Girls Wrestling - The Next Generation

We all have been blessed to witness the booming growth of girls wrestling in the state of Iowa. Seven years ago, there were less than 100 girls on the roster of their high school wrestling teams. In 2024, 1602 ladies hit the mat in the now sanctioned sport.

How do we keep those numbers growing? For starters, we need to do more than recruit and encourage girls to lace up a pair of wrestling shoes and compete. We need to recruit and encourage young women to be in these athletes’ corners and to officiate their matches. We need to support the next generation of leaders.

Not too long ago, I found a post on Facebook that was written by a concerned wrestling mom. The picture she posted was of two women in their early twenties coaching their high school team. The message was beyond disappointing. She spoke about how the two of them had been belittled by male coaches, dismissed by officials and disrespected by parents. 

What these individuals are unaware of is the amount of experience these two ladies hold. I happen to know them both personally. One has been on multiple Team Iowa teams with my daughter. The other was my child’s college roommate and teammate. Both women paved the way for the girls who wrestle today. When they faced off on the mat, it was before the sport was sanctioned. More than likely, the competitor they were up against was a young man. 

These two women are more than likely more experienced than their peers who look down on them. They understand what it’s like to be a female wrestler. They’ve already been confronted by the old-school way of thinking that they don’t belong in the sport. 

It seems that, once again, they are going through the same thing, this time as coaches. 

As girls’ wrestling grows, we need people to step up to the plate and take on coaching positions or learn how to be an official. The best source of talent to fill these positions are the women who love the sport enough to grow it when no one else would. As a community, we should support these leaders and urge them to teach the skills that they have mastered. They can relate to their athletes. They were once in their place. They have the skill to guide their girls in what to do on the mat and can advise them of the opportunities that are available to these students in the future. 

Not to mention, what example do these male coaches, officials and parents set when girls see them treat the women who coach and officiate in this manner? If they make these ladies feel like they don’t belong, aren’t they telling the athletes that they don’t think they should be there as well? That girls ultimately shouldn’t be part of wrestling?

According to FloWrestling, high school wrestling participation was over 300,000 athletes nationally for the first time in 45 years. That statistic was influenced by girls in the sport. To keep those numbers rising, we need to continue to support girls who want to compete. Our work doesn’t stop there, however. We should also urge women who have blazed the trail to continue their work. We should encourage them to lead the next generation either through coaching or officiating. And, if the moment arises that they are subjected to ridicule or disrespect by the individuals whom they interact with, whether it be by another coach, an official or a parent, we should be ready to defend them and support them. 

Wrestling depends on these women. Together, we can create an environment where our athletes can thrive.