Female wrestlers finding increased success on mat
Wrestling Roundup

By James Escarcega
Correspondent 1/10/02

Vanessa Butanta and Monica Gochioco wrestle for two different schools. They have never met each other. But both have the same philosophies when it comes to the sport of wrestling.

They love to be in action. They take great pleasure in defeating the boys and are very accomplished at a young age.

Butanta, who wrestles for Northview, and Gochioco, a wrestler at Bishop Amat, are sophomores and were among a group of area female wrestlers who placed at the Williams Cup Tournament last weekend at Thousand Oaks High School.

Butanta took first place in the 135-pound class. Sierra Vista's Ivy Lopez (112) and Julie Duarte (130) finished second, Bishop Amat's Gochioco (125) and Noralynne Vasquez (130) and Charter Oak's Monique Marquez (145) both finished third. Rosemead's Nadine Serna also placed fourth at 112 pounds.

Butanta is considered the most accomplished girls wrestler in the area. She has traveled to Northern California twice and finished first in a tournament at San Jose and placed third at another tournament in San Mateo.

"It has been a pretty exciting year up to this point," Butanta said. "I've been wrestling for seven years and love the sport a lot."

While Butanta also plays volleyball and softball, Gochioco only participates in wrestling. She is so dedicated to the sport that she turned down an offer from the girls varsity soccer coach to be on the team and start.

"I had to lie to my mother on the first day of tryouts last year," Gochioco said. "I am so focused on the sport and the team. The team is my second family."

"Monica is a dynamo," Bishop Amat head coach Tom Pierre said. "She loves to be on the mat and competing. The guys on the team like her for that and watch her back very closely."

The acceptance of girls competing against boys has changed since the early days of the sport.

"I remember the days when I wrestled that when girls wrestled, it was the story of the tournament," Northview coach David Ochoa said. "I think that it is great the girls are succeeding in our sport."

Valley wrestling teams once again had a strong showing at the Tournament of Champions meet at North Torrance High last week. Rosemead finished first, while South Hills finished ninth and Covina finished 23rd.
South Hills' best performer was Randy Aguirre. Aguirre advance to the finals at the 125-pound level and lost to Rosemead's Mike Montague, 2-0.

"Randy is improving every week," South Hills coach Chris Mitsunaga said. "He's one of the hardest workers that I've seen."

One team that was noticeably quiet during Christmas vacation was Workman High. According to coach Chris Taylor, the downtime gave his squad ample opportunity to heal any injuries and work in the practice room.
Workman will host a varsity tournament on Saturday. The teams that will participate include Chaminade, Whittier, South El Monte and Sunny Hills.

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Girls CIFState Wrestling Tournament

Date: 06/10/2002

CIF Wrestling Committee:

It seems like there is an impasse on the issue of beginning a California
girls state wrestling tournament. The CIF committee
members say they don't see the number of female wrestlers to justify a girl's
state tournament. They dispute the number of female wrestlers as reported by
the 2000-2001 NFHS survey. The survey reports 752 female wrestlers
representing 281 schools. Members of the wrestling community have always quoted
this survey as evidence of the strong male wrestling programs in California. I
always thought this survey was the bible of wrestling numbers. Time after
time I see these numbers used to fight against gender quotas, the
justification of budget support or just bragging rights. The fine male
wrestlers we see in the section and the state tournaments are a very small
number, but they are the elite that represent the rest of the 24,326 male
California wrestlers reported by the 2000-2001 NFHS survey. I don't
personally see them all but I have no reason to question their existence. The number
of female wrestlers that are able to wrestle on a boys team also represent
a very small number. They are the elite of the female wrestlers. That could
explain why these umbers are disputed. When a boy's team shows up for
competition you only see a small number of girls. Only the very best and
bravest girls are able to successfully compete against boys. You don't see the
rest of them, but they do exist. The problem is there isn't a program for
those left behind. The fact that only a small number ever is exposed to the
bigger wrestling community doesn't make their needs less valuable. The
fact that this "hidden" majority exists is reason enough to support my claim
that the majority of female wrestlers in California are neglected, ignored,
and relegated to menial tasks to support the male program. The opinion
that the numbers don't exist doesn't make it a fact.
Since this is a coed sport, I suspect that the
female wrestlers are included in this total count of male wrestlers. The
2000-2001 NFHS report shows an increase of 5,879 boys (and girls?) from
California over last year, showing a 25% increase. An impressive number. I have
no problem with using the females in the final boys count, but when it comes
time to send the wrestlers to tournaments, many teams refuse to send
their female wrestlers to girl's tournaments. Often it becomes a budget issue.
If they can't make the boys team they are left at home. Is this in compliance
with title 1X? I know it seems we are fighting over the same dollars, but if
we point with pride about the numbers of wrestlers we have in the state,
we need to provide programs for our student-athletes.
Perhaps the committee is waiting for the female
wrestlers to flood the state and sectional tournaments, beat the males and
dominate the sectional and state placings. It will never happen. We have one
of the strongest male high school wrestling programs in the nation. Of those
top wrestling states California is one of the few that that have only one
division. Whereas, in some states one or two girls have placed in high in
boys state tournaments, these are from states that are small or those that
have multiple divisions. These programs do not compare to the strength of our
California State Tournament. We have never had a girl qualify for the
California State boys tournament from a strong sectional tournament. If this
is the bar that the committee expects us to clear, it is impossible.
California women dominate the rest of the nation in female wrestling. This
should be the bar we aspire to reach. California is represented in greater numbers
than any other state in any category you choose to investigate. If the
measure of the quality our female wrestlers in California is how do we do against
other females in the United States and the world there can be no argument.
High School All Americans, national teams at all age levels and even
world rankings are well represented by California wrestlers. If this about the
argument that the girls are not skilled enough and we are back to the
argument that girls athletics are not as good as boys athletics we are
really at an impasse. If California girls can beat the rest of the females in
the world do we also need to beat the males? It is not my purpose here to
list the gender differences that makes it difficult for girls to
compete against males. The less talented girls are quickly pinned by their
stronger male opponents. If they are not allowed to wrestle in girls tournaments a
girl could wrestle all season long against males and have about a total of 4
minutes of competitive experience. Beating males is an awful high bar.
It was suggested by a member of the CIF that a
girl's tournament would be doomed to failure. I am missing something here. I may
have some philosophical differences with the CIF Wrestling Committee, but I
know the committee to be very competent and efficient. They have run the boy's
state tournament in a professional manner for several years. Is the CIF
wrestling committee saying that they refuse to be involved in running a girl's
state tournament? If so, is there a proposal for a separate women's committee?
Why would the event be doomed for failure when we have such a competent event staff?
Committee members say that they cannot submit to my personal time line
for beginning a girl's state. What is a logical time line? The decision to
not begin a tournament in 2004 was based upon committee members contentions
there is not enough numbers to warrant a tournament. I
believe they were misinformed. The committee was willing to reject the
proposal based upon some members opinion that the numbers weren't there. With
an increase of only 20% (The increase was 22% compared to the previous year),
a conservative figure, our numbers would have reached 900 for the 2001-2002
season. I feel I represent those 900 female wrestlers, their concerned
parents, and the few dedicated coaches who are behind this movement. With
a modest increase in 2002-2003 we will be well over 1,000 female wrestlers.
CIF began a girl's lacrosse state tournament and they reported 940
participants representing 29 schools in 2000-2001. Hawaii and Texas have been
running very successful girls wrestling tournaments that are sanctioned by
their state associations for several years with much smaller numbers than
California. (Texas 485 wrestlers representing 115 schools, Hawaii 239
wrestlers representing 43 schools) I'm sure that their leadership moved foreword
with their girl's program because it was the right thing to do. They
probably made exceptions to their bylaws to correct an obvious oversight. An
injustice already exists in California. It is time to come up with a concrete plan.
My motives for advocating for a girls tournament has be questioned
because my daughters wrestle. But, because my
daughters wrestle I am more informed about the issues facing the girl's program. I
personally observe the discrimination, I hear the sexual remarks, I see the
frustration the girls undergo because of their efforts to compete by rules
that are set up for males, and we mutually share the emotional ups and
downs that they experience on a regular basis. I see the strength and weaknesses
of the program. I hear the concerns of the parents and the coaches. If my
motives can be questioned because of my personal involvement I could question
some members motivation for trying to the keep status quo. If personal
involvement is a reason to disqualify someone we should all disqualify ourselves.
All coaches become very personally involved with their wrestlers and
their teams. They take pride in their accomplishments. The leaders also take
great pride in their work in the development of the male wrestling program.
As well they should. They have done a great job. Their reluctance to begin
planning for a girl's program calls their motives into question. Why is
there such a reluctance to listen to facts and reason? It now obvious to me that
this struggle could continue well beyond my daughter's high school years.
I will be here for the duration of this struggle.
Members ask me to make a proposal for a
state tournament. If the CIF committee does not commission such a study, they
can just sit back and shoot holes in any proposal. I defer to the committee
on this issue. They have the expertise and the experience to run a first
class event, but it is evident the motivation is not there. The expertise
that I and the other coaches of girls programs have is the knowledge of the
competitors after several years of running girls tournaments and being
involved in coaching females at the national and international level. We
can support the committee with specific recommendations on weights, weigh ins,
where the wrestlers are, how to market the program, etc. Many of us maintain
data bases of current competitors, coaches, support personnel and role
models to use for promoting the program.
One of the reasons many of the coaches, parents,
and even the female wrestlers do not value the girls program is because
there has been no concerted effort to feature the girls program as a
valued form of competition. That is why we have this "hidden"
majority. All effort and energy goes into the boy's program. That is why the
CIF must move foreword with a plan to begin a girls state. We need a program
that will provide a direction for the female wrestlers of California to
emulate and identify with other female wrestlers.
Because the top female wrestlers are not featured
or recognized by the CIF, the female wrestlers emulate the male wrestlers
as role models. I see girls strutting like males, taking on the gestures and
mannerisms of males, celebrating like the males and it is not very
attractive. Girls are even expected to wear a low cut singlet like the males. The
coverage is not adequate. The exhibition matches in 03 are supposed to
suffice. Our women's program in California is well beyond exhibition matches. It
seems like starting over again. There could very well be a California girl from
this current crop of wrestlers on the 2004 Olympic Team or future Olympic
teams. I am concerned that these exhibition matches will
not put our best female wrestlers on the mat in front of all those fans. That
would put our girl's program in a bad light. That is why is I suggest that
we have a north Vs south format. These girls are used to competing with
one another. A healthy north south rivalry already exists in the girls
program. This would be a competition wrestlers, coaches, parents and fans could
rally behind. If you rely on local wrestlers from the Stockton area you
won't find many female wrestlers. The valley is not well represented by
female wrestling. The strength of the programs are in the Metro areas north
and south. We have well established invitational tournaments that could be
utilized as selection tournaments. Coaches involved with coaching and
developing girls wrestling programs could work with members of the committee and
come up with a method of selection for a north Vs south dual meet at the
state tournament in 03. Once again I invite the CIF committee to visit one
of the 7 or 8 girls tournaments we will have in 2002-2003. You will be
impressed by the skill, the intensity, and the fan support demonstrated. But
be prepared. You may have to shed some preconceived notions about women
wrestlers and the girl's program.

Lee Allen

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TheMat.com interview with Sara McMann, the 2002 U.S. Nationals women's freestyle champion at 63 k.g

6/10/2002
Catherine Quatman/TheMat.com

Sara McMann is ready to make the next step. She has been on the last two World Teams, but is yet to win a World medal.

McMann has nearly dominated her U.S. competition over the past three years, winning a national title every year since 2000. She has also captured three University Nationals titles in that time period.

TheMat.com spoke with McMann about her training and what she has done to take that next step.

TheMat.com: You have competed in two World Championships and not yet won a medal. What have you done to improve and take the next step at that level?
McMann: The past two years I have kind of gone out there really excited and worked up. I just had so much adrenaline that I did too much. Like I was stuck in quicksand, it seemed the more I fought, the more I tried, the harder I went, the worse it got for me. In talking with different sports psychologists, I have learned to find different things to focus on that are in my zone - where I wrestle best. I have been working everyday at practice on trying to get to that zone so that I will be able to recreate that state of mind when I am at the World Team Trials and hopefully the World Championships.

TheMat.com: How has training with the Lock Haven's men's team helped you in your development as a wrestler?
McMann: I think it has been one of the most significant changes I have ever gone through. Along with the rise in expectations I am surrounded by people everyday who are completely focused on technique and winning. All of the guys and coaches are completely dedicated and have pushed me to become a better wrestler. Not only that but the wrestling community at Lock Haven is like a family. The president of the University, the alumni, and the boosters are really supportive. All of it has really helped boost my confidence.

TheMat.com: You are competing at an Olympic weight class, and a number of athletes have moved into your class to challenge you. How tough is your division now, and what are you doing to keep the edge on the opponents?
McMann: I think my division has gotten a lot tougher. There are some girls that are coming up in my weight class, working harder and really coming after me. Kristie Stenglein has dropped down from 149 and is a really tough wrestler. Everyday I try to prepare for my best opponent. I am not only training to beat the best in the World, or even the best in the U.S., but the female wrestlers of the future. Rather than completely focusing on my opponents, most of the time I think about just competing within myself. Getting that shot a little bit quicker, getting my gut wrench a little tighter, driving a little harder so that I can be my personal best.

TheMat.com: Who have been the biggest influences in your career?
McMann: I think the biggest influence in my life has been God. Since I have become a Christian, a lot of things in wrestling and in my life have really opened up. Also, my family and network of friends who supported and cared for me even before I became successful in wrestling.

TheMat.com: What do you consider are some of your wrestling strengths and weaknesses?
McMann: I think one of my strengths is my attention for detail. When I learn a move, I learn it thoroughly so that I can hit it in a match exactly the way it is supposed to be hit. One of the hardest things for me that I am working to overcome, though, is the fact that I have a lot of energy. International competition is actually a lot more laid back. I need to work more off of my opponents' mistakes because most of the time my defense can score a lot more than my offense.

TheMat.com: As the World Team Trials are drawing near, what is your daily training schedule like?
McMann: Usually we have a morning practice where we go over technique and do individual drilling. We can utilize all of the coaches that are there and they help us work on various things that we want to improve. Twice a week we also have morning lifting sessions. In the afternoons we come in and do some live drills and hard conditioning. As we get closer to the Trials, the practices have been shorter but more intense.

TheMat.com: What do you believe has been the most satisfying or significant win in your wrestling career?
McMann: Earlier this year I won the Klippan Lady's Open by pinning an opponent who had beaten me in a previous year. But I think it was even more gratifying in the semi-final round when I was down 7-1 and ended up pinning my opponent with very little time left. It wasn't my prettiest match by far, but to come back from such a large deficit against a girl who was third in the World was a significant gain for me.

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2002 World Team Trials preview for 63 kg in women's freestyle wrestling

6/10/2002
Catherine Quatman/TheMat.com

The top athlete in this weight division for three straight seasons has been Sara McMann of the Sunkist Kids. McMann, who is graduating from Lock Haven Univ., has been very active and consistent since moving up to this class a few years ago. McMann has the skill and work ethic to become an international star. She has captured three straight U.S. Nationals title, and been on two straight U.S. World Teams. McMann has yet to win a medal at the World Championships, but will have to be at her best just to earn a position on this year’s U.S. World Team.

She may have had her toughest U.S. finals opponent this year when she defeated Kristie Stenglein-Marano of ATWA in the gold-medal finals. Marano is one of the greatest women wrestlers in American history. She boasts five World medals, a 2000 World gold medal at 149.75 pounds and four World silver medals at 165.5 pounds. Marano is in tremendous shape and has dropped to this division, with her eyes on a spot on the first U.S. women’s Olympic team. However, McMann controlled the action in a 7-1 win in Las Vegas, and Marano will have to change the direction of the match if she gets another chance at McMann in Saint Paul.

The unknown factor in this division is 147.5-pound champion Toccara Montgomery of the Sunkist Kids, a World silver medalist last year. Montgomery is now at a non-Olympic weight class, but has set a goal of making the 2004 Olympic team. With Montgomery, the question will continue to be what when class will she choose, and when will she make the move? With her height and build, dropping to 138.5 pounds is a possibility for Montgomery, perhaps as soon as this June in Saint Paul.

Placing third at the U.S. Nationals was Tori Adams of Missouri Valley College, who won a Junior World bronze medal for the United States a year ago. Adams has been one of the best wrestlers on the college scene, and picked up her game at the U.S. Nationals after a few close losses during the season. Placing fourth was veteran Grace Magnussen of the Dave Schultz WC, who had a No. 3 National Team ranking last year. Magnussen wrestled well this year at the Pan American Championships, and followed it up with a solid effort in Las Vegas.

Sally Roberts of Pacific had a big season coming into the spring season, with a pair of wins over Adams earlier in the year. She revived her career this season by enrolling at Pacific Univ., and has shown great improvement. Roberts defeated Tina Arnds of Missouri Valley College in the medal rounds in Las Vegas. Arnds has competed on a national level for the last few years, and is always a tough match for her opponents. Also making the field in the Challenge Tournament was seventh-place Ginele Lee of South Sound, a newcomer out of Washington State.

McMann remains the favorite at this division, and still has some high goals for herself that she has yet to reach. Her win over Marano in the finals in Las Vegas shows that she has the confidence and experience to win against international stars. Marano is new to this weight class, and should be even tougher in her second major event at this lower division. With five World medals in her closet, she is a proven champion with great skills and the ability to peak when it counts. A McMann vs. Marano rematch is no certainty, based upon the quality of the Challenge Tournament and the potential of new athletes who might move into this Olympic weight. Expect heated action in this division from the opening day at the World Team Trials.

63 kg (138.5 lbs.) qualifiers
National champion - Sara McMann, Lock Haven, Pa. (Sunkist Kids)
U.S. Nationals #2 - Kristie Stenglein-Marano, Albany, N.Y. (ATWA)
U.S. Nationals #3 - Tori Adams, Amarillo, Texas (Missouri Valley)
U.S. Nationals #4 - Grace Magnussen, Walnut Creek, Calif. (Dave Schultz WC)
U.S. Nationals #5 - Sally Roberts, Federal Way, Wash. (Pacific)
U.S. Nationals #6 - Tina Arnds, Scottsdale, Ariz. (Missouri Valley)
U.S. Nationals #7 - Ginele Lee, Olympia, Wash. (South Sound)

Women’s Freestyle criteria: 1. Top eight at the 2002 Senior National Championships; 2. Current National Team Member - Top three; 3. Top three Finisher in a FILA A Championship in the past three years, including the Pan Ams, but not Sunkist; 4. 2002 University National Champion; 5. Past World Team Member; 6. 2002 Regional Tournament Champion from the Northeast and Northern Plains Regionals; 7. Medalist at Junior World Championships in the past two years

Note 1: Some athletes qualified in more than one way, although just one is noted in this list.
Note 2: Other wrestlers who meet qualifying criterion may identify themselves, and will be added to this list leading up to the event. Some of the anticipated qualifiers may choose not to attend.

Starting on May 30, TheMat.com will feature a daily interview with one of the 2002 U.S. Nationals champions, as well as a preview of that weight class for the upcoming World Team Trials, set for Saint Paul, Minn., June 21-23. Visit TheMat.com daily to read about America’s best international athletes and learn about the exciting action expected at this year’s World Team Trials.

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REVERSAL: A movie that is a father/son love story set in the exciting
world of high school wrestling.

R E V E R S A L n e w s J u n e 10 ,
2 0 0 2
Thanks again to all the people who have gotten behind this movie,
especially the thousands of you who showed up to see it in Oklahoma City. We
appreciate your support!

Coming Soon To Home DVD / Video!
--------------------------------

We've reached a turning point. After realizing that it would take years
to get Reversal shown in theaters around the country, we've decided to
skip that process and move into the DVD/Video release phase. We plan to
have DVD and VHS copies available to you -- through our Web site -- on
Labor Day (first weekend in September).

The DVDs will be special collectors' editions. You'll get loads of info
and footage from Cael Sanderson, Kurt Angle, Danny Hodge and other star
athletes talking about the movie, as well as about their experiences in
sports -- from childhood through winning the Olympic gold medal!

Here are just a few of the exciting features we are planning:

Commentary
- Jimi Petulla, the film's writer and producer
- Champion Wrestlers
- Kurt Angle (Olympic gold medallist and WWF Star)
- Danny Hodge (boxing / wrestling legend)
- Kendall Cross (Olympic gold medallist)
- Cael Sanderson (undefeated, 4-time NCAA winner)

Actors Showcase
- Danny Mousetis, star, high school wrestling champ
- Justin Spates, star, high school wrestling champ

Nutrition and Training
- Tips from nutrition experts, athletes, and Olympic gold medal winners

We will also have Soundtracks, Movie Posters and more available!

Got ideas for any other DVD extras? We want to know! Write or call with
your suggestions.

What People Are Saying
----------------------

"An important 'must see,' especially for coaches and parents who are
pushing their kids in sports, or any other activity."
-- Cael Sanderson, 4-time NCAA and Undefeated Champion

"A captivating film that not only hits the sports world, but has
something to offer everyone."
-- Cary Kolat, Olympian

Click here to see new video clips of Cael and Cary at our Oklahoma City
Opening:

http://www.reversalthemovie.com/reviews.html

E-mails That Brighten Our Days
------------------------------

After watching your movie with my oldest son, Xavier, I have been able
to talk more with him about his sport and he has opened up to me more.
I was a baseball and basketball player so could not relate to wrestling
very well. He knew that and I think he felt I was not pleased with him.
My obvious enjoyment of the film seemed to bless him and it has been
good for both of us. THANK YOU, you helped bless my family. May the LORD
bless your family richly and open doors for your film to touch others.

Greg Webb
Tulsa, Oklahoma

++++++++++++++++++++

We went to the matinee here on Saturday 20 Apr in Oklahoma City,
Crossroads Regal Cinemas and took my six year old. Yes, he sat through the
whole movie. Wow, what a great movie that tugs on the heartstrings. After
the movie was over one gentleman stood up in the back and clapped for
three minutes. Now that's feedback for ya.

Emails are going out to some of my friends who wrestle in Georgia to
keep an eye open for your movie. They have a son in High school, and they
need to see this.

I hope the slight word I got out about the movie helps! I look forward
to purchasing the DVD and re-showing to my son and myself again in
about seven years. I got to remember not to make another set of mistakes
raising my son.

Sincerely and thanks for an awesome movie,

Bill Jones

Final Notes
-----------

As always, we appreciate your patience as we move through the process
of spreading the word about Reversal, and the noble sport of wrestling.
Thanks again for all your help and kind words!

Sincerely,

Jimi Petulla
Writer/Producer

(310) 780-0791
linkmanager@reversalthemovie.com

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