Temp checks and safety protocols at Senior Nationals

To start each morning, athletes and coaches completed a symptom form and brought their foreheads up to digital thermometers for a temp check. As they proceeded into the warmup and workout area, coaches scanned their credentials to note check-ins. For women’s freestyle and men’s greco, Friday-specific athletes were only allowed on the competitor and warmup side on Friday, and then Saturday athletes the same after Saturday.

The warmup area had six monitors broadcasting the matches and match order from Flowrestling. And without the visual queues of activity directly in front of athletes and coaches, the voices of Jason Bryant and Dorothy Mayabb’s commentating provided some live context. Athletes with upcoming matches met in a holding area—masks up—and event staff lined up on-deck wrestlers in front of two separate tables. 

On the way off the competition floor, athletes and coaches walked through a disinfectant mist before coming out into the warmup space again. 

It was clear that USA Wrestling prioritized measures to protect the health and safety of everyone at the event, and, while the state of Iowa does not have a mask mandate in place, masks were required in public spaces at hotels and in the Xtream Arena.

Wrestling made a modified comeback last weekend and it’s likely that these safety measures will stay in place to move forward with the sport.

Check out our full coverage from the weekend at our hub for Senior Nationals here.