Everyone knows that Minnesota has deep roots in wrestling, and upholds
high standards and tough competition at all levels of the sport.
Minnesota’s men have traveled to the pinnacles of wrestling competition
across the country and around the world, and men come from all over the
US to train within Minnesota wrestling programs. The same things hold
true for women’s wrestling in the state. The University of
Minnesota-Morris founded the country’s first women’s varsity collegiate
wrestling team. The state has groomed several of the nation’s best
female wrestlers, including world medalist Jenny Wong and 2008 Olympian
Ali Bernard.
Wrestling is not the most popular sport in the US, and it has never
been a trendy or ‘fad’ sport. It has stood the test of time since
ancient times, and will always survive in pockets around the world
where communities are tight and hard work is a way of life. It makes
sense that where men’s wrestling thrives, there will also be women who
take part in the sport and carry on the tradition. When I graduated
high school in 1998, UM-Morris was the only school to have a women’s
team, so that’s where I went. The opportunity I had to pursue both
academic and athletic aspirations at the same time is something I will
always value in my life.
Like many other women who wrestled in Minnesota at one point or
another, I went on to compete across the US and around the world,
eventually earning two world medals. After I graduated from college, I
moved to Colorado to train at the Olympic Training Center. I went back
to Minnesota for three years as a camp clinician for young women
wrestlers. It was easy to trade the mild Rocky Mountain weather to
brave the mosquitoes and muggy Minnesota summer heat because I got to
go back to the Minnesota wrestling community. So many wrestling people
in the state are both passionate and diligent. Working with tough,
eager, fervent young women on the mat has been one of the most
personally rewarding endeavors I have taken part in during my fifteen
years in the sport.
I encourage all young women in Minnesota who may be interested in
wrestling to give it a try, and to pursue freestyle opportunities in
the sport. Minnesota folkstyle will teach you mental toughness and
perseverance, but the top competition and training opportunities in
women’s wrestling is in freestyle. The scholastic and competition
opportunities for women who wrestle continue to grow each year. You may
begin in Minnesota and end up training and competing among the world’s
best women wrestlers. Along the way, you can be sure that you will
develop many characteristics and habits that will help you achieve
success and expect excellence in all parts of your life. Any young
woman who can survive and thrive within the demanding wrestling culture
in Minnesota can expect to move on to further success in wrestling and
life.
