For many years, girls have had the option of joining a wrestling team at their high schools. Although throughout society and gender norms, it was not always normalized. Whether females were portrayed as weak, or not as physically able as a male, there was always a disadvantage. Competing against boys was not normally accepted. Yet, in our modern day in age, a spike in girls partaking in high school wrestling has continued to grow across the globe.
Female representation over the past years in society has grown. It is valued and important for Antioch to continue this trend as it has become normalized in wrestling. Female wrestlers get the opportunity to compete against boys, although when given the opportunity to wrestle against girls, the pool of females worldwide begins to grow.
For the Sequoits, the wrestling team has taken in female wrestlers since the years of 1992. This winter season there are a total of four female wrestlers new to the program. While there are no returners, these ladies are hungry for competition as they make history for the future of female wrestlers in Antioch.
“I have never had more than three or four [girls] in the program,” head coach Wilbur Borreo said. “I believe it was because they had to compete against the boys. Now I can’t wait to see 30 to 40 girls out for the program. The girls I have coached had great technique and just lacked the muscles to compete against the boys.”
According to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, numerous individuals within many states have agreed that girls are put at an unfair advantage when having to compete against boys. These states are opting to promote more involvement so girls can compete against the same sex.
There is still more room needed for growth as stereotypes within gender are still issues within the sport for these athletes. Just because the sport is in higher demand for male athletes, does not mean female athletes bring just as much strategy, desire and hustle needed for these teams.
“We definitely do not get equally represented in wrestling,” freshman Andy Simonis said. “There aren’t that many girls, even though it seems like there’s been a huge rise in female wrestlers.”
As there is a continuous rise in female wrestlers, the representation will continue to adjust as the years will go on. Adjustment in female sports will change as women make their mark in Sequoit history.
