Divisions & Standards

Rules & Divisions

Age groups, weight classes, the JV vs. Varsity model, and the full CAGWA tournament standards.

2025-2026

Age groups & weight classes

Age is determined by how old the wrestler turns in 2026. Girls' weights are pooled within reasonable ranges. Weight-class maximum differences are shown per division.

6UBorn 2020-202135, 40, 43, 45, 49, 53, 56, 62, 70, 85 lb · 15 lb max difference
8UBorn 2018-201940, 43, 45, 49, 53, 56, 62, 70, 85 lb · 15 lb max difference
10UBorn 2016-201749, 53, 56, 59, 63, 67, 71, 77, 84, 93, 105, 120 lb · 20 lb max difference
12UBorn 2014-201558, 63, 67, 70, 74, 78, 82, 86, 92, 98, 108, 117, 135, 160 lb · 25 lb max difference · girls pooled
14UBorn 2012-201375, 80, 84, 88, 92, 96, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 126, 132, 140, 155, 175, 225, 250 lb · girls pooled
16UBorn 2010-2011 · Non-HSPooled weight classes only, for both boys and girls

The Model

JV vs. Varsity

First-year wrestlers JV (K-8) For true first-year wrestlers who have not held a USA card or entered any competitive wrestling event before September 1, 2025. Those who wrestled U6 (formerly Rookie) are exempt in their second year in that division. JV wrestlers compete in one weight class only.
Second-year & beyond Varsity (K-8) For any second-year-and-beyond wrestler who competed in a tournament before September 1, 2025. Varsity wrestlers may enter two weight classes, but not two age divisions. No U6 wrestlers in these divisions.

All athletes and coaches must provide a current USA Wrestling card and be in good standing with CAGWA. To qualify for League Finals, athletes must compete in 5 CAGWA tournaments and belong to a CAGWA team. A coach and wrestler violating the Beginner's Qualifications Rule are subject to up to a one-month-plus-ten-day suspension from all events; repeat violators may face expulsion.

Before you wrestle

Weigh-ins & gear

Mandatory gear: headgear, singlet, wrestling shoes, and a mouth guard for wrestlers with braces.

At weigh-in: compression shirts are not permitted to weigh in (as of Sept 1, 2022, for all athletes); girls roll up sleeves for skin check. Please print your USA Wrestling card ahead of time to speed up weigh-ins — show your printed card to receive a free CAGWA lanyard.

Coaches: your current USA Wrestling coaches card and coaches certification must be visible on a lanyard at all times on the floor. No card, no certification, no floor access — no exceptions. Without proper credentials you may purchase a band for $50 ($100 at the California Super Tournament). Only two coaches are allowed in a wrestler's corner.

JV K-8 & Varsity K-8

Tournament standards

Tournaments are available for all age groups: U6, U8, U10, U12, U14 and U16 (Non-High School).

  1. USA-sanctioned tournaments in CAGWA are classified as JV K-8 & Varsity K-8 tournaments.
  2. Weigh-in times: 6U, 8U and 10U — 6:30–7:30am; 12U, 14U and 16U (Non-HS) — 10–11am.
  3. All wrestlers weigh in on Sunday as posted, prior to competition.
  4. Tournaments run no more than 4 hours per division. 6U, 8U and 10U begin wrestling by 9am; 12U, 14U and 16U begin by 12:30pm.
  5. No brackets larger than a 5-man round robin (JV K-8 only).
  6. Wrestlers compete in only one weight class (JV K-8 only).
  7. CAGWA / USA Wrestling guidelines and USA weight classes are used. Pooled weight classes apply when nobody is at a given weight and the athlete's coach or parent agrees to bump up.
  8. CAGWA awards medals at least through 3rd place (the California Super Tournament places through 6th).
  9. The Tournament Director handles any question on rules and eligibility on site; their decision is final.
  10. Violating the Beginner's Qualifications Rule carries up to a one-month-plus-ten-day suspension; the board reviews each case, and repeat violators may be expelled.
  11. Brackets are posted online through usabracketing.com for parents, wrestlers and coaches to view.
  12. If volunteer referees are used, the CAGWA Head Referee trains them on N.F.H.S. rules — Infractions (Rule 7) and Penalties & Injuries (Rule 8) — for wrestler safety.
  13. Although 6U wrestlers are essentially all beginners, they continue to participate in all JV K-8 tournaments.
  14. Only two individuals are allowed in each wrestler's corner.
  15. All coaches must display a current USA Wrestling coaches card and certification on a lanyard while on the floor. Anyone on the mats without proper credentials may be expelled and banned. Coaching without credentials requires a $50 band ($100 at the California Super Tournament).
  16. As of September 1, 2022, compression shirts are no longer permitted to weigh in, for all athletes.

Match procedures

Three one-minute periods for all age groups. (As of Jan 1, 2026, 12U, 14U and 16U change to 1, 1.5, 1.5-minute periods with consolation rounds of 3/1-minute periods.) Mat-side bracketing is used to speed up the tournament; medals are handed out at the awards table at the conclusion of each medal match.

In JV K-8, once a wrestler wins the match is officially over — scoring ends and is recorded as the official score, though the match may continue for development and mat time. If a wrestler wins by pin or technical fall in the 1st or 2nd period, the match continues to the next period; the wrestler who lost is granted choice (neutral, top, bottom) or may discontinue.

Tie-break criteria (round robin)

Applies to both JV and Varsity: (A) head-to-head in a two-way tie, then (B) activity points, (C) pins, (D) technical falls, (E) major decisions, (F) pin time, (G) technical-fall time, (H) match points. In a three-way tie, once the top wrestler is determined by the above, 2nd and 3rd are decided head-to-head.

Get the team forms →