1. The Second Official (SO) is the first on and last off the mat. Be active and assist with the same latitude of mobility as the Lead Official (LO). Movement and communication should be constant and are the keys for success.

One of the SO’s primary responsibilities is the time. Make sure the clock starts and stops on the LO’s whistle. The SO is also responsible for knowing the score, confirming that points get posted to the scoreboard, who scored first, who has Stalling warnings and who has choice at the start of each period. Indicate to the LO who has choice of position in between each period.

 The LO always passes on the inside path when crossing, and the SO should be no closer than the LO. The SO has freedom to move to seek their best position to complement the LO making calls and should move and be in position to see the action and/or potential violations. Anticipation is essential for the SO. Drop to a lower level to look underneath in tie-up and headlock situations.

 In Referee’s Position starts, the SO should position themselves perpendicular to the LO

 The SO should not yell across the mat; rather, move to circle behind the LO and make your statement, or move in toward the LO to voice your opinion of the situation.

If the SO questions a situation, both Officials should conference at the appropriate time and away from coaches. Cover your mouth. Never be afraid to voice an opinion to the LO.

When disagreeing with a call, the SO needs to be direct and clearly communicate with the LO to improve the efficiency of the match. Approach the LO in a calm, rational manner and let the LO know you’d like to consult. When possible, change the call on the mat if you’re adamant about the call needing to be changed. If the call changes, then be prepared to provide the match time and/or bad time information if applicable.

Bring infractions to the LO’s immediate attention. Cover the front side (when action rotates toward you) and wait for the LO to catch up to the action before rotating 180°.

Police the designated coaches’ area. Do not allow yourself to be addressed by coaches and never communicate with a coach. Direct the coach to the LO and keep moving.

Assist the LO with injury, recovery, and Head/Neck/Cervical (HNC) timeouts (discuss responsibilities before the match).

 On boundary situations, be in position to see when the action goes Out of Bounds. If the wrestlers go out and the LO does not see it, then SO may yell “Out.” If the wrestlers touch off the mat surface, then SO may yell “Out” so everyone knows why.