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.