What is a high crotch takedown?
By the Smart Wrestler team · Written from hosting and scoring the events this software runs · Updated 2026-10-19
A high crotch is a leg attack aimed high on the thigh. See how USA Wrestling lists it and when the NCAA rules treat it as a takedown or a slam.
Quick answer
A high crotch is a neutral-position leg attack made high on the opponent’s thigh. A wrestling glossary calls it a single-leg variation attacking higher on the thigh, and USA Wrestling’s Folkstyle Level 2 outline lists high crotch takedowns and a head-outside version in both offense and counter offense. It scores as a takedown only when the rules book’s conditions are met: control, in bounds and beyond reaction time. Position alone is not a score.
How does a high crotch relate to a single leg?
Both are attacks to one leg from the neutral position. The terminology reference used for this page describes the high crotch as a single-leg variation where the attack is made higher on the thigh. The difference is a matter of where the attacker’s hands and head end up relative to the leg, and coaches teach different finishes from each.
The lower-leg version has its own explanation. Read single-leg takedown.
What does the USA Wrestling outline say?
Folkstyle Level 2 lists “High Crotch Take Downs” under neutral position offense, and “High crotch – head outside” appears again in the counter-offense list. The same entry therefore appears as something to attack with and something to defend or turn into a counter.
As with other curriculum entries, this confirms a teaching topic. It does not define legality, and it does not say when an athlete should first learn the finish.
When does the finish count as a takedown?
The NCAA rules book awards a takedown when, from the neutral position, a competitor gains control of the opponent by taking them to the mat in bounds and beyond reaction time. Three checks sit inside that sentence.
| Check | What it asks | Why it matters on a high crotch |
|---|---|---|
| Control | Does the attacker control the opponent? | Holding a leg is not yet control of the athlete |
| In bounds | Is the action inside the wrestling area? | Attacks near the edge may end out of bounds |
| Beyond reaction time | Did the control last more than an instant? | A quick scramble may produce no score |
The award is a takedown whichever name the coach uses for the entry. The NCAA men’s book values it at 3 points; other rule sets use their own values, so check the rule set for the event.
Why can a high crotch draw a danger or slam review?
When a wrestler exposes their shoulders to the mat at an angle less than 90 degrees from the neutral position, the referee announces a neutral danger signal, and if the count reaches three with the wrestler still in the danger zone the opponent is awarded a takedown. A high crotch that turns the defender sharply can create that exposure.
The rules book also defines a slam as lifting an opponent and bringing them to the mat with unnecessary force, and states a slam may be committed in the neutral position during a takedown. Lifting a leg is not a slam by itself; the force and the return to the mat are what an official judges.
How should a parent describe a high crotch without over-claiming?
Describe what you saw: which leg was attacked, whether the athlete’s head was inside or outside, and what the official awarded. Avoid saying a move “should have scored” because the rule needs control beyond reaction time, which is easier to judge live than on a still frame.
In Smart Wrestler, the scorer enters the awarded takedown and its period. The finish name can be added to a coach’s own notes, but it is not a scoring category.
Frequently asked questions
Is a high crotch a single leg?
A reference glossary calls it a single-leg variation attacked higher on the thigh.
How many points is a takedown?
The NCAA men’s rules book values it at 3 points; other rule sets use different values.
Can a high crotch be called a slam?
Only if the lift is returned to the mat with unnecessary force, which an official decides.
Does USA Wrestling teach it at Level 2?
Its Folkstyle Level 2 outline lists high crotch takedowns in offense and counter offense.
Sources
- USA Wrestling Folkstyle Level 2 curriculum
- NCAA men’s wrestling 2025–26 and 2026–27 rules book
- MatMetrics wrestling glossary (terminology reference, not a rulebook)
Sources checked 2026-10-19.
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