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Sports
Women’s wrestling Warming up
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written by: Kirsten Zirjacks
he Liberty North Women’s wrestling team is back in for the season with 18 women compared to last year, when there were only 12 women. This season they have split from the men and now practice in their own space with their own coaches. “We have a lot of young girls so there’s kind of a skill difference. You have your returners who already have the basics down and are moving on to advanced moves. But since most the team is new they’re are at practice. Wrestling is such a community and it is very welcoming. all learning the basics so there’s a bit of an issue because you want to The community is just so awesome. We are working really hard to be learn more but we need to make sure everyone else has foundationsuccessful and we have a really good coaching staff. We also have a large level skills. Coach Casey really helps to push the people who have some number of returners that help the newer wrestlers to become really experience. They know what they’re doing and they’re learning highergood when we need the help,” freshman Jane Grundy said. level moves and then Coach Shroger really does a good job making sure ‘Pin to win’ is a saying that some wrestlers use when they are talking those people who need to learn the basics are getting those down and about what they want to do. Pinning an opponent is an automatic win mastering it,” junior Elaina Gorton said. for the wrestler and helps the team score. As an athlete, they may expect a coach to think and say they need to be “I’m ready to see how the other school’s teams have grown and their able to work hard and be prepared. skill levels along with their size. I think we’re a lot more Some athletes last year did not realize this year and we are really going to have to “They can win by points but competition what the expectations would be so push ourselves not just within the team but throughout don’t get pinned because they did not finish the season which to state. When I’m going up to the mat I think don’t give lead to them quitting. a pin, that’s the only thing. Freshman year I was awful, that’s giving up,” “This year I feel like we have a lot I got pinned every match and so every time I just think more girls who are really passionate to hold on. They can win by points but don’t get pinned Goroton said. about it and last year we had only because that’s giving up,” Gorton said. some. Most weren’t as passionate so The first match ever may possibly help the wrestlers they just kind of quit but I feel like we’re not going to have that happen to realize what the rest of their season is going to look like and what it’s this season. I also feel more confident this year. Sometimes. It sounds going to feel like wrestling during a match. cheesy, but doing wrestling really gave me a slight sense of what I’m “My first match only lasted 16 seconds and I pinned the girl, so good at. It really helped me figure out what I should be doing and what that was awesome. Overall my first tournament showed me how I want to be doing,” junior Erma Williams said. tournaments are run. I learned how weigh-ins work and how the timing The women practice every day for two and a half hours, which may of all this stuff happens because it goes really fast. Even though you’ve help them improve as a team and as individuals. been there for five hours, it seems like you’ve only been there for an “My favorite part about wrestling is the girls and how awesome they all hour,” sophomore Kate Grundy said.
The Women’s wrestling team had their first match on Saturday, November 30, at St. Joe. The Eagles had four girls place 1st in the meet. The Eagles came home adn beat Kearney 30-33 on December 3rd. “It was my first time ever wrestling so it was kind of scary, but it was cool to have won and place first,” sophomore Madelyn Hartman said.
photos by: Ashton Overby
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design by: Madi burrow
