Wrestling Welcome Mat Rolled Out for Girls
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"It's a sport if their boy can't handle it tough."
Gina Hutts' five year old daughter Kimberley has no problem handling her competition. A recent meet at Heelan put her in the mix with over 200 entries. And she placed first in her division. Kim was one of just five female wrestlers.
Another wrestler, Lacy Neff, says, "it doesn't really matter to me but when I have to wrestle
girls I like it more because people think it's gross when you wrestle a boy."
Due to the lack of female competitors, girls like Lacey rarely have the option of wrestling same sex opponents.
Niki Pridie, of the Tri-City Titans, says, "I probably wrestle a girl three times a year." Parent Tonya Bauman says, "of course as a parent I prefer that she wrestle girls but if she wants any significant mat time, she has to go out there with the boys."
While finding competition is a struggle for girls many boys struggle with public perception. Wrestler Chad Morehead says, "you go out to win but then again you don't want to touch her, cause I don't want to do any thing wrong because I've been taught that's sexual harassment." But Tri-City wrestler Jessica Strassner says, "I don't see anything sexual about it. It's just wrestling."
The Heelan meet marked the first time Ruben Ritz faced a girl. "I try not and touch her some where I just try and wrestle, she's was stronger than most of the boys."
As wrestlers enter their teens, strength becomes more of a factor. East High School's Jeff Butcher and Andrew Anderson are two of Iowa's top ranked grapplers. And though the two have never been matched with a female, they wrestle with the idea. Butcher says, "I don't think I could wrestle a female. I was raised never to be aggressive towards women." Anderson says, "girls have their own basketball teams. They should have their own wrestling team, it goes hand and hand."
But with the support of parents and coaches females continue to make their way onto the mat. Mike Fuller, the Titans assistant coach says, "I have mixed emotions, but I often use the phrase if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. If girls want to wrestle, let them wrestle."
When boys wrestle girls there are no special adjustments or any changes in the rules. And that's exactly the way these girls want it. "I think girls should have the right to do anything boys can."
And that's exactly what is happening. Female wrestling will be an event in the 2004 summer Olympics.
