Instructions for Teams Entering the TSSAA Class A, Class AA, and Girls’ Wrestling Championships

Please read carefully:

Concessions/Food in the Arena - Spectators and Teams

Concession stands will be available. No outside food may be brought into the arena by spectators (Chick-Fil-A, McDonalds, personal coolers, etc.).

Teams may bring AT MOST two coolers and one table (use of the Williamson County Ag Center tables is prohibited) for their athletes. These must be checked in by a coach when the team arrives at the team check-in gate. DO NOT BRING COOLERS INTO THE ARENA ON THURSDAY. Teams may bring signs that include "thanking sponsors for supporting their team", but no individual sponsor signs, samples or items can be distributed for sponsors.

The use of crockpots, microwaves, and other heating devices is prohibited.

Air Mattresses, Inflatable Furniture, Pop-up Tents/Canopies
The Williamson County Ag Expo Center no longer permits the use of inflatable mattresses, cots, furniture, or pop-up tents on the mezzanine level during events. Please plan accordingly.

Mat Schedule
Your team packet will also contain a copy of the mat schedule.

Pre-Match Weigh-In Sheets
Pre-match weigh-in sheets are not necessary for this event.

Checking Weight and Distribution of Team Packets
Coaches may pick up their team packets at the arena from 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM CST on Thursday, February 19th. It is not required that you pick up your packet at this time, however, we encourage you to do so if you are in town. This will help to minimize the congestion at the credential gate on Friday. Scales will be available for wrestlers to check their weight during the times indicated.

Arrivals and Entry into the Arena
Beginning at 6:45 AM CST on Friday, wrestlers and coaches may come through the first set of doors to the arena on the right hand side. You will not be allowed access to the arena prior to 6:45 AM CST so please plan accordingly. Access to the floor will be determined by tournament personnel. Coaches who have not picked up their team packets will need to do this at this time. Once you have picked up your team packet, coaches will need to put on their wristbands. This will enable you to be admitted into the arena. We will need your cooperation and patience to ensure that things run smoothly. On Saturday, gates will open for wrestlers and coaches at 6:45 AM CST.

Access to the Arena Floor
Coaches must wear wristbands to access the arena floor. Wrestlers will need to have their hand stamped. Wrestlers will not be issued wristbands. The hand stamp will be the credential wrestlers will use at the gate for admission as well as for access to the arena floor. You will need to have your wrestlers’ hands stamped when they arrive at the arena. If the ink begins to fade, you may want to have your wrestler re-stamped as the weekend progresses before the ink fades completely. Wrestlers may be re-stamped provided that some of the ink from the original stamp is visible. Wristbands and hand stamps will also give you admission into the facility on Saturday. Wristbands should be distributed to all coaches and worn as soon as they are received in the team packet or prior to arriving at the gate. Coaches and team personnel will use the same wristband for the entire tournament. Do not take the wristband off until the tournament is over. We will not replace a wristband unless an old wristband is brought to the gate by the person asking for the replacement.

Weigh-Ins
All weigh-ins will be conducted on the arena floor at each mat. As we approach time for weigh-ins, wrestlers will need to proceed to the arena floor through one of the two floor access stairways on the main entrance side of the arena. Weight classes will be assigned to a mat for their weigh-in. The arena floor will be the holding area for the weigh-in. The holding area is considered an extension of the weigh-in room. The weigh-in assignment page in your team packet will indicate which mat each weight class should report to no later than 15 minutes prior to weigh-ins. Please have your wrestlers familiarize themselves with their location on the floor as you enter the arena. No wrestlers will be allowed into the holding area (arena floor) once weigh-ins begin. Any wrestlers jumping over the railing to gain access to the arena floor once weigh-ins begin will not be allowed to weigh in. Once a wrestler has officially weighed in, they may exit the arena floor, but will not be allowed back in until weigh-ins are complete. We will need your cooperation and patience to ensure that things run smoothly. We will be mopping the mats during weigh-ins, so wrestlers will need to line up along the edge of the mat that they are assigned to and not on the mat itself. Weight classes will weigh in by the order which they appear on the mat assignment sheet. Once weigh-ins are complete, the arena floor will be open for warm-ups.

Coaches’ Wristbands
The number of wristbands that each school will receive will be based on the number of coaches that each school has registered online in the TSSAA Portal. If the coach is visible on the online directory for your school on the TSSAA website, then he or she has been registered. You will be given a wristband for each coach that is registered online. You will also be given one extra wristband to use as you wish. You should plan to use this extra wristband for anyone who will accompany the team to the bench area that is not a coach (statistician, video-operator, manager etc.). Remember, only two individuals are allowed in each corner regardless of each individual’s role. There will be no additional wristbands given.

  • Team Managers
    Team managers will not be admitted free of charge. Schools may choose to use the extra wristband from their team packet to accommodate a team manager, however, no additional wristbands will be given.

  • Athletic Trainers
    Athletic trainers from across the Middle Tennessee area will provide coverage for this event. School athletic trainers who have registered for and received the “School Athletic Trainer” credential will be admitted at the team entrance with that pass. Any other athletic training staff that you wish to be on the floor with your team must use your extra wristband.

Non – Participating Wrestlers
Wrestlers who did not qualify for the championships WILL NOT be admitted free to the championships. Non-participating wrestling teams can be admitted at the team entrance for $7 per person per day, provided all athletes from a school arrive at the same time with a school representative and a roster printed from the TSSAA Portal. Payment must be made after the event through a charge on the school’s TSSAA Portal account, so DO NOT bring cash or checks for payment. If not arriving together with a school representative, non-participants will be expected to purchase a full-price ticket.

Ticket Prices
$15.00 per day if purchased in advance on GoFan
$20.00 per day if purchased with cash at the door

Tickets purchased through GoFan will be mobile-only, meaning that these tickets can only be redeemed at the entrance gate when presented on a personal mobile device with access to the internet. Visit GoFan to purchase tickets now..

The TACA (Tennessee Athletic Coaches Association) Card will be accepted at the gate. Admission will be given only to the holder of the card when presented with a matching photo ID. The GoFan School Administrator's Pass will be honored at the main entrance.

Traffic
Traffic can be an issue on I-65 South heading toward the Arena. You should plan for traffic to become very congested between 3:00 – 4:00 PM on Thursday and Friday in the Cool Springs area. Teams staying south of the arena will need to plan accordingly when trying to access I-65 North on Friday morning. Please take the time to study your route and leave in plenty of time to arrive for weigh-ins.

Parking
There is no charge for parking for the event. School buses and 15-passenger vans will be directed to a designated parking area. All other vehicles parking in the main lot will be directed to a spot.

Hospitality Room
Coaches with wristbands, officials in uniform, and media with proper credentials are the only persons allowed in the hospitality room. TACA will provide drinks and some light snacks in this area. You will not be allowed to remove food or drinks from the hospitality room.

Cheerleaders
Cheerleaders in uniform will be admitted into the arena free of charge. They will not be allowed onto the wrestling floor. This includes the championship finals. One cheerleading coach accompanying the team will be admitted free of charge. The coach and cheerleaders need to enter through the pass gate as one group.

Celebration of Finalists/Presentation of Medalists
 Finalists will be introduced Saturday afternoon prior to the championship finals. If you have wrestlers that qualify for the finals you will need to have them arrive at the arena no later than 4:30 PM CST on Saturday afternoon to prepare for this event. Finalists will have the opportunity to warm up from 4:00 until 5:00 PM.

Medalists
Division I A, AA, and Girls will place six wrestlers. All medalists for these divisions will be awarded medals on the awards stand in between championship matches on Saturday afternoon.