct points or removed based on the referee's decision.

Submit a Ticket

Please let Trackwrestling know by submitting a ticket requesting this:

Remove the +1, +2, +3, etc. and the -1, -2, -3, etc. buttons from the Folkstyle Live Entry Dashboard. Every point in Folkstyle has an action tied to it, e.g., T2 (takedown 2 pts), N3 (nearfall 3 pts), P1 (penalty 1 pt). Letting table help use +1, +2, -1, -2 in Folkstyle ruins the history of the match and makes the match action record useless. Please remove these buttons from the TrackWrestling Live Entry Dashboard.

Trackwrestling Ticket Submission Form - Please Help

Trackwrestling Live Entry Dashboard

Here's an image of the dashboard. They may not look "prominent" here, but table help at all levels of wrestling, yes, including ALL NCAA Levels, love to click those -1, +1, -2, +2 buttons.

And I can't think of a reason why those options are needed at all in Folkstyle Wrestling ...