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INDEPENDENT LENS Grapples With Girl Wrestling Controversy
Web Site Launch: GIRL WRESTLER
ITVS and PBS present GIRL WRESTLER and its companion
Web site at pbs.org.
Texas teenager Tara Neal insists that girls and boys
should be able to wrestle on the same mat. Follow Neal through the last
year that state guidelines allow her to wrestle boys, amidst family
conflict, pressures to cut weight and fierce policy debates over Title IX,
which grants women's athletics proportionality in public schools.
GIRL WRESTLER airs nationally on December 14, 2004 at
10:00 p.m. on PBS (check local listings).
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GIRL WRESTLER Web Site Highlights
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| Women in Wrestling
Even though female wrestling may seem like a recent
phenomenon, girls and women have actually been wrestling since ancient
times. Trace the long history of women in wrestling all the way up to the
2004 Olympic Summer Games in Athens, Greece, where women's wrestling
finally became an Olympic sport.
| Title IX
Prohibiting sex discrimination in public schools,
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 also requires "equal
athletic opportunity" for male and female athletes at schools that receive
federal funding. Get an overview of the law's controversial impacts on
girls' sports and, specifically, girls' wrestling.
| Cutting Weight
Despite well-publicized medical dangers, "cutting
weight," or rapid weight reduction, remains popular among both male and female
amateur wrestlers. Find out how wrestling organizations are attempting to
counter this practice and keep wrestlers healthy.
| Meet the Filmmaker
Read an exclusive interview with
Producer/Director/Cinematographer Diane
Zander in which she discusses positive role models,
the impact of Title IX on girls' sports and the allure of her favorite
superhero.
| Learn More
Explore related Web sites and learn more about
wrestling and women in sports.
| Talkback
Do you think that athletic participation is important
for teens, especially for girls? What do you think is in store
for the future of women in wrestling? Share your thoughts on these
subjects and the film in Talkback.
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About INDEPENDENT LENS
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INDEPENDENT LENS is a weekly series airing Tuesday
nights at 10 p.m. on PBS. Hosted by Susan Sarandon, the acclaimed series
showcases powerful and innovative independent films. Presented by ITVS,
INDEPENDENT LENS is broadcast on PBS stations nationwide.
Check local listings at:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens
INDEPENDENT LENS is jointly curated by ITVS and PBS,
and is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private
corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding provided
by PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Cumberland No. 1 and Simon Fraser No. 2 in first TheMat.com North American Women’s Poll
11/29/2004
Gary Abbott/USA Wrestling
The first poll of the year, the November 2004 TheMat.com North American Women’s College Wrestling Rankings for teams and individuals has been released.
Cumberland College, a NAIA school in Kentucky, coached by Kip Flanik, earned the No. 1 team ranking, claiming four of the five first place votes. Cumberland College won the team title at the Championship Cup of Women’s Wrestling, held at Lakehead Univ. in November, a top women’s college dual meet competition.
Simon Fraser Univ. of British Columbia, Canada, coached by Mike Jones, captured the No. 2 ranking to start the season. Simon Fraser was the 2004 CIS Canadian National Champions, and ended last season with the No. 1 ranking in TheMat.com North American Poll.
Cumberland defeated Simon Fraser in the finals of Championship Cup of Women’s Wrestling, winning four of the seven matches in the championship dual meet.
Claiming the No. 3 ranking was the Univ. of Calgary, from Alberta, Canada. Calgary is coached by Mitch Ostberg and placed second at the 2004 CIS Championships. Calgary placed third in the Championship Cup of Women’s Wrestling.
Holding the No. 4 spot is Missouri Valley College, an NAIA school coached by Carl Murphree. Missouri Valley won the team title at the 2004 U.S. College Women’s Nationals. The Vikings have not yet started its regular season schedule.
Claiming the No. 5 ranking is the Univ. of Regina, from Regina, Saskatchewan, coached by Leo McGee. Regina has been active in tournaments so far this season.
Rounding out the Top 10 were No. 6 Brock Univ., No. 7 Pacific Univ., a tie at No. 8 with Lakehead Univ. and the Univ. of Western Ontario, and No. 10 Menlo College.
A total of 20 teams were ranked, and other teams receiving votes were also recognized. The entire poll can be found at:
http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=708
The team ranking poll is elected by a panel of women’s college coaches, three from Canada and two from the United States. Eligible for ranking are college varsity and club women’s wrestling programs.
Five of the No. 1 ranked individual athletes were from Canadian colleges, while three were from colleges in the United States.
Two teams had a pair of No. 1 athletes, the top ranked teams in the nation, Cumberland College and Simon Fraser Univ.
The two Cumberland College athletes with No. 1 rankings are Alaina Berube at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and 2004 Olympian Toccara Montgomery at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. The two Simon Fraser athletes with No. 1 rankings are Emily Richardson at 59 kg/130 lbs. and Shayla Turcotte at 80 kg/176 lbs.
Other Canadian athletes with No. 1 rankings are Erica Sharp of Alberta at 51 kg/112.25 lbs., Heather Sweezey of Brock at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Martine Dugrunier of Concordia at 67 kg/147.5 lbs.
The other U.S. top ranked athlete is Sara Fulp-Allen of Menlo College at 48 kg/105.5 lbs.
The November 2004 North American Women’s College Individual rankings can be found at:
http://www.themat.com/rankings/default.asp?CategoryID=108&RankingID=709
The individual rankings are selected by TheMat.com, with assistance from coaches. Athletes who are considered for ranking are eligible full-time college students, and are members of their college women’s varsity or club program, or a member of their college men’s wrestling team.
Women’s wrestling is a growing sport in Canada and the United States on the college level. Women’s freestyle wrestling was the newest sport in the Summer Olympic Games, making its debut at the 2004 Athens Olympics. The United States and Canada are among the most successful women’s wrestling nations in the world.
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