As a grandmother with only granddaughters, I never expected to have a wrestler in the family. I’ve watched a daughter cheer for football and wrestling, a son play some serious football and even throw heavy stuff in college track and field. I’ve watched husband and kids play softball. Now we’re back in the bleachers watching our granddaughters.
Did I ever think we’d be going to wrestling to watch a granddaughter compete? Absolutely not. Yet, we’re finding girls are playing a growing role in the sport.
Iowa Girls Wrestling Tournament
In 2019 the first Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association (IWCOA) Girls’ State Wrestling Tournament took place in Cedar Rapids. Ten champions were crowned. The 87 participants included girls from all over Iowa.
The 2020 IWCOA Girls’ State Tournament takes place January 19, 2020 in Waverly Shell Rock. All girls currently competing on wrestling teams sponsored by the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) are eligible to compete.
How many girls wrestle?
Girls’ wrestling participation has seen significant growth in Iowa and around the country in recent years. Nationally, participation has grown from 5,527 in 2007-08 to 16,562 in 2017, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).
In Iowa, participation has grown from 40 female wrestlers in 2013-14 to 164 in 2018-19 and at 200 and growing in 2019-2020. The sport is not yet sanctioned in Iowa; however, fourteen states have sanctioned girls’ wrestling.
Girls competing at the high school and college level are well aware of their impact on the growing number of young girls who are competing in wrestling tournaments across the country. Girls compete in boys’ tournaments and in some areas there are enough girls to warrant girls only tournaments. Young ladies aged 4 and up are wrestling in Iowa.
Two Iowa colleges, Waldorf and Grand View University, have women’s wrestling teams in 2020. Grand View University hosted clinics this year for young female wrestlers. The future is impressive as is the willingness of older trailblazers to share tips, strategy, and the emotions of the sport.
