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Wrestler on front line of battle of sexes
2/8/03
By DAN SHIELLS
NEWS-PRESS SPORTS WRITER
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In her first year at Dos Pueblos High School, Jennifer Hodson has become something of a heartbreaker.
But not in the usual way.
Hodson, a junior transfer from Newbury Park, has a 15-6 record wrestling at 114 pounds with the Chargers' junior varsity.
"She's pinned 10 of those guys," noted assistant coach Pat Compton. "You should see the gym when that happens. It gets real quiet. Everyone just kind of goes, ÔWhoa.'Ê"
The only sound, in fact, may be the crushing of the male ego of the defeated wrestler.
"Some guys do get upset," conceded Hodson. "I've made a couple of them cry."
Hodson got a chance to wrestle against girls last weekend in a CIF-sanctioned tournament in Vallejo that is considered, essentially, to be a state championship for girls.
She went 5-2 and finished fifth.
"It was my first time wrestling against girls," said Hodson. "It's different. My best moves are the barbed wire and the cradle and they work better on guys. Girls are more flexible. They're harder to flip.
"It's easier for a girl to get an escape, so you end up standing up a lot more," she added. "But I learned to adjust to it."
Hodson started out as a basketball player at Newbury Park but it didn't click for her.
"I didn't like the girls on the team," she said. "I wanted to try soccer but they had a rule about going out late for the team. The wrestling coach said I could give it a try."
Wrestling, though essentially a male sport, is technically considered co-ed at the high school level. There are a few selected tournaments during the year which are for girls and there are a growing number of participants. The event in Vallejo included roughly 250 girls.
Hodson admits that other girls are surprised when they hear she is on the wrestling team.
"They think it's weird," she said. "But I'm kind of new here and I don't have many girlfriends. I mostly hang out with the guys.
"I like being in an individual sport," she added. "I didn't like the gossip and the fussing that girls do when they're on a team."
Being the only, but not the first, girl on the Charger team Hodson had to earn the respect of her teammates -- no easy task in a program filled with boys capable of challenging for league and tournament titles.
But Hodson quickly won both respect and a position in the JV starting lineup with her work ethic.
"She's tough; I remember seeing her wrestle last year for Newbury Park and I was impressed," said 142-pounder K.
C. Feeley, one of the team's top wrestlers. "She works really hard. Some people think she's doing this just to be out here but that's not true at all. She's earned everything she's done."
Hodson's season concludes today with the Channel League tournament at Ventura.
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Beneath the Armor of an Athlete: Real Strength on the Wrestling Mat
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Beneath the Armor of an Athlete is the story of women's freestyle wrestling from the unique point of view of one of the wrestlers. While many sports books contribute to a reader’s athletic development, this book also focuses on the private, personal development of the athlete. Specifically, this book suggests that athletes can use their unique competitive experiences to uncover thoughts and behaviors that may be hindering their growth as human beings.
Beneath the Armor of an Athlete illustrates this development through the story of a female Olympic Freestyle wrestler. Her love for the sport and striving for success expose her to rare challenges, all of which introduce new experiences in her life. From all-male wrestling camps and tournaments to the competitive ranks of national and international women’s freestyle wrestling, this athlete learns that her sport is the gateway to learning more about who she really is and what she is capable of becoming.
From the Preface:
Several years ago, I would have viewed the future only in terms of my sport: freestyle wrestling. I would have shared my detailed to obtain a national championship with those who asked, and when I did, I would not have mentioned any other goals, because I did not have any. My sole ambition in life was to be the best wrestler I could be.
Fundamentally, I believe that’s okay. Anyone who has ever chased a challenge knows that unwavering commitment is vital to the process. But while my commitment to wrestling focused me on one level, I allowed it to misguide me on other levels. My commitment often cost my physical health, my better judgment, and sometimes, even my morals. I became reckless in pursuit of achievement.
Year after year, though, I minimized the consequences of my behavior, not the least of which included selfishness and difficulty maintaining relationships. Instead, I stayed focused on wrestling. In particular, I stayed focused on conquering the intense competition anxiety that plagued me. It wasn’t until later that I made the connection between the anxiety and the issues I had avoided all along: I really had very little idea who I was underneath it all, who I really wanted to be, and I lacked confidence. I was tough on the outside but often vulnerable on the inside. Finally, after a wrestling tournament one day, I was hit broadside with my own denial – I had no idea why I was participating in sports anymore.
If I ever wanted to see a wrestling mat again, I knew I had to address some difficult issues, including redefining myself and rediscovering some lost confidence. It was often uncomfortable, but it was necessary, and eventually I returned to sports for the right reasons. I hope this book encourages you, or another athlete you care about, to do the same.
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Falcon Wrestler Pins Her Hopes On A National Title
By John Barlow 2/9/03
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In less than two years, L.J. Van Weib has emerged as one of the top wrestlers in Canada -- by the way, she's a girl.
Van Weib, a Grade 10 student at the Alberta High School of Fine Arts, has dominated her competition this season winning gold in every event including the Michael King Memorial tournament in High River last weekend.
The 15-year-old was a bronze medalist at nationals last year in the cadet/juvenile division and has her eyes set on another provincial championship this season.
'I have a passion for wrestling,' said Van Weib who anchors the Falcons' first-year wrestling program. 'It is like I was meant to do this.'
Van Weib looked like she was born in a singlet last weekend as she cruised through the 47 kilogram division in High River.
Despite breaking a finger in her first match on Friday, she did not have a point scored against her on her way to the gold.
In Grade 6, Van Weib saw the boys wrestling and wanted to give it a try.
Because there were not any school wrestling teams, especially for girls, Van Weib started wrestling for a club team in Calgary, King of the Mat.
In her first few practices it was evident Van Weib was something special.
'She certainly has potential,' said Tyree McCrackin, Van Weib's coach at Foothills Composite High School (FCHS). 'She is a good wrestler.'
But for Van Weib, she wants to be a great wrestler.
The personable teenager is known for being quite aggressive once she gets on the mat and works the gut wrench and leg ride better than almost any wrestler.
'I have learned so much so fast, but I want to keep improving,' she said.
Van Weib has her sites set high as she hopes for a shot at a national title and an opportunity to represent Canada at the World Championships.
Prior to that, she hopes to help FCHS build a strong wrestling program and get more females involved in the sport.
'It is not a sport for everyone,' admits the Calgarian. 'If you win it is no one's accomplishment but your own. If you lose, you have no one to blame but yourself.'
Michael King results
Stephen Hurst won bronze in the 47 kilogram division for his first medal of the season.
Placing fifth were Felipe Molina (63 kilograms), John Campacci (heavyweight) and Ken Bell (108 kilograms).
Bell lost three teeth in one match, but completed the bout then wrestled three more matches.
The Falcons' next action are the rural provincials in High Level Feb. 12-13.
Anyone interested in sponsoring the Falcons' trip to High Prairie can contact FCHS at 938-6116. High River hosts provincials Feb. 26-27.
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Submitted by: MCB Quantico 2/8/03
Story by Sgt. Daryl G. Sanford
Cpl. Miriam Jenkins, a Gainesville, Fla., native, has the goal to be one of the top female wrestlers in the world, and dreams of being one of the first female wrestlers to compete in the Olympics in 2006. Photo by: Sgt. Daryl G. Sanford |
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(March 8 , 2002) -- Last year, when Cpl. Miriam Jenkins stepped onto the mat at the Marine Corps Wrestling Camp, she was one of the first female Marines to try out for the team. This year, however, she alone represents her gender on the crimson and gold wrestling mat. But that doesn't bother her. In fact, she looks forward to the challenge.
"I am physically and mentally strong-er than I was last year, and I really fine-tuned my skills," she said.
Jenkins, a Gainesville, Fla., native, has the goal to be one of the top female wrestlers in the world, and dreams of being one of the first female wrestlers to compete in the Olympics in 2006. She has had this feeling ever since she began wrestling as a freshman at Gainesville High School.
Before she began wrestling, Jenkins never really excelled at any sport. She was never the couch potato, however. As the fifth of nine children raised by a single mother, money was always tight. She never had the luxury of playing video games as a child, and she didn't just sit around watching television all day. The two oldest children were boys, and when they went out to play neighborhood football games, or other sports, all the children followed. They also used their imaginations.
"Everywhere we went, it seemed that there were woods around," she said. "And we would always play in the woods. I would usually imagine that I was on an African safari. We grew up using sticks as our toys and acted out our video games. It wasn't a big thing for us. We had more fun doing that than anything else."
When she was a freshman, she was looking for something to do between the marching band season in the fall and track in the spring. That's when she decided to wrestle. Although she wasn't the first female on her team, she was the first to immediately win a spot on the varsity squad. At that time, there weren't separate weight classes for women. They had to compete in the same classes as the young men.
Her first varsity match proved to be a memorable one.
"In my first varsity wrestling match, I made it all the way to the finals," Jenkins recalls. "I remember the boy I wrestled. He was a senior, the captain of his small-town team and celebrating his birthday. When I won, they were calling me all kinds of names, but it wasn't a race issue. It was the fact that I was a girl, and I beat him."
Although her school praised her for weeks following her first victory, many of the other schools didn't take her wrestling seriously. In fact, she didn't either until the following year.
"Just before my sophomore year, my mother moved and that put me in a different school zone," she said. "But, I wanted to continue to wrestle for Gainesville High School."
She filed for a zoning exception, and after a little work, she got it, but was required to sit out one semester of competition. Although she couldn't compete, Jenkins didn't miss a practice or the opportunity to cheer on her teammates.
"It was a big eye opener when someone told me I couldn't wrestle," she said. "But I still worked hard at every practice and showed up at every meet to let everybody else know I wasn't out of the picture. In my junior year, I dove right in."
In her junior year, she again started with the varsity team and finished in fourth place in the regionals; one match away from qualifying for state tournament. She vowed to make it to state her senior year, and she did. She also made another decision in her junior year. While attending 1998 World Team Trials, Jenkins spied the Marine Corps Wrestling Team watching a match.
"At that time I didn't know the Marines had a wrestling team, and I remember thinking 'my recruiter never told me that,'" she said. Although she had already made the decision to join the Corps, seeing the Marines at that match helped to strengthen her decision.
She finished her senior year with a 35-17 record, won her district championship and came in second in her region. She finished eighth overall in the 103-pound weight class in the 1999 Florida State finals.
At the end of her high school wrestling career, she began to earn the respect of other schools and wrestling club coaches in her district. Although they didn't like her at first, they grew to respect her.
"They realized I was in the sport because I loved it, not because I wanted the attention," she said.
Soon after graduation, Jenkins joined the Marine Corps. She graduated boot camp, earned her bulk fuel specialist military occupational specialist and was transferred to Okinawa, Japan, for her first duty station. Soon after she got there, she competed in two wrestling competitions and placed in the top three at both. Deployments kept her from other tournaments, but after her year tour was up, she transferred to her current duty station at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and immediately left to join the All-Marine Wrestling Camp in late January 2001.
She stayed with the team for a few months after the trials, but when the University National competition was over in July, she returned to Camp Pendleton, and immediately joined the base wrestling team. She continued to practice the skills she learned while at the All-Marine Camp.
"One thing about wrestling is that you don't have to rely on strength to win," she said. "You can be wrestling someone who is a lot stronger than you, but it doesn't mean that they will win. Sure, they can pick me up, but I know at least three ways to get out of it."
This year, her goal it to start down a path that will take her to the Olympics, where she plans on waving her American and Marine Corps flags on the podium.
"My goal is to be an Olympic champion," she said simply. "If I don't make it this time, you can sure bet you will continue to see me. As long as I can continue to wrestle, I will be out there, working my way to Olympic gold."
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Female wrestler goes 4-1 at NOL dual meet
By John Montgomery
Sports Writer 1/19/03
jmontgomery@advertiser-tribune.com
NORWALK -- By the way the fans and wrestlers were screaming, you'd have thought a state title was on the line.
It wasn't, and the only line in sight was the one Jen Hicks stepped over.
With the chant "Let's go Jen! Let's go Jen!" echoing off the gym walls at Norwalk, Hicks earned her second contested varsity win of her career Saturday by rallying past Galion's Mark McClure 13-12 at the Northern Ohio Duals.
Her first contest varsity win came Friday by a 7-3 margin against Upper Sandusky's Joe Rowland. She also claimed a forfeit win Friday against Columbian and another Saturday against Shelby before getting pinned by Willard's Zack Robinson (2:30) on Saturday.
But that didn't take any of the excitement away from her two wins.
Friday, she rallied past Rowland by scoring reversals and escapes to bring the stands to life, not to mention her teammates.
"It was cool because my team was so pumped up after that," said the 4-foot-10, 98-pound sophomore.
Bellevue finished the duals with a 7-0 mark, but much of the spotlight fell on Hicks Saturday as fans chanted her on to victory No. 2.
She trailed early, after McClure used his upper body strength advantage to score takedowns and backpoints. But like Friday, Hicks roared back with the help of her lower body strength.
"Working out from the bottom, I do that my hardest, even when I'm on top. I try to keep them down and get a pin," she said.
A flurry of reversals, escapes and takedowns by both wrestlers kept the action close and fans pumped.
The pin proved elusive, but with the fans chanting her on, Hicks slipped past McClure for the win.
"It made me want to work harder. I tried to get a pin, but he kept wiggling out," she said.
Hicks got her shot at a win Friday when coach Jim DePolo bumped regular 103-pounder Josh Heath up to 112, leaving a spot open for her. DePolo had planned to wrestle her against Rowland, he had no choice on Saturday because Heath came down sick after Friday night's action.
Not that the talent dropped off that much with her in there. Hicks claimed her weight class of the Ohio Girls State Tournament last year.
"She wrestled well. She's not real big, she's a small '3' and we were looking at scouting because I don't want to put her in a position where she'll get hurt. We thought she could beat [Rowland], and she did," DePolo said.
"She's placed high in every JV tournament. She can't beat our varsity guy, but we don't have a 112 so we have two '3-pounders' so we're going to try to bump him up when it's too our advantage."
Her hope for a perfect run at the duals -- she also claimed two forfeit wins for the Bellevue -- ended in the pin to Robinson, but DePolo had no complaints.
"She's fundamentally really solid. She's got good technique and good balance and she doesn't tire," DePolo said.
"Obviously, being a girl and being that small, she gives away a lot of shoulder strength, and that kid [Robinson] was a little too big for her. But she's a competitor."
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Maribeth Grim
By Staff report 2/3/03
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Maribeth Grim stands alone in the Bethel High School history books.
On Saturday, Grim became the only athlete in Bethel history to win a state title in any sport. The Jaguars wrestler took the 100-pound title at the girls state championship, which was held at Vallejo High School.
For her accomplishment, Grim is this week's VallejoNews.com Athlete of the Week.
"Maribeth wrestled really tough," Bethel coach Mike Soriano said following the win. "She's been winning every tournament that she's been in at 100s."
Grim breezed by the competition in her weight class, picking up four wins without a single loss, including a 4-0 win over Catherine Fulp-Allen of Half Moon Bay in the championship match to win the state title at 100s. Grim had lost twice to Fulp-Allen in previous matches, which made the accomplishment even more gratifying.
"She knew she was capable of beating her," Soriano said. "She was very proud of herself. She knew she did a really good job."
Grim and the Jaguars will finish up the Monticello Empire League II dual season on Wednesday with a home match against Vintage. The team will then prepare for the MEL individual tournament, which begins with the junior varsity tournament on Feb. 14. The varsity championships will be held on Feb. 15. Both will be held at Benicia High School's Panther Pavilion.
