Within a span of 30 days in 1997, three collegiate wrestlers, including one at Campbell University in Buies Creek, died after using extreme measures to lose, or "cut," weight.

The deaths, caused by dehydration, prompted a nationwide discussion on the practice, which some wrestlers employ so they can compete in certain weight classes. Two of the deceased worked out in rubber suits, while the third rode an exercise bike and refused liquids.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) imposed strict rules on the practice, and now North Carolina high-school wrestlers have their own procedures.

High-school wrestlers are required to pass a hydration test at the beginning of the season and in January. The test, administered by a NCHSAA-certified official using chemical dipsticks or a refractometer, measures a wrestler's USG, or urine specific gravity. Athletes are considered dehydrated if their USG is 1.025 or less. A dehydrated wrestler can be tested two more times before being declared ineligible for the season. The rule was approved in April by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

Dehydration occurs when the amount of water in the body is less than what is needed for normal bodily functions. Symptoms include dizziness, a dry or sticky mouth, and reduced urine output that is darker than usual.

Coaches learned about the new rule during a summer clinic. State athletic officials also advised coaches to inform wrestlers' parents about healthy eating and drinking habits.

Coach Walter Tolarchyk, who has won five state championships at Riverside High School, wished the NCHSAA had provided more information on those good eating practices.

"I think it's going to be a good program once we get used to it," he said. "It's going to protect athletes, and that's what we're all about."

While the new rule promotes safety and helps combat wrestling's stereotype as a lawless sport, Philip Davanzo, head coach at Jordan High School, believes two mandated dehydration tests are too much but said his team conducted weekly tests during the preseason. He believes the new rule will reduce the pressure on wrestlers to maintain or lose weight.

"It's tough now with these guidelines the state association has given us," he said. "We have all these safeguards. If we follow those guidelines, there should be no pressure."

Cutting weight will always be an issue as long as wrestlers are divided into weight classes, Tolarchyk said.

Not making weight can have a serious impact on a team's lineup, but eating right, working hard and staying hydrated will keep wrestlers out of trouble, said William Page, 16, a junior at Jordan who wrestles in the 171-pound weight class.

"If you're in that wrestling room every day, you're not going to gain weight," he said.