The total number of girls participating in wrestling has grown nationally for 29 straight years.
While that has included the wrestling-rich state of Pennsylvania, the past 12 months have seen the Commonwealth gain even more steam on that front, with a number of girls varsity programs having formed alongside their boys' teams.
Early last year, a task force (of which I am part of) made up of coaches, school administrators, wrestling parents, and other wrestling representatives was formed with the ultimate goal of sanctioning the sport in Pennsylvania, meaning that the PIAA would recognize girls wrestling as an official sport and thus hold a state tournament.
Currently, PIAA by-laws state that 100 varsity teams must be formed to have the sport be considered for sanctioning. In mid-March of 2020, Lancaster's J.P. McCaskey became the first school to start a girls varsity program. Even with Covid-19 causing so many issues as we all know, that decision opened the gates for others to follow. In order, Easton (District 11), Executive Education Academy (District 11), North Allegheny (District 7), Central Mountain (District 6), Governor Mifflin (District 3), Annville-Cleona (District 3), Gettysburg (District 3), and Brandywine Heights (District 3) have all formed girls teams.
"Within the first six months of our initiative, and during a pandemic, eight teams (Brandywine Heights since) formed and many more have expressed significant interest," said Brooke Zumas, who is the chairperson of SanctionPA and a creator of the task force. "The fact that this was achieved when schools were shut down, school board meetings were virtual, and many schools halted funding speaks to the momentum and support that girls wrestling has across our state."
Zumas, who coaches girls in wrestling at Parkland High School near Allentown, knew the effort could seem daunting at first, thus the task force was born.
"In Pennsylvania, we saw a need to work collaboratively to continue to grow the sport and work towards sanctioning," she said. "As a group, we're focused on advocacy and education, especially educating coaches and schools about girls wrestling and helping schools to form teams."
The idea of a girls wrestling team was an easy sell to the powers that be at Central Mountain, which announced its program was a go in early September.
"Our school district and community were very supportive of sponsoring a girls wrestling program from the very beginning," said Wildcats' head coach Biff Walizer. "Our director of athletics, superintendent, principals, Central Mountain wrestling booster club, and school board members were all eager to have one of the first sponsored programs in the state, and to help lead the charge in getting girls wrestling officially sanctioned by the PIAA."
Just prior to the beginning of the 2020-21 high school boys season, the task force rolled out a new initiative, #4GirlsWrestling, as a hopeful way to increase overall numbers among the girls. The goal is to get as many schools as possible to have at least four girls competing on the wrestling team.
But regardless of how its being done, girls wrestling is increasing exponentially. Zumas reports that 295 girls were listed on official rosters this year, including 41 freshmen that were part of a boys junior high team. That number is up from 229 last season.
Girls tournaments across the state have taken place nearly every weekend for the last few months, and upcoming events include a PAUSAW (Pennsylvania USA Wrestling) sponsored state tournament on March 21 at the Spooky Nook complex in Lancaster.
Locally in Bedford County, all of the school districts that have boys teams had at least one girl on a junior high or varsity roster. That includes Northern Bedford, where a strong girls wrestling club is already in place, making the Loysburg school a potential groundbreaker at some point for the first junior high or varsity girls program in this area.
Jordyn Fouse, an eighth-grader at Northern Bedford, will be a name to know for the next few years in boys or girls wrestling on the local scene. Having competed since she was 5 years old, it didn't take long for her to love the sport.
"I have always looked up to my brother (Alex, a three-year varsity starter, now wrestling at Shippensburg University), and when I saw that he was doing it, I knew I had to," she said. "So I quit dance after two weeks and started wrestling.
"Wrestling is overall an awesome sport and I enjoy everything about it. A few things that stick out to me are the lessons it teaches you. You have to give it your all every single second when you are on the mat. It's also a sport that really shows if you put in the work, many amazing things come out of it. One of the best things about wrestling is all the amazing people you meet because the wrestling community is just one very big family."
While Fouse already owned several high-level accomplishments, the current season has brought more notoriety. Among the highlights are a Powerade Junior Tournament championship, a victory in the prestigious Tulsa Nationals, and winning the Mountain Conference Tournament this past weekend and being named that event's outstanding wrestler.
"Winning Tulsa Nationals and Mountain Conference are some of my favorites," said Fouse. "Nine years ago, I never would have thought I would be traveling to different states to do the thing I love."
Her athletic ability aside, Fouse's comments about girls wrestling overall make her a perfect example of what the task force desires for so many all across Pennsylvania.
"With how big girls wrestling has grown in PA and especially in my area, I take that as a huge accomplishment," she said. "When I started wrestling, there was maybe only one other girl in this area wrestling. The 2019-20 girls program at my school had about 30 girls. Knowing that they wouldn't be able to experience the amazing sport if I didn't work hard to get it going throughout the years is huge to me."
As for SanctionPA, it's full steam ahead.
"Participation numbers will continue to increase and one day, hopefully soon, girls wrestling will be an official sport in Pennsylvania," said Zumas. "In the meantime, the girls will continue to represent our state well within Pennsylvania and at the national level. I fully believe as we look ahead to the day that the sport is sanctioned in every state, Pennsylvania will be the best state in the country for both boys and girls wrestling."
