Girl Power!

Wrestling, the world’s oldest sport with coaching artifacts that date back to 200 A.D., is evolving with the times. No longer a sport exclusively for the boys, wrestling is an activity where girls are participating in greater numbers with each passing year. In 2004, women’s wrestling became an Olympic sport and there are currently at least 25 universities in the United States that have women’s wrestling programs.

At the youth sports level, the U.S. Girls Wrestling Association (USGW) was founded by early pioneer Kent Bailo in Michigan where it grew to become one of the early nationwide girl’s wrestling organizations before it folded in 2014.

Brent Harvey’s “War of the Roses” (WOTR) National Girls Wrestling Series supplanted USGWA as the premier National organization for girl’s wrestling. Brent has grown the sport by leaps and bounds. There are more than 19 girls-only events across 14 States this season thanks in part to support from USA Wrestling.

Predictably, participation by girls is strongest in wrestling hotbeds such as Michigan, Iowa, and Wisconsin but even States like Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia and Virginia have statewide WOTR programs.

Locally, the grade K-6 Merrimack Youth Wrestling program boasts four girls on their roster this season. Catherine Hovan, Ivey Johnson, Katelyn McCormack, and Kennedy Dillon represent ten percent of the full 40-wrestler squad.

Catherine, age 10, is the most experienced of the group. She has been with the program for 3 years. She also is a blue belt in Judo where her signature throw, an “ogoshi”, has translated well as a wrestling hip toss that she uses to great effect. When asked, she says she is not bothered at all by the small number of girls and she doesn’t hesitate to add, “I love to beat the boys in wrestling matches!”

Her father, Michel, notes the value of the sport in teaching his daughter how to handle herself at this young age, before the boys become too muscular. He likes that it simulates what an attack might be like in a safe and controlled environment.

Ivey, age 7, is in her second year with the program. She says she was motivated to join because she “wanted to do exercise and be healthy.” Even when her mother, Nancy, warned that she might be the only girl, she replied, “I don’t care.”

Her mother admits that Ivey was a little nervous on her first day of practice but as soon as she saw her friend Jackson, her fear quickly faded and she had a great time.

Katelyn, age 6, is a first year wrestler. She came running off the bus one day with the wrestling flyer in her hand and excitedly told her Dad, Chris, “I know what I want to do for my activity! I want to wrestle!!”

Chris says that she is really enjoying the practices and is not bothered at all by all the boys. “She wants to be able to do what the boys can do.”

Kennedy, age 9, is also in her first year with the program. Her father, Ted, recounted the story of a drive home one evening where Kennedy noticed the wrestling sign-up message on the Merrimack Youth Association billboard. “One of the dates was her birthday so it caught her eye and she asked if she could try it.” Ted, a former wrestler himself, did not hesitate to say, “Yes.” He adds, “She is very focused at practice. She is really into it.”

When asked what she thinks of it so far, Kennedy says, “I love it! I like learning new moves and then being able to try them when I wrestle.”

Whatever their eventual ambitions in wrestling, one thing is for certain. Merrimack’s female wrestlers are determined competitors that are gaining confidence and experience with each practice. We hope that they are the first in a wave of female Merrimack wrestlers that decide to give the sport a try.

Gary Krupp

Director, Merrimack Youth Wrestling

www.myawrestling.com

Caption for Photo 1: Kennedy Dillon (left), Ivey Johnson (center), and Katelyn McCormack (right) listen intently to their coaches as they learn new moves

Caption for Photo 2: Catherine Hovan works on her wrestling stance in practice