Article: IHSAA Approves Girls Wrestling as a Varsity Sport

[Y2CJ41]

In an 18-0 decision the IHSAA has moved forward with fully sanctioning girls wrestling as a varsity sport in Indiana. The sport was officially approved this afternoon after running as a separate event under the IHSGW since 2017 and two years under the IHSAA's Emerging Sport status.

 

Indiana has been a training ground for many of the top women's wrestlers in the country with Olympians Sarah Hildebrandt and Kayla Miracle leading the way. Indiana has a strong tradition in women's wrestling and as a fully sanctioned sport it will continue to produce wrestlers with national and world level success.

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[piscis1956]

Are the girls still allowed to participate in with “boys” now still or will they no longer be allowed to since they now have an “equivalent” sport … like basketball, etc.?

[Chris Cooper]

36 minutes ago, piscis1956 said:

Are the girls still allowed to participate in with “boys” now still or will they no longer be allowed to since they now have an “equivalent” sport … like basketball, etc.?

They cannot wrestle on the boys team or compete vs boys.

[piscis1956]

Will they be allowed to practice with the boys?  Otherwise, that would cause bad logistic problems.

[Galagore]

3 hours ago, piscis1956 said:

Will they be allowed to practice with the boys?  Otherwise, that would cause bad logistic problems.

Track teams and cross country teams are allowed to practice co-ed. Imagine they’d also let wrestling. 

[busstogate]

Hell Yes!  Congrats, Indiana Ladies!

[bbulldog152]

I imagine because of coaching a lot of schools would need to run practices together.

[Coach Brobst]

Super super pumped for our young ladies!

 

any idea when we’ll get info for scheduling requirements (number of duals vs tourneys, etc;) or state tourney info?

 

Wanna ensure I have enough staff and am scheduling our girls against the correct competition to prepare them for their state series.

 

Related: I need more assistant coaches! Hit me up!

[Trinedad]

In the last two days I have received at least 4 requests for a girls wrestling coach. It seems that the word has been out about this change and schools are looking to add to their coaching staff.

 

When I asked about this at state this year, I was told that the girls that started off wrestling in the boy's tournament would be allowed to continue, but that all from this point forward would only be allowed in the girl's tournament. I do not know how accurate that is, just what I was told.

[Bulldog89]

14 hours ago, Trinedad said:

In the last two days I have received at least 4 requests for a girls wrestling coach. It seems that the word has been out about this change and schools are looking to add to their coaching staff.

 

When I asked about this at state this year, I was told that the girls that started off wrestling in the boy's tournament would be allowed to continue, but that all from this point forward would only be allowed in the girl's tournament. I do not know how accurate that is, just what I was told.

Hopefully they let the ones who started in the boys finish.  

[randalllynch]

14 hours ago, Trinedad said:

In the last two days I have received at least 4 requests for a girls wrestling coach. It seems that the word has been out about this change and schools are looking to add to their coaching staff.

 

When I asked about this at state this year, I was told that the girls that started off wrestling in the boy's tournament would be allowed to continue, but that all from this point forward would only be allowed in the girl's tournament. I do not know how accurate that is, just what I was told.

I would be surprised if this happens, from what I have seen in the past the IHSAA deals in absolutes and not many exceptions.

[Galagore]

6 hours ago, Bulldog89 said:

Hopefully they let the ones who started in the boys finish.  

 

Then how will we know who the best female wrestler is at those weights?

 

Just kidding...kind of...

[maligned]

7 hours ago, Bulldog89 said:

Hopefully they let the ones who started in the boys finish.  

Or at least give a year for adaptation where girls can compete for the boys' or girls' teams during the regular season as long as they meet scheduling rules.

[Trinedad]

20 minutes ago, maligned said:

Or at least give a year for adaptation where girls can compete for the boys' or girls' teams during the regular season as long as they meet scheduling rules.

And only allow them to compete in one or the other. That would be fair. at least I think so.

[randalllynch]

As an emerging sport that was the option we had as coaches.   We may not get clarification until the winter bulletin since girls state will be managed by the IHSAA now.

[MattM]

To keep the female side of the sport progressing and growing the girls will need mat time.  In certain areas of the state there are going to be a limited number of girls at certain weight classes to compete against.  Similarly for certain teams there will be a limited number of coaching availability to travel to meets.  If those issue create a lack of mat time I feel  we may see a situation where some girls decide to quite, team sizes drop which further perpetuates the issue, and some schools decided it’s easier to just focus on the boys side of things.  

 

Due to those concerns I wouldn’t mind the IHSAA allowing female wrestlers at least have the option to also compete against boys at JV events for the next few years while still remaining eligible for the girls post season event.  Now I mention the boys JV not a slight toward the girls ability (as some have shown they can hang at the boys varsity level), but rather an opportunity for the IHSAA to allow female wrestlers to gain mat time without it creating some questions or confusion on how to handle boys varsity records relate to sectional criteria or impacting boys varsity dual results.  This seems like a reasonable compromise that i wouldn’t mind the IHSWCA perusing before we get to close to the season for the IHSAA to want to  listen this logic and then after year this year be to set in their ways to want to adjust later.  

 

 If numbers continue to grow and enough competition exists in a few years then I’d be fine splitting things permanently, but I’m not sure we are there yet if we want get these young ladies enough mat time to improve and feel that this grueling sport is worth continuing with.  

 

I get we should see some continues growth next season, but if you look at girls regionals this year a few things stand out:  The lack of entries at certain weights at some of the girls regional, the total matches some girls had a these regionals, and the idea that some girls wrestled over 1/3 of their matches against the same single opponent during the season. Then notice that at a regional level where some teams there would be over an hour away from each other during the season.  
 

I have no problem with the IHSAA deciding to take a chance a girls wrestling, but provide some opportunity where the female can gain mat experience while the sport is grow to a sustainable level in all weight classes and in all areas.   I’m just not sure we are there yet if a full split occurs and they don’t allow e the option for girls to at least pursue in season match the boys JV level. 

Edited May 1 by MattM

[Y2CJ41]

The biggest potential issue I see is if the girls are limited with events like the boys. Currently there are 18 points allowed with a minimum 6 duals and a maximum of 6 tournaments(3 or more teams). Currently most teams don't have enough girls for a dual meet and the girls are better off going to "tournaments" in which there are 5+ teams there so everyone can get matches.

[maligned]

18 hours ago, MattM said:

To keep the female side of the sport progressing and growing the girls will need mat time.  In certain areas of the state there are going to be a limited number of girls at certain weight classes to compete against.  Similarly for certain teams there will be a limited number of coaching availability to travel to meets.  If those issue create a lack of mat time I feel  we may see a situation where some girls decide to quite, team sizes drop which further perpetuates the issue, and some schools decided it’s easier to just focus on the boys side of things.  

 

Due to those concerns I wouldn’t mind the IHSAA allowing female wrestlers at least have the option to also compete against boys at JV events for the next few years while still remaining eligible for the girls post season event.  Now I mention the boys JV not a slight toward the girls ability (as some have shown they can hang at the boys varsity level), but rather an opportunity for the IHSAA to allow female wrestlers to gain mat time without it creating some questions or confusion on how to handle boys varsity records relate to sectional criteria or impacting boys varsity dual results.  This seems like a reasonable compromise that i wouldn’t mind the IHSWCA perusing before we get to close to the season for the IHSAA to want to  listen this logic and then after year this year be to set in their ways to want to adjust later.  

 

 If numbers continue to grow and enough competition exists in a few years then I’d be fine splitting things permanently, but I’m not sure we are there yet if we want get these young ladies enough mat time to improve and feel that this grueling sport is worth continuing with.  

 

I get we should see some continues growth next season, but if you look at girls regionals this year a few things stand out:  The lack of entries at certain weights at some of the girls regional, the total matches some girls had a these regionals, and the idea that some girls wrestled over 1/3 of their matches against the same single opponent during the season. Then notice that at a regional level where some teams there would be over an hour away from each other during the season.  
 

I have no problem with the IHSAA deciding to take a chance a girls wrestling, but provide some opportunity where the female can gain mat experience while the sport is grow to a sustainable level in all weight classes and in all areas.   I’m just not sure we are there yet if a full split occurs and they don’t allow e the option for girls to at least pursue in season match the boys JV level. 

 

4 hours ago, Y2CJ41 said:

The biggest potential issue I see is if the girls are limited with events like the boys. Currently there are 18 points allowed with a minimum 6 duals and a maximum of 6 tournaments(3 or more teams). Currently most teams don't have enough girls for a dual meet and the girls are better off going to "tournaments" in which there are 5+ teams there so everyone can get matches.

 

With the above questions: Anyone know if the IHSAA will consider adopting the 12-weight NFHS model (or even less..is that allowed?) for girls in the short-term to work toward getting lineups more full and creating more matches at events?

[casualwrestlingfan]

6 hours ago, Y2CJ41 said:

The biggest potential issue I see is if the girls are limited with events like the boys. Currently there are 18 points allowed with a minimum 6 duals and a maximum of 6 tournaments(3 or more teams). Currently most teams don't have enough girls for a dual meet and the girls are better off going to "tournaments" in which there are 5+ teams there so everyone can get matches.

Can they just abolish the 18 points for everyone? You already know my viewpoint on that.

[Josephfloyd]

In Arizona, the girl had to petition the state to allow her to compete in the boys state tournament. With the skill rapidly increasing i doubt we'll see much of it since the competition will level out pretty soon. 

[Y2CJ41]

3 hours ago, maligned said:

 

 

With the above questions: Anyone know if the IHSAA will consider adopting the 12-weight NFHS model (or even less..is that allowed?) for girls in the short-term to work toward getting lineups more full and creating more matches at events?

I highly doubt they will do that. They have been at 14 weights since the beginning when we only had a couple hundred girls.