grappler-of-old 44 Report post Posted January 30, 2018 All we have to do is look south Tenn. has a female state tourney. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
halfhalfhalf 121 Report post Posted January 30, 2018 52 minutes ago, grappler-of-old said: All we have to do is look south Tenn. has a female state tourney. and I have watched it go from 2007 being non-sanctioned to the invitational. Now to a sanctioned sport. I am telling you... If you build it, they (more wrestlers) will come. Next, the #s will continue to grow. It is a fact. I spent a good amount of time digging through trackwrestling to put together weight's based upon track results. Following TN plan of when they started the invitational to where we are comparably to TN. On the coaching shortage. That's on us to get the college kids and high school kids to help run your youth programs. Have the HS team volunteer time to help with practices and etc. That's how your staff for the future. Build female wrestling in KY.... The Campbellsville and UCumberland women that go into teaching have an opportunity to stay here in KY and coach. Will there be growing pains; absolutely. However, the #'s are growing drastically and will continue to grow as the MS/Youth move up. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestledad 69 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 I am glad to see this conversation being had on this forum. One problem that there has been is the fact that a lot of girls don't realize how many other girls are wrestling in the state or even around the country. Northern Kentucky doesn't see southern, western Kentucky doesn't see eastern. This is something that is trying to be remedied by starting a Facebook page as well as a Facebook group so that everyone can have a site to go to for info and to know others are out there. A lady keeps reminding me small steps to our goal and this conversation is another one of those steps. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grappler-of-old 44 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 I think it will be great when it happens. The only real problem I see is what has already been mentioned. Coaching, ky does not have enough coaches for high/middle/youth programs already. But its a problem that is worth having. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coachteater 70 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 One thing I've thought of before to help with lack of coaches is to have the female division in a different season. Thoughts? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grappler-of-old 44 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 Fall will conflict with Volleyball, Cross Country, Soccer, and Golf Spring will conflict with Softball, Track, and Tennis. While Winter only conflicts with basketball and Swimming. However I like the idea of Spring because you could have the high school boys help out while also getting off season training. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coachteater 70 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 4 minutes ago, grappler-of-old said: Fall will conflict with Volleyball, Cross Country, Soccer, and Golf Spring will conflict with Softball, Track, and Tennis. While Winter only conflicts with basketball and Swimming. But I think a positive if you did spring, you would not be competing for gym time for tournaments. Also we are at a shortage for refs. If you had it in a different season, you would have plenty of refs and it would also allow them more mat time to improve as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grappler-of-old 44 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 I like spring but ultimately KHSAA will make it a winter sport because it is wrestling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
REscalera 189 Report post Posted January 31, 2018 23 hours ago, grappler-of-old said: All we have to do is look south Tenn. has a female state tourney. Looks like Tennessee would be a great model to follow too. They have several girls (more than they do boys) listed in the latest national high school rankings. https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2018/January/31/National-Girls-High-School-rankings-of-Jan-31-released Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stephens 31 Report post Posted February 1, 2018 Coming from a state where we started just where Kentucky is now and developed into a powerhouse, they started by having the girls team be like another level on the wrestling team. We had Boys varsity, girls varsity, JV and Frosh and eventually girls JV as well. A lot of tournaments just added a girls bracket to their boys tournament (kind of like how we do middle school and high school here). The numbers grew and grew. We had an unofficial Girls Invitational (they wouldn't let us use the word state) that eventually developed into the official state tournament. It's going to happen. Patience and pushing will be needed. Old school coaches are going to be stubborn until they meet some little girl who just wants to wrestle and they can't help but soften (I know because I watch it happen year after year). Women's college programs and off season tournaments will continue to provide opportunities for girls of all ages. Cumberlands is already hosting really cheap camps to get the girls in an all female room, and for some girls and parents this will be eye opening. We are blessed to have a great USAW board that is pushing for representation. KHSAA will push back as long as they can, not because they don't want women to wrestle, but because its change. I'm excited about the growth and the direction of wrestling in the state Shirley Stephens KY USAW Women's director 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shannon Powers 2 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 I have three daughters currently involved in wrestling from 4th grade to a Junior. I would love to see a girls division started in the state. I know this would affect the numbers of the boys team at their school as my two older girls are 2nd year wrestlers (1 freshman, 1 junior). All of my girls enjoy the competition, but I see them getting frustrated when they are physically outclassed by the older boys. I look forward to progress on this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestledad 69 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 Mrs.Powers I would encourage you to become a member of the Kentucky Female Wrestling page on Facebook and request to become a member of the Kentucky Female Wrestling Group also on Facebook. The group is geared more for information and a place for parents to get together. Your girls and our girls and us parents have to be the ones to encourage change. Encourage the younger girls that we see they can be a wrestler. Change begins with one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shannon Powers 2 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 I've joined the Kentucky Female Wrestling Page. I didn't know about the group though. I encourage my girls and enjoy watching them compete. They are also good at encouraging one another. The two older ones work with my nine year old and my two year old, so I may have a 4th girl competing before too long. I also currently have one middle school boy wrestling. I find it interesting that I have so many children wrestling, since I was a defensive tackle in a school without a wrestling program. Having seen the conditioning benefits of wrestling, I wish they had. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wrestledad 69 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 There is a group link on the Facebook page. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
possumdaddy 23 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 Shannon Powers where are you located? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shannon Powers 2 Report post Posted February 4, 2018 Western Kentucky. Kids go to Calloway Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shannon Powers 2 Report post Posted February 6, 2018 There will be one less girl trying to qualify for state. My 106 is not cleared to wrestle regionals because of a shoulder injury. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
halfhalfhalf 121 Report post Posted February 7, 2018 I hate to hear that. She’s a solid wrestler. Our girl at fort Campbell is out as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shannon Powers 2 Report post Posted February 7, 2018 On 1/31/2018 at 9:32 AM, grappler-of-old said: I like spring but ultimately KHSAA will make it a winter sport because it is wrestling. Spring would actually hurt girls wrestling (at least as far as mine are concerned). My two older girls are high school varsity softball players and I would hate for them to have to choose between softball and wrestling. My girls actually quit basketball to join wrestling, and the conditioning makes them better athletes on the softball field. I'm not sure the answer, but I think the state needs to add a girls division. My girls are tough and like to compete, but as second year wrestlers, they are at a skills disadvantage and in most cases a physical disadvantage. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shannon Powers 2 Report post Posted February 7, 2018 1 hour ago, halfhalfhalf said: I hate to hear that. She’s a solid wrestler. Our girl at fort Campbell is out as well. Sorry to hear that. I've gotten to enjoy watching wrestling, and as a father with six of my nine being girls, I have a tendency to cheer for any girl I see wrestling no matter their opponent. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
