Wrestle like a girl: Interest grows at R-1 in girls’ wrestling program

NEW MADRID, Mo. - New Madrid County Central High School’s new wrestling coach Michael Morgan still recalls his daughter’s coming to him 20 years ago to ask for a pair of wrestling shoes. She wanted to join the junior high boys’ wrestling team.

After his daughter announced her intention to the coach, Morgan received a call. He was asked to explain to his daughter that girls don’t wrestle.

But things are changing. Today, more and more girls are finding their way to the mats.

An Associated Press article reported that between 2013 and 2023, the number of high school girls’ teams quadrupled nationally and the number of girls wrestling in high school quintupled to over 50,000, according to figures from the National Federation of State High School Associations.

New Madrid County R-1’s junior and senior high school girls’ wrestling programs are following that trend.

Currently the New Madrid County Central Middle School program has eight girls on the girls’ wrestling team. Four young women are members of the High School girls’ wrestling team.

Morgan says he is constantly urging more young women to give the sport a try.

“I talk to girls all the time about it. I tell them you can do it. Come on out and let me show you how fun it can be,” Morgan said.

There are still some misconceptions about the sport

Where once girls wrestled on boys’ teams and against boys, today at New Madrid County Central girls are wrestling against other girl teams. They are wrestling in sanctioned tournaments against girls, and, according to Morgan, some of his female wrestlers have the potential to add their names into the school’s record books.

At first it can be hard, the coach acknowledged. Many girls are learning skills they have never tried before. However, he added, the girls often catch on quicker than their male counterparts who are just learning the sport.

Morgan attributes much of the success of the girls’ wrestling program to Mattie Bolen, who coaches the Middle School wrestling program and assists with the high school girls’ program.

“I can probably count on one hand the number of wrestling coaches that are female at the middle school, junior high or high school level and she is one of them,” Morgan said about Bolen. “She is highly intelligent, highly motivated. I can’t say enough good things about her.”

Bolen said she never set out to coach wrestling.

While a student at Central High School, she served as the wrestling team’s manager. When she returned to the District as a teacher, the head wrestling coach aat that time approached her about assisting with the girls’ program.

“I always get people who are surprised that I am one of the coaches because it is not really seen as a feminine sport,” Bolen said. “I just enjoy the sport. I enjoyed watching it in high school and I enjoy getting to help with it now.”

For the first time, girls Bolen coached in Middle School have moved up to the High School level. She said they are mastering the sport as well as the boys.

The sport relies on technique, not strength, Bolen said. They hone their technique through repetition.

Also she spends time with both the male and female wrestlers teaching them to do the moves correctly and how to use their body weight.

Bolen has noticed some differences between the young women and young men she coaches. Their attitudes toward the sport differ, she said.

“When the girls are wrestling, I notice they are smiling and just enjoying themselves, she said. “Where the guys go in and are very serious. They want to dominate in the match.”

Freshman Kaylee Bills wrestled in Middle School and now is wrestling at the 125 pound level for the Central High School girls’ wrestling team.

She said at first wrestling was difficult because she was unfamiliar with the sport. As she practiced and learned the moves, she said it has become fun. (She adds conditioning isn’t fun but has paid off when she is on the mat)

Moving up to the High School wrestling team has its challenges. Bills said she is now wrestling against girls with more experience.

“But I like watching people better than me wrestle because sometimes that gives me tips on what to do,” she said.

But what she likes best, she added with a laugh, is winning.

Isabella Swafford, a seventh grader, decided to wrestle because of her family. Her grandfather wrestled and her uncle, who was a wrestling coach, would take her to practices.

Learning to do the moves correctly is the hardest part, Swafford said.

“You get frustrated when you don’t do the moves right,” she said. “But you really just have to have a purpose here (on the mat) and make sure you purpose is worth it.”

Swafford said she is glad to see more girls coming out for the team.

“A lot of people think wrestling is very tiring. I mean some times it is but at the end of the day you feel better because you went out there and showed them what you have learned. That is the reason why you came and you stayed.”

Bolen said although the number of girls on the wrestling team is small, she hopes to see not only the sport grow but also its audience

“Even though we are a small group it is still something great to come out and see,” Bolen said. “The more support we get, the more our program will grow.”