I rarely post anymore, but I wanted to make a public comment about this topic.

First off, thanks to McPherson for hosting the girls tournament. They did a great job.

For me, the fact that at least 45 coaches drove 3-5 hours to a tournament for just one or two girl wrestlers so that they could compete: that is a testament to coaches across Kansas who wanted to see our sport evolve.

Please encourage your ADs to consider adding girls wrestling. There will always be "What ifs" in any sport: What about money? What about numbers? What about facilities?

What is the real question, posed by Coach Kretzer and my interpretation: Should the girls be allowed their own division? This is a moral and ethical vote. What is best for student athletes as a whole? Remember, just 30 years ago, African-American athletes were discouraged from competing as well.

Peter Sierant
Turner HS

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USA WRESTLING GHSA IN GEORGIA TO ADD GIRLS STATE WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS, BECOMING SEVENTH STATE WITH OFFICIAL GIRLS STATES

GHSA in Georgia to add Girls State Wrestling Championships, becoming seventh state with official girls states


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BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | FEB. 12, 2018, 2:46 P.M. (ET)
Photo of Georgia girl wrestlers courtesy of Team Georgia Girls Wrestling Facebook Page.

USA Wrestling’s Girls High School Development Committee has received official word that the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), which oversees high school sports in Georgia, has added an official Girls State Wrestling Championships, to begin in the 2018-19 season.

Georgia becomes the seventh state to reach official status with its Girls State Wrestling Championships, joining Hawaii, Texas, California, Washington, Tennessee and Alaska with state-sanctioned girls wrestling championships.

The competition is planned to be held alongside the State Duals Championships next year.

Here is the official statement issued by the GHSA and distributed within the state this past week:

On behalf of GHSA Executive Director Dr. Robin Hines, we take this opportunity to announce some exciting news regarding the growth of wrestling. With 250 females now participating in interscholastic wrestling programs around our State, we will introduce the inaugural State Championship for females in Georgia. We will be a leader in this great endeavor, becoming just the 7th State nationally to have a girls State Championship competition. With this new competition in place, I am certain that we will see additional females compete in the State.

While the details will need to be ironed out, we wanted our member schools to be aware of this very exciting event in wrestling coming to the State of Georgia.

If you have any suggestions and/or comments, please feel free to contact via email at don.corr@ghsa.net. We’re looking forward to seeing everyone at our inaugural GHSA Female State Championship in the 2018-2019 season.

This news was reported in a number of media outlets over the past weekend, and was confirmed by Don Corr, the Associate Director of the GHSA.

Girls high school wrestling is growing rapidly across the nation. Officials from the Oregon State Athletic Association (OSAA) have confirmed in media reports that starting in 2019, girls will have their own official state tournament. A final vote on this is expected this week.

Leaders in many other states have started the formal process to achieve official status for girls high school wrestling.

USA Wrestling’s Girls High School Development Committee, led by Joan Fulp of California and Andrea Yamamoto of Washington, has been working closely with wrestling leaders across the nation, supporting their efforts in getting state recognition for girls wrestling. They also work with other organizations such as Wrestle Like Girl, Inc., the National Wrestling Coaches Association, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and others to help expand opportunity for girls to wrestle.

Idaho makes history with first state-sanctioned, all-girls wrestling tournament
BY MICHAEL KATZ

mkatz@idahostatesman.com

February 10, 2018 01:35 PM

Updated February 10, 2018 03:46 PM

Saturday morning was admittedly emotional for Columbia High’s Payton Lanningham. But when the dust settled on the wrestling mats in the gym, the sophomore knew her grandfather would be proud.

Lanningham was one of more than 40 female high school wrestlers from three different states gathered at the Jaybird Memorial Wrestling Tournament at Columbia High, the first all-girls wrestling tournament ever sanctioned by the Idaho High School Activities Association (IHSAA).

The tournament is named after Lanningham’s grandfather, Jay Lanningham, a supporter of wrestling and Columbia athletics who was killed in a car crash last June. Jay Lanninghman, a teenage driver and the driver’s sister were killed when they were struck head-on by a truck while on the road for a wrestling tournament in Pocatello. Payton escaped with minor injuries.

The significance of participating in the first IHSAA sanctioned all-girls wrestling tournament that also happens to bear her grandfather’s name was not lost on Payton.

“My grandpa was a big part of the wrestling team, all growing up,” she said. “To have a tournament to kind of honor him really means a lot.”

A total of 22 schools from Idaho, Oregon and Utah were represented at the Jaybird Memorial. According to Columbia High wrestling coach Todd Cady, more than 100 girls are certified to wrestle in Idaho this year; that number was in the 30s or 40s a year ago, he said.

The theme of Saturday’s tournament? “Brawlin with braids,” of course.

Cady said the ultimate goal is for there to be a separate state girls wrestling tournament rather than having to compete in the boys brackets.

“It’s growing. It’s no longer an oddity to see a female wrestler,” he said. “Now, it’s just ‘wrestlers.’ It’s not boys or girls.”

Also in attendance was Katherine Shai, a member of Team USA’s wrestling team. Shai finished third in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Trials and was the World University Champion in 2008.

Shai couldn’t help but smile when seeing the next wave of female wrestlers.

“These are pioneers who are starting this in Idaho. It’s monumental. It’s a huge event,” Shai said. “It’s a big step and a big deal.”