Wrestling for a Chance

January 28, 2019: a seemingly normal day when history was made. On that day, West Albany High School created the first high school women’s wrestling team in its league. Since then, places like Sweet Home and Silverton have started teams as well. Women’s wrestling has become a recognized sport within our community and given young women a chance to learn a sport that, for most of history, has been predominantly male. This action reinforced the idea that women can not only play these tough sports, but also won’t be stuck with the men’s category, being able to have their own spotlight. Women’s wrestling is a sport that has recently gained more and more popularity, becoming an Olympic sport in 2004. This act helped women’s wrestling become more popular and normalized amongst other sports, and, according to wrestling coach Casey Horn, it is the fastest growing sport in America. One thing that is very commonly advertised is wres-

tling being something that will not only help people who are physically active, but benefit those who aren’t. “It makes me more confident, and it makes me feel stronger,” said junior Ariana Martinez, who has been wrestling since she was a freshman. “It taught me a lot more about perseverance. I got tossed down a lot mentally and had to learn to get stronger.” “IT MAKES ME MORE CONFIDENT, AND “ Wrestling has not only provided its athletes the ability to grow stronger, but also a family that they are able to look to for guidance and friendship. “We hope that everyone that joins our wrestling IT MAKES ME FEEL family wants to become part of that

STRONGER.” family,” assistant wrestling coach Bryan Barker said. “We don’t judge. Whether you’re a girl, a boy, you don’t identify as either, you’re gay or lesbian, we don’t care. If you step in there, you are automatically part of our family.” “We spend a lot of time with each other, going to meets and being in the locker room,” sophomore Maci Pearson said. The wrestling team is, as the coaches say, a family that stands with each other, helping each other get stronger and better at what they do. As opponents shoot and duck, trying to pin one another to the mat via physical strength and tricky tactics, many don’t doubt it’s a tough and rigorous sport. Those who join wrestling have had to develop the ability to keep their head in the game, staying strong even in the hardest situations. “We have [junior] Taylor Lumpkin, and she’s doing phenomenal. She is out kicking some butt, and it’s awesome to be a piece of it,” Barker said. “We’re going to put kids in situations which make them successful.” The team is actively looking for girls to join them for wrestling, regardless of their physical abilities and experience with the sport. “We have a lot of girls come into the room not knowing how to wrestle, but they have the spirit to learn it, Martinez said. With some people, they just walk into the room and you can tell they have potential. You can just come into the room and surprise yourself.”

WHAT IS IT TRULY LIKE BEING ON THE WOMEN’S WRESTLING TEAM?

By Gigi Roldan

Sophomore Kylie Brown avoids her competitor in a match against Silverton on Jan. 19. Junior Ariana Martinez wins her match in the Silverton duel on Jan. 19. Sophomore Aubrey Murphy begins her match against Silverton on Jan. 19.