News Page
by John Fuller
Recently, a group of United States women got together in Bulgaria. No, these women were not protesting anything. In fact, they were celebrating something - the sport of wrestling.
The Women's World Championships were held this past weekend, and the United States team - Clarissa Chun, Patricia Miranda, Tina George-Wilson, Sara McMann, Kristie Marano and Iris Smith - had a good showing, placing fifth as a team. And this was without two of their top stars, Tricia Saunders and Stephanie Murata, who were both out due to injury.
But this was not about competition for me. It was great to see so many women from so many countries competing for a world championship in wrestling. Women's wrestling may be added as an Olympic sport in 2004, and it would seem wrestling needs that to happen.
Let's face it, NBC, ESPN or anyone else are not going to ease wrestling into a prime time slot anytime soon, unless, we add a little controversy.
Women's wrestling should not be considered controversial anymore, but it is by many old-fashioned wizards who think women should stay at home, cook, clean and do laundry. I am not saying that wouldn't be nice, but it is no longer appropriate.
Hopefully people realize how much women's wrestling can help men's wrestling survive.
Wrestling is generally thought of as a men's sport. Sports such as gymnastics are categorized as a women's sport.
If schools begin seeing women's wrestling as a sport, hopefully they decide to add that to their athletic curriculum. Now, with court systems and Title IX being where they are today, it is a lot less likely a men's sport will be dropped where women also compete in the parallel sport.
By adding women's spots, this will also help schools become more Title IX compliant, also lessening the chance of a male sport being dropped. This is a no-lose situation for both genders; something that hasn't been present in college athletics in a long time, or maybe ever.
The University of Minnesota-Morris took a major step in women's athletics. Not because they dropped a couple of men's teams or added a traditional sport like soccer or basketball to the women's collegiate circle, but because they added a women's wrestling team.
The University took a big step in supporting this addition, and since, other schools have followed.
Currently, more than 50 countries sponsor a women's wrestling team, and 2,361 girls compete on high school women's wrestling teams spanning over 661 schools, which does not include any of the girls on boys teams.
By continuing to impress the world, the US Women's Team could be largely responsible for helping to save wrestling. If men's and women's teams hold back-to-back duals, think of the amount of people that would come to a dual meet - just to see what is about to happen.
That is not supposed to be meant in some perverted or sick way, but many people will show up just because they do not know what to expect.
Maybe it would help people see the beauty of this sport. That these wrestlers are not barbarians. Most people do not even know new weight-cutting rules were ever put into effect. I still go to a holiday dinner and hear my uncle talk about wrestling, and how he "knows what those guys do to lose weight."
Actually, he doesn't, but we all know that old-fashioned people must see it to believe it. I guarantee my uncle will go watch a bunch of women in a dual meet. He may never go watch a Michigan-Michigan State dual, though, which takes place about 35 minutes from his house.
I must admit, I was skeptical at first too, but I wouldn't dare step on the mat with some of these women. They take it seriously, not as some plot at revenge towards males. They are wrestlers - no gender involved.
And let credit be given where credit is due, and credit is due to USA Wrestling, for being one of the few original supporters of women's wrestling.
Now, women compete in events such as the World Championships, Sunkist Open, Pan-American Games, Australian Open and much more. And thanks to the marketing and promotion of USA Wrestling, women at the youth level are becoming more involved as well.
I do not have exact numbers, but some of these youth tournaments, including the National High School Women's Wrestling Championships, are packed full of women, who may now aspire to become an Olympian at the sport they love.
As you think about whether women's wrestling can help this sport as a whole, think about this. Are we fighting to save wrestling, or just men's wrestling?
I know how every woman who has signed a petition or donated money and time will answer that. They are helping us, can we help them?
Questions or comments on this editorial can be sent to fuller@intermatwrestle.com
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Six special matches will be held on 18th of October
Japanees female wrestling news page
Six special matches will be held in the national sports festival at Kurobe city in Toyama prefecture on 18 October. However about 400 male wrestlers gather at this event, female match wasn't held as far as 1998. Last year female matches were included.
The federation think to let Japanese top wrestlers attend at this event, but Hitomi Sakamoto , 51 kg world champion, and Kyoko Hamaguchi, three time world champion at 75 kg, was absent because of injury.
The six matces are as follows:
46kg
Misato Shimizu (8th in 2000 World) | Mika Noguchi (1999 World cadet champion)
51kg
Ninako Hattori (7th in 1999 World cadet) | Chiharu Icho (2000 World junior champion)
56kg
Seiko Yamamoto (1999 and 2000 World Champion) | Chikako Matsukawa (no career)
62kg
Rena Iwama (2nd in 2000 World) | Ayako Shoda (1999 World Champion)
68kg
Tomoe Miyamoto (3rd in 2000 World) | Eri Sakamoto (10th in 2000 World Junior)
75kg
Masako Ochi (4th in 1998 World Junior) | Taeko Tomioka (1999 Asian Champion)
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