Katie Hill, competing in the 38kg Cadet class, finished on the podium with a silver medal at the Canadian National Wrestling Championships, held in St. John's Newfoundland April 9 and 10.
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THE SPORT HAS HAD A HOLD ON HER SINCE CHILDHOOD
By Dennis Knight
Mercury News 4/21/05
While other girls her age were taking up soccer or softball, 8-year-old Sara Fulp-Allen learned what was considered a man's sport in the rugged atmosphere of the wrestling room.
She attended practice with her father, a college wrestling coach, and kept herself busy by swinging from the climbing rope. Short sessions on the mat soon followed, and her passion for the sport was awakened.
That childhood endeavor is now a commitment of Olympic proportions.
``Of course my goal is to make the Olympic team,'' said Fulp-Allen, 19. ``And not just to place but to win. But I have to stay focused and take one thing at a time.''
At Half Moon Bay High School, Fulp-Allen more than held her own against the boys. She was ranked among the top four in the Central Coast Section at 105 pounds during her senior year and had a decent shot at qualifying for the state tournament. That's when she bypassed the CCS tournament to focus on national competition against girls.
Her father, Lee Allen, wanted to give his daughter a chance to go even further. So four years ago, the former Olympian (1956 and 1960) started a women's wrestling program at Menlo College.
Now Fulp-Allen and her teammates have ambitions that were practically unheard of for women just 10 years ago.
``Some say girls need to wrestle against boys to get better,'' said Allen, who was the head coach of the U.S. team in the boycotted 1980 Olympics. ``But Sara paid the price by having two knee operations in high school. Boys just don't want to lose to girls, and they will use roughness and intimidation to win.''
Fulp-Allen said getting roughed up by boys helped improve her technique.
``If I had a guy just kick my butt, that would push me to improve in the practice room,'' the sophomore said. ``But losing to girls is worse, because nobody wants to lose to a girl.''
Women's wrestling finally found the Olympic spotlight last summer in Athens at the first women's tournament. Former Saratoga High and Stanford graduate Patricia Miranda made headlines by taking a bronze medal at 105.5 pounds.
``It was an inspiration and exciting to watch,'' said Fulp-Allen, who worked out with Miranda for a month in Colorado Springs to help her prepare for the games. Fulp-Allen finished third behind Miranda in last May's U.S. Olympic Trials.
Miranda is taking time off from competition to earn a Yale law degree. That opens the door for Fulp-Allen, ranked second in the country, as she prepares for the U.S. National Open April 29-30 in Las Vegas.
Fulp-Allen won the 105-pound title and was named the outstanding lightweight in the Women's College Wrestling Championships at Menlo College in March. Two weeks later, she won her third national age-group title in El Cajon and a berth in the Junior World Championships in July.
The Menlo College program has attracted athletes such as Laurin Daniels of Seattle, ranked eighth in the United States at 130 pounds, and Rita Ramirez, a graduate of Mount Whitney High in Visalia, a 105-pounder who is Fulp-Allen's workout partner.
``I was the only girl on the team in high school and never thought I'd have a chance to continue wrestling in college,'' Ramirez said. ``I love it because of the dedication involved. It takes a special person to be a wrestler.''
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WRESTLING: Championships Hill sisters grapple at Ntl. level
By Doug Hill
Apr 19 2005
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Katie Hill, competing in the 38kg Cadet class, finished on the podium with a silver medal at the Canadian National Wrestling Championships, held in St. John's Newfoundland April 9 and 10. |
Local wrestlers, Emily and Katie Hill, from Maranatha Christian School, are home from the Canadian National Wrestling Championships that were held in St. John's Newfoundland April 9 and 10.
There were about 600 wrestlers from all over Canada, prepared to do their best and all going for Gold.
It was very tough competition and there were no easy matches as the elite from Canada met together.
Emily, in the 46kg Juvenile class, was in a tough weight class.
She did not podium, but wrestled well, did not get pinned, and finished in seventh or eighth place.
Her coach was amazed at how well Emily has picked up different moves and techniques and used them in her matches.
For Emily, being in Grade 12 and in her first year of high school wrestling, it has been a bit more of a challenge because she has been up against girls who have had four or five years of high school wrestling experience.
In spite of this she has done extremely well.
Sister Katie in the 38kg Cadet class also had some very tough competition.
She lost her first match by getting pinned in the last second of the second round.
Though she was on her back a few times in precarious situations in subsequent matches, she managed to escape from their holds and went on to victory winning the rest of her matches.
She narrowly missed the gold medal by that "one second to go pin" but did end up on the podium for a well-deserved silver medal. As it is with wrestling, one good or bad move and the match can be over. This has been a great experience for them.
They have worked hard and improved greatly from the start of the season and have enjoyed competing as well as the opportunity to make friends with many of the other athletes.
They have shown good sportsmanship and feel they have represented Williams Lake well. The team thanks the Lord for His enabling as well as the community for their encouragement and support.
Next year the Northern B.C. Winter games will be held in 100 Mile House, the Wrestling Provincials in Prince George and the Nationals in Edmonton.
They will all be very close in proximity.
There will probably be a large contingent of wrestlers from our Northern District attending these events.
Victory is not always the Gold medal or the accumulation of medals around one's neck, but victory is the quality of character gained, as we travel this road of life.
We wanted to share a little bit of culture that we experienced from our time in Newfoundland.
We wanted to see some 'bergy bites' (little icebergs), there weren't any near the harbour so we went 'twackin' (window shopping) instead, and then came home to 'nosh' (relax/hangout).
We believe we have interpreted the sayings correctly.
We were informed that not all from Newfoundland talk like this, but it must be 'townie talk' (those from the city of St. John's).
The people from Newfoundland are very friendly and hard working people. We enjoyed our short time there.