2 years ago I was approached by my daughter, "Dad I want to wrestle". I told her that it was a tough sport and that she would have to wrestle against the boys. She said she still wanted to wrestle. So at the next practice I took both of my daughters to sign them up. They got their head gear and shoes on, then started to jog with the team. After 5 min of running I was approached by a gentleman. He said that the girls couldn't wrestle without USA cards. I told him that we would go ahead and pay him for them. Then what he told me was a bit disturbing, "Our club doesn't allow girls to wrestle". I couldn't believe what I had just heard. So without any conflict I told the girls that they couldn't wrestle. The coach told me later that they are affiliated with the High School and if one of the boys came up against a girl they were to forfeit. Which I soon came to realize this doesn't happen. After the season was over I decided that I wasn't going to allow a club to discriminate against my girls. So I decided go to a different club. My daughter was finally able to wrestle. Then that year towards the end of the season we attended a BBQ at a friend's house. While there we started talking and I made the comment that we were coming back to wrestle for our former club. Then out of the blue my daughter was discriminated against once again. A board member of the club says, "I don't think so we don't allow girls to wrestle". (In a very rude tone). Once again I let it go.
We go to Oklahoma to wrestle and we get to hear," Break her arms". That was something a 6 year old just couldn't understand. On numerous occasions she has been approached and told that this is a boy's sport. That is why I have decided to tell her story. This weekend at the Classic, my daughter was in the finals against a boy from our former club. The second she got put to her back the club went crazy. They were screaming as if they had just won the state title. That is not what bothered me though it was when we got home my daughter asked why everyone was against her and that a boy from a club that wears red and black singlets approached her right after the match and tells her that this a boys sport. All I ask is that everyone treat these girls like wrestlers. After all, that's what they are. What about the parents and coaches that hang crap on a boy that gets beat by a girl? It shouldn't be any different. I don't come home and tell her she got beat by a boy. It's time to realize that girls are becoming a big part of this sport and are very successful. To the mothers and fathers of the boys that have approached my daughter I hope that you are teaching your sons how to respect women. We are not looking for special treatment my daughter just wants to be treated like a wrestler and not someone trying to fit in. To all the girls that wrestle if you have any stories like this I would like to know how bad this subject really is. Feel free to email me at BriMisAnd7@sbcglobal.net. I would like to also say congratulations to Jake Leckliter for his win this weekend and another good match. See you guys soon.

Brian Andres