Tahoma High sophomore Shinelle Bogar practices with wrestling teammate Max Baldwin. Bogar is the first girl to wrestle for the Bears
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Chris Chancellor; The News Tribune 1/24/03
The concept of seeing women competing against men is becoming more familiar among today's sports fans.
Ila Borders was the first woman to start a minor-league baseball game in 1998. On Dec. 25, New Mexico kicker Katie Hnida became the first woman to compete in an NCAA Division I football game when she attempted an extra point against UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.
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Tahoma High sophomore Shinelle Bogar practices with wrestling teammate Max Baldwin. Bogar is the first girl to wrestle for the Bears |
The trend of females competing against males has moved to the high school level, but it's not on the mound or football field.
It's on the mat.
Jim Meyerhoff, assistant executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association, said 64 of the 266 schools that offer wrestling in Washington state schools have at least one girl wrestling.
With the interest level increasing, some would like to see the WIAA sanction girls wrestling.
"It's a situation where it's stuck between a rock and a hard place," Meyerhoff said. "We have girls turned out at different high schools. (But) there's no schools that have enough girls to field an entire team."
Shinelle Boger,one of two female wrestlers at Tahoma High in Maple Valley, would like to see that day come. Boger, a sophomore, said she thinks girls would be more interested in wrestling if the WIAA sanctions the sport.
"I think it would be pretty cool because I know a lot of girls who would like to wrestle," she said.
Boger said one problem is parents who don't want their daughters wrestling against boys.
"A lot of parents won't let their girls wrestle because they think the guys are going to grope them," she said. "Most of the guys don't grope you, but my parents didn't really want me to do this because they didn't really want me rolling around on a mat with a guy."
Boger's teammate, sophomore Amberle Montgomery, has won several awards at the national level since she started wrestling seven years ago. Unlike her teammate, Montgomery doesn't want girls wrestling sanctioned.
"I think they should keep the boys and girls together, because it got me tougher," Montgomery said.
But when girls wrestle guys, there can be some awkwardness - for the guy.
"I think they should have girls wrestling, but girls wrestling girls," said Ira Jarmon, who competes at 171 pounds for Clover Park. "Don't get me wrong. There are girls who can beat guys but if they are wrestling at 125 pounds and up, they get man-handled and losing is no fun.
"This one guy I know, he had to wrestle two girls. I told him to wrestle them like you wrestle me. Don't be too soft on them.
"This is wrestling, wrestle her like the last guy you wrestled. Smack her upside the head."
Tahoma coach Doug Pecha said he thinks Montgomery, who has a 12-5 record this season, is one of the few girls who can compete in boys wrestling.
"She's put in a lot of time," Pecha said. "She's one I think could compete at the state level."
Although Pecha said he would allow his daughters to wrestle if they're interested, he thinks high school girls should be aware of the challenges for female wrestlers.
"It's hard for women to compete at the same level as men," Pecha said, referring to high school wrestling. "I would just make sure she understands what she is getting into."
Pecha said he would like women's wrestling to become sanctioned.
"I think it would (give female wrestlers) a lot more achievable goals," Pecha said. "It's the only other sport with sexes competing each other. I can't think of any other sport that is that way. That would be the turning point, with women competing against women."
Meyerhoff said the WIAA isn't considering sanctioning girls wrestling, but is looking at other options for females interested in the sport.
"We're hoping to see a girls exhibition at the state tournament down the road if the interest continues to increase," Meyerhoff said.
Pecha said he thinks girls wrestling will continue to grow. Unlike other sports traditionally dominated by males, such as football, Pecha said wrestling offers advantages to women.
"You can be 105 or 270 pounds and compete," Pecha said. "In football you're limited. Size tends to be a crucial part of the sport. Women can walk right into a varsity position sometimes and make an impact. It's for every kid, every size."
Montgomery agreed.
"It's a one-on-one deal and whoever wins is the best," Montgomery said. "In football, you could be the best linemen and you wouldn't get the respect."
Montgomery said respect is important because boys can't attribute girls' victories to male teammates like other team-oriented sports.
"I guess we are trying to prove that girls can do it just as well as guys," she said.
Even though Pecha said he would like to see what Montgomery could do against female wrestlers, he hopes to watch her continue to have success against boys.
"I would like to see every other sport with women wrestling women," Pecha said. "But who knows, maybe Amberle will shock everyone by winning at the state tournament."
And maybe have her name mentioned as a trendsetter, along with Borders and Hnida.
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Brampton hosting provincial wrestling finals
1/24/03 TheBramptonGuardian.com
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OHENEWA AKUFFO |
The host Matmen United Wrestling club is counting on a good showing tomorrow as Brampton hosts the Ontario Junior and Senior Freestyle Men's and Women's Wrestling championships and Men's Masters Open beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Brampton Centre for Sports and Entertainment.
The Matmen, based in Brampton and Mississauga is hosting the event along with the Ontario Amateur Wrestling Association.
The meet is expected to attract 200 young male and female competitors from across the province, hoping to qualify for the Ontario teams for the 2003 Canadian Junior championships March 15 to 17 in Fredericton and the 2003 Canadian Senior Championships May 1 to 3 in Saskatoon.
There will be a number of Matmen athletes who are expected to do well at the tournament. That includes Steph Howorun who is only in her second year of wrestling but has already compiled an impressive record.
In her first year she won the Ontario Juvenile Open and the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association (OFSAA) gold medal. She was second at the Ontario Juniors and finished third at the nationals.
Howorun, who is also a national level judo athlete, is hoping to win the provincials and nationals and represent Canada at the worlds.
Frank Mensah, now at the University of Guelph, last year won the provincials and was the national Greco-Roman gold medallist. He was second at the national juniors. He is hoping to defeat his arch rival Shawn Hughes who beat him at the nationals and in the OFSAA final.
Other notable Brampton wrestlers who will be returning from university to compete at home include Teresa Piotrowski, Ohenewa Akuffo, Phil Crouch and Laura Stellato all from the University of Guelph, Patty Courtney from Brock University and David Gradziel from the University of Western Ontario.
Other notable Matmen who are expected to compete are Patrick Okpalugo, OFSAA and provincial juvenile silver medallist last year and Sophie Mancini, Ontario juvenile gold medallist from last season.
The finals at the one-day event are expected to begin at about 4 p.m. and run until 7 p.m.
Spectator admission is free.
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Lina Dzinovic and Tonti Boikanyo
Should women be able to compete in the NCAA sport of wrestling? There are countless numbers of men who are against co-ed wrestling stating that women do not posses the athletic ability, strength, or aggression to wrestle with men. The truth is that the only limiting factor keeping women out of the sport are those stated in Title IX and NCAA.
Women have struggled for many years to create their own identity in the male dominant sport of wrestling. Wrestling began with the early Egyptian and Babylonian civilizations who depict wrestlers using most of the holds known to the present-day sport. In ancient Greece, wrestling occupied a prominent place in legend and literature. Wrestling competitions were and still are brutal in many aspects due to injuries caused during a bout. Around 1928 North Americans developed the collegiate-style wrestling which is practiced in high schools and universities today. In the 1980s women began to wrestle in increasing numbers, and the first women's world championship was held in 1987.
The women's collegiate movement is growing. In 1993, the University of Minnesota-Morris was the first college in the nation to sponsor women's wrestling as an official varsity sport. Since that time women's programs have been developed, and not to mention countless numbers of women who have joined their collegiate men's programs despite the limitations placed on them.
Wrestling is a sport in which two contestants try to force each other's shoulders to the floor, thus scoring a pin and winning the match. Points are awarded for various holds and techniques during the bout, and if neither wrestler can pin the other within the time limit, the competitor with the most points wins. Wrestlers compete in weight classes, which ensure that opponents are approximately the same size and weight. More often than not technique wins over strength. Therefore, overpowering your opponent does not assure victory. All wrestling matches are supervised by officials, who enforce the rules. There are plenty of well conditioned female athlete with technical skills that can handle the high intensity demand of wrestling with males. In fact in the United States, there are over 2,000 females wrestling males at the high school level. Until recent years, women have not competed against other women in the sport of wrestling. In the past, young women have often competed against males on the club and high school level. The skill, the technique, the hunger for victory, and the enthusiasm are no different in women than in men. Collegiate and high school wrestling rules are more similar then different, yet women are denied participation in college. They are only allowed to wrestle in tournaments if the male opponent agrees. The interesting fact is that during high school, which is a period of raging hormones and immaturity, males and females are allowed to wrestle against each other competitively. In high school girls are permitted to represent their school in their weight class. On the contrary, in college women are only allowed to practice with their team and wear the team practice gear. All tournaments for which they compete, are individual, and if an opposing league team has another woman then their match is ruled an exhibition. This kind of treatment demoralizes the women who attend every practice, and put forth 110%, some surpassing their male counterparts, and still are not given the opportunity to represent their school in a positive manner. The glass ceiling that is holding women down in this sport is directly attained from rules made by predominantly male lawmakers. These rules are set forth to satisfy women with achieving an unessential goal instead of the immense objective.
As stated in Title IX, "no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, be treated differently from another person or otherwise be discriminated against in any interscholastic, intercollegiate, club or intramural athletics offered by a recipient, and no recipient shall provide any such athletics separately on such basis." This sentence alone gives the impression that women are or should be allowed to participate in all collegiate sports.
Title IX further states that, "A recipient may operate or sponsor separate teams for members of each sex where selection for such teams is based upon competitive skill or the activity involved is a contact sport. However, where a recipient operates or sponsors a team in a particular sport for members of one sex but operates or sponsors no such team for members of the other sex, and athletic opportunities for members of that sex have previously been limited, members of the excluded sex must be allowed to try-out for the team offered unless the sport involved is a contact sport. For the purpose of this part, contact sports include boxing, wrestling, rugby, ice hockey, football, basketball and other sports the purpose of major activity of which involves bodily contact." This paragraph contradicts the prior paragraph by saying, no one should be excluded on the basis of sex and then altering their decision by listing sports which are permitted to exclude women. If lawmakers will continue to state, "no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation," they need stay consistant with every sport. This is not to say that Title IX is unjust, but it is certainly not sufficient.
It is just a matter of time before wrestling will be an accepted sport like ice hockey, karate, and judo. At the collegiate level women's wrestling is an ideal choice for creating new opportunities for women. In fact, women's wrestling fits the NCAA criteria for emerging sports programs yet it has not been sponsored as a NCAA sponsored sport. Women's wrestling, as with most sports that are not traditionally contested by females, needs pioneers to challenge the system. Those pioneers already exsist at the colligate level. The only thing missing is the support and backing from politicians who are able to push forth legislation to make the necessary changes. That support could turn into NCAA sponsorship, but not before more teams are formed at the
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53% YES:
47% NO:
"Yes. My son just recently completed his first year of wrestling for his high school and they had several female wrestlers on their team...I feel that these girls have every right to be a part of the team as the males do..the males on this team have the utmost respect for their female teammates but trust me these girls have taken all kinds of sexist remarks from males from other teams...a lot of those guys snicker and assume that they can beat these girls because they are "girls"...trust me u don't want to underestimate these young ladies....I have all of the confidence and respect in the world for these ladies. The girls on our high school team practice and compete with guys and with other females only. I would love to give more of my input regarding this subject.... Where is it written that if you play certain sports then you can't also be a lady?"
- Julia Stanley / North Highlands, CA
"Yes. This is ludicrous, I wrestled against a couple of girls in high school 13 or so yrs ago @ hiram Johnson and have sinced a couple of girls on Jr. high scool teams (Barrot Middle School)and the only argument was if the girl wants to wrestle with the boys than she shouldn't expect to be treated any differently then the boy's physically or mentally For a University Like UCD to remove Coach Burch from the Team for those reasons is unbeliveable, Especially seeing as though about 5 years ago UCD had a female Wrestler that was making headlines and they had no problem with it at that time."
- Jo Jo Jaquez / Sacramento, CA
"Yes. Women should be and will be "allowed" to participate in everything men get to do. It's called equality. Wrestling is just another activity women have to fight to have the right to engage in."
- Seana Martinez / Cameron Park, CA
"No. I would not want my daughter to wrestle boys or girls. What's the matter with tennis?"
- Y Zepeda / Elk Grove, CA
"Yes. From being a current High School Wrestler myself I have known women to be excellent Wrestlers. I believe a woman should be able to compete in wrestling. It is a sport and everyone who feels comfortable competeing in it should have the chance to."
- Joshua James / Modesto, CA
"No. Men and Women are build different, in case you haven't noticed. It is too unfair to both sides to be mixed since it is a sport of physical strength and very close body contact. Especially in school, how is the guy going to feel when he grabs the womans breast or crotch,even by accident, which happens . When it is same sex both can laugh it off."
- Floyd Knapp / Placerville, CA
"NO! Women by no means should be allowed to wrestle with men! What is this world coming too anyway? Let men have their sports! Don't women know when to quit while they're ahead? We were not created physically equal, o.k.!"
- San J Rangel / Sacramento, CA
"No. However, it would be more interesting to watch if it were coed. There is something odd about places of higher education encouraging and subsidizing scantily-dressed young men to roll around on the floor and grope other men into homo-erotic submissive positions in public arenas before crowds of cheering classmates and alumni. What's amazing is that they often get scholarships for doing this, but young women who work their way through college mud-wrestling at strip bars are vilified. Go figure. Let the ladies 'rassle, I say."
- Nicholas von Teck, USN (Ret.) / Delhi, CA
"Yes. Last year a girl from ST. Francis High school compeated on the mens wrestling team at Jesuit High. She did very well and had good standings in the metro league."
- Jeremiah Garcia / Rio Linda, CA
"Yes. Any sport is a co-ed sport. If there are women's teams then that's fine, but if there is only a men's team then it should really be a co-ed team. The athletic department stated insurance and liability as reasons, I would like to know the specifics. No one should be discriminated against, no matter what excuse."
- Katie Dawson / Sacramento, CA
"Yes. I think that in the politicly correct world we believe we live in, if she wants to and shows that she can, then she should be allowed to."
- Mike / Oakdale, CA
"Yes. I think wrestling should be able to be co-ed just as any other sport they should have men and women teams and their co-eds and if he/she feels confident to go co-ed then why not."
- Brenda / Yuba City, CA
"Yes. Women should recieve equal opportunities to participate in the sport of their chose, be it wrestling or cheerleading. If the school does not offer them their own seperate teams, there should be no excuse to exclude them from making it a coed team."
- Kalena Plath / Manteca, CA
"No. I do not think that wrestling should be a co-ed sport. The reason being is because if women could join MEN'S wrestling then men could join WOMEN's sports."
- Phuong Vu / Sacramento, CA
"Yes. Academic pursuits as well as athletic training and competition opportunities must be availible to all students regardless of gender. It's time for college coaches and administrators to wake up and abide by Title IX Federal law and State statutes that ensure equal funding and access for male and female students in co-ed activities which have been considered 'non-traditional' in the past."
- Jennifer Hill / Woodland, CA
"No. Demands to be treated like a "man" should come at a cost. Is this women prepared to have her daughter fight in war one day. Has this women ever talked to a mom who has lost their son in war? Get over it!"
- Virginia / Sacramento, CA
"Yes. Of course!!! It's not fair that girls can't play some sports. At my school, our wrestling team is co-ed, and the girls are all happy w/ that."
- Kassi Russell / Citrus Heights, CA
"Yes. At my high school we had about 3 girls on the wrestling team, and they did everything we did, train, participated in matches and tournaments, etc. Other schools we visited usually had a girl on their team.Sometimes the girls would pin the boys.So ,yes, I would agree that wrestling is a co-ed sport!"
- Anthony Avila / Patterson, CA
"No. The only arena of 'co-ed wrestling' should be left in the WWF. Leave it to the Independant Wacko Republic of Davis to come up with a gender basis suit like this. The minute a male touches her private areas during a match, there will be a sexual assualt charge. What is this world thinking?"
- Steve K / Sacramento, CA
"Yes. As long as people of the same sex wrestle. I just don't think a man hitting a woman is right, even if it is just a sport. There needs to be teams for one gender each."
- Jeremy Busto / Modesto, CA
"Yes. Title IX forces high schools to make sports teams friendly to both genders--why shouldn't universities be held to the same standards?"
- Heather / Davis, CA
"Yes. Oh come on! Time for those old fogies to get with the times. Women play competitive basketball, baseball, football, soccer and judo among others. Why not wrestle? I compete in Olympic Weightlifting and am seriously considering competing in freestyle wrestling. Women have the right vote and to serve our country, we also deserve the right to compete in any sport they choose."
- Veronica / Sacramento, CA
"No, If women want to they can form their own teams. Just because a few want to do it dosent mean they can join the men. Somethings are just not right, and this is one of them."
- H.S. / Stockton, CA
"No, I think it should be left to the men. Women do not belong in the wrestling arena and certainly not with the opposite sex. If it is allowed to continue, then we will see more sex related lawsuits because the women are touched in places that they should realize that they will be touched in. Ladies, get a life in another sport. There are many more out there to choose from."
- Jana Everitt / Granite Bay, CA
"No. I have no problem with women wrestlers, wrestling each other. I would not want to wrestle a woman. can a man be forced to wrestle a woman? Can a woman be forced to wrestle a man? If not, maybe the best thing to do is eliminate all sports in the public school system and let them do without."
- James Pilkington / Sonora, CA
"Yes. Sure if the women want to get beat and have their bodies handled by men,let them."
- Ken Stears / Citrus Heights, CA
"Yes. If they're equally matched why not? Drop the "crush his self-esteem if he gets beat by a girl" theory because we all know that's BS. What difference does it make who beats who? Just a note to all the womens and equal rights activists out there--This is your time to shine!"
- Michael Coleman / Sacramento, CA
"No. I suppose if women want to wrestle men why not? On the other hand it really is not a co-ed sport men are stronger than women and I can see the insurance issue and it being a problem. Why would women want to wrestle men? To prove they are macho and can beat a man at his own sport? I see no reason for the co-ed because the first time a woman complains being injured by a man they will make a dramatic issue of it and a law suit."
- Bev Burke / Vacaville, CA
"Yes. I beleive it is. The males on the team or the opposing teams don't have to wrestle them, they only wrestle females. It is just like anyother sport were females go against females but there is more contact."
- Cassandra / Stockton, CA
"No. I'm sorrry, but we just aren't built the same. I don't think I need to say more. I believe that an equal amount of funding should be spent for both genders."
- David A. Simpson / Elk Grove, CA
"Yes, because people are created equaly and every one should be treated equal. If a girl or woman is not permited to do the same as a male or boy is to then that sport and/or actvity should not take place period."
- Mike Hausauer / Acampo, CA
