Gloria Falcones, a female wrestler at NYC's PS 19. |
Women's wrestling is becoming a very popular sport among females of all ages, especially after its addition as an Olympic sport in 2004. The United States has one of the strongest women's wrestling programs in the world. Many of America's top females live and train at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO as part of the Women's Wrestling Resident Athlete Program.
Nearly 20 different colleges and universities in the United States and Canada have varsity women's wrestling teams, allowing females who excel at the sport to earn college scholarships. At the high school level, states like Hawaii and Texas have sanctioned all-girls teams, who compete against each other in dual meets in the same manner that the boys do. Most states have established girls' state tournaments through the United States Girls Wrestling Association (USGWA), an organization that organizes female wrestling events across the USA for all age groups.
Beat the Streets aims to establish girls' wrestling programs in New York City at the Middle School and High School level. Currently, there is strong participation among NYC girls at Beat the Streets events and tournaments, where the girls wrestle with the boys. However, moving towards all-female training programs and competitions would help global efforts to establish women's wrestling as a more widely recognized sport.
 By KATIE THOMAS, The New York Times
Women's wrestling teams are sprouting in the most unlikely places.
Missouri Baptist University, a small Christian liberal arts institution, is starting a team this fall. Oklahoma City University, the alma mater of three Miss Americas, began a program in 2007. And Menlo College near San Francisco, which specializes in business management and where nearly two-thirds of the students are men, has had a women's wrestling team since 2001.
The growth of such an unconventional women's sport at these small, private institutions has little to do with the federal gender-equity law known as Title IX and everything to do with their bottom line. Officials at tuition-hungry colleges say women's wrestling is an untapped market of prospective students, one that has curiously been all but ignored by bigger universities.
The inclusion of women's wrestling in the Olympics beginning in 2004 provided a huge boost to the sport's popularity and credibility. Five thousand girls nationwide wrestled in high school in the 2006-7 academic year, yet only eight colleges offer it as a varsity sport. Three of those eight programs are starting this fall.
Rosters fill up nearly as quickly as colleges create teams. “When we can get so many girls to come here for a first-year program, that's 20 to 25 extra students who normally wouldn't have looked at Jamestown College,” said Cisco Cole, the women's wrestling coach there.
Read more.
The women of New York had another great showing on the National stage. During the weekend of May 16th and 17th the following young ladies travelled to Colorado Springs and wrestled in the Body Bar National tournament.
It is my belief that this is the most important of all the national tournaments because it qualifies our young ladies to represent the USA in three very important competitions.
The Cadet Champion qualified for the Cadet Pan American Championships which will be held in El Salvador in July.
The Champion of the Junior tournament will represent the USA in the Jr. World Championships in Turkey from July 28th - August 4th and the runner-up for the Junior tournament will be headed to Ecuador in late June for the Jr. Pan American Championship.
In the Cadet Tournament
46kg / 101.25 - 2nd Place - Carlene Sluberski - Fredonia
Carlene had a good tournament as she pinned or teched her way into the finals. Along the way she defeated Nes Marie Rodriguz of Puerto Rico with a pin in :43 of the second period. She then went on to pin Britney Hudson of Colorado in the same time of :43 in the second. With those two victories it put Carlene in the finals were she lost to Victoria Anthony of California 2-0, 6-0 and ended in second place. Congratulations to Carlene who qualified for the Cadet Pan American Championships when Victoria, the young lady who beat her, qualified for the Jr World team.
52 kg / 114.5 - 2nd Place - Jenna Burkett - Longwood
Jenna had a terrific tournament with a pool championship pin over Brazil Marquez the third place finisher form California and a win over Katlynn Cormier of Florida fall. In the Finals Jenna wrestled her best match of the tournament when she dropped a very close match with 3 time National champion Helen Maroulis of Maryland by the score of 8-0, 3-3, 2-1.
Congratulations to Jenna who qualified for the Cadet Pan American Championships when Helen, the young lady who beat her, qualified for the Jr World team.
56 kg / 123.5 - 2nd Place - Shanalee Prifte - Longwood
Shanalee did a great job. She won her pool and made her way into the finals were she lost a tight match against Kat Perez of California. Shanalee defeated Danielle Robinson of California 7-0, 6-0 and then went on to pin Cassandra Lasio of Michigan. In the finals it was a great back and forth match were Shanalee ended up winning the first period 3-0 but lost the next two periods 3-1 and 3-1 to take second place.
56 kg / 123.5 - 4th Place - Logan Howard Chautauqua-Lake HS
Logan had some good matches posting victories over Dakota Dodgen of Texas 5-3, 4-0 and pinning Victoria Kinsey of Oklahoma in 1:26 of the first period. Logan then went on to lose her next match against the eventual weight class champion 4-6, 3-4 and lost by pin for third and 4th against Rachel Shannon of Alaska in 1:21.
60 kg / 132.5 - DNP -Tanya Kusse Webster-Schroder HS
Tanya has some incredible talent. She is a gifted athlete and I can't wait for her to get some more confidence. She went 0-2 but was winning both matches before losing. It was great to meet her and watch her compete. Tanya lost to Samantha Lynch of Kansas and Ashley Mathews of California.
70 kg / 154.25 - 3rd Place - Kelsea Suchocki Cobleskill
Talk about a talented athlete. Kelsea continues to improve in her wrestling skills. In the cadet tournament she placed third and recorded three pins along the way. Kelsea opened up with a pin against Rebecca Taylor of Wyoming :46 seconds into the second period. She then dropped a close match to eventual Cadet and Junior Champion Adeline Grey of Colorado 3-0, 6-0 before coming back to pin Britney Jones of Texas in 1:08 and Tera Kun of California in :46.
In the Junior Tournament (Ages 17-20)
Both Carlene and Kelsea moved up in age group to compete in the Junior age group and both ladies did a very nice job in the competition.
46kg / 101.25 - 3rd Place - Carlene Sluberski Fredonia
Carlene opened up with a loss to the eventual champion Victoria Anthony of California in a 2-6, 3-0 battle. She then went on to beat Denisia Godfrey of Wyoming 6-0, 7-0 to take 2nd in her pool. Carlene then had a cross over match against Stephanie Waters of Florida who just finished up her Freshman year at Oklahoma City College. Carlene won 4-4, 2-0. Carlene then had a chance to qualify for the Jr. Pan American Championships with a "True 2nd" match against 2006 Jr. World Champion Nicole Woody of Maryland, who also just completed her freshman year at Oklahoma City. The match was a very good one but Carlene lost 3-0, 2-1.
70 kg / 154.25 - 4th Place - Kelsea Suchocki Cobleskill
Kelsea went 1-2 in the Jr. division as she lost to Lindsey Brooks of Michigan and then defeated Teri Milkoff of Kentucky 4-0, Pin 1:59 but lost in the cross over match against Annaliese DeAragon of Idaho 8-6, pin :35.
The entire tournament was an awesome event and the camp before the tournament was a great success.
I hope that all the girls in attendance had a terrific experience at both.
I will be sending a reminder and information on the upcoming USA National championships to be held in Fargo, ND in July.
I hope we have a good number of athletes looking to participate. It should be a great time for all.
Thanks for all you do to help the success of women's wrestling.
Alex Conti
Middle School Results
89 pound 1st place Hanna Grisewood from Warsaw, NY
96 pounds 1st place Andrea Marsh from Panama, NY
103 pounds 1st place Meghan Clark from Ballston Spa, NY winner over Papa by pin 3:22
103 pounds 2nd place Gabriele Papa from Salamanca, NY
118 pounds 1st place Mary Westman from Cattaragus, NY
High School results
95 pounds 1st place Carlene Sluberski from Fredonia, NY
102 pounds 1st place Emily Buck from Pine City, NY
109 pounds 1st place Jenna Burkert from Middle Island, NY winner over Clark by pin :42
109 pounds 2nd place Amanda Clark from Ballston Spa, NY
123 pounds 1st place Logan Howard from Dewittville, NY winner over Prifte by decision 2-0
123 pounds 2nd place ShanaLee Prifte from Shoreham, NY
130 pounds 1st place Michelle Quiles from Forestville, NY winner over Thompson by pin :46
130 pounds 2nd place Charis Thompson from Fredonia, NY
146 pounds 1st place Shorna Brown from Kingston, NY
155 pounds 1st place Kelsea Suchocki from Summit, NY winner over Strang 9-4, winner over Westman 15-0
155 pounds 2nd place Alexandra Strang from Rochester, NY winner over Westman 4-3
155 pounds 3rd place Ashley Westman from Cattaragus, NY
Read More.
My name is Alex Conti and I am the new USA Wrestling Women's Director for New York State.
Along with Mike Paquette, long time Women's assistant director and head of the Women's TNT's wrestling club in the Schenectady area, we will be running a Women's tournament here at Fredonia HS, Saturday, March 1st and, if needed, March 2nd.
Please make your young ladies aware of the opportunity to compete for a chance to be crowned a New York State Champion .
I have attempted to keep this tournament within the scope of our HS season so that all the young ladies who have worked hard all year will just be finishing up with the HS season and will be ready to compete.
We would expect those young ladies who are fortunate enough to qualify for the Boys Sate tournament NOT to show up to wrestle at this event, However, if they were to be in attendance we would like to take the time to honor them as the true NY State Female pioneers who will be leading us into the next decade at the National and International Wrestling levels.
Timing is the most important issue, and this year USA Wrestling is hosting a Women's Folk-style National Tournament.
This tournament is to be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on March 14th, 15th and 16th.
What makes this Women's Folk-style National Tournament so special is it will be held in conjunction with the Women's College National Tournament .
This will give our High School ladies two things:
1st, it gives them a chance to watch all the college women battle it out for a national championship.
2nd, it gives them an opportunity to compete in front of all the Coaches throughout the nation who currently have Women's Wrestling at their College or University.
This is truly an opportunity that shouldn't be missed.
The Women's Folk-style New York State Tournament will be run on Saturday, March 1st
There will be weigh-ins Friday, February 29. We will run it on the weekend between everyone's State Qualifier and the NY State Boys tournament
This Women's Folk-style State Tournament will give us an opportunity to assemble a team to compete in Oklahoma.
It is time to bring home a Women's National Team Championship to the State of New York.
This will NOT be a NYSPHSAA event and therefore NO SCHOOL UNIFORMS MAY BE WORN .
This is a USA Wrestling event and a USA Wrestling Card must be purchased .
I will be sending out applications to this tournament to each of you in the near future.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
Please e-mail me at
AConti@fcsd.wnyric.org
and let me know how many young ladies you have currently competing in your section.
Thanks in advance for your help.
Sincerely,
Alex Conti
AConti@fcsd.wnyric.org
> Click here for full brackets
96 Lbs:
1st: CRYSTAL CHAPPLE TOTTENVILLE
2nd: JANEL GONZALEZ HERBERT H LEHMAN 10
103 Lbs:
1st: ELEANOR LEWIS HORACE MANN jr
2nd: ALEXIS SIEGEL HUNTER So
3rd: MARGARITA KATSER JAMES MADISON 11
112 Lbs:
1st: AKEYLA TODD HORACE MANN so
2nd: JESSICA LAPPONESE HERBERT H LEHMAN 12
3rd: TIFFANY UROSA JOHN BOWNE 10
119 Lbs:
1st: JOANN LEE BARUCH 12th
2nd: NIKITA FELIX WINGATE GENERALS 11th
3rd: ALANA RODRIGUEZ CURTIS
4th: JACQUELINER IVERA HERBERT H LEHMAN 11
5th: CHRISTINE JIANG HUNTER Fr
6th: RASHIDA HINDS THOMAS EDISON Junior |
125 Lbs:
1st: TONIANN SCARBOROUGH HERBERT H LEHMAN 12
2nd: MAKEDA HOLDER WINGATE GENERALS 11th
3rd: VICTORIA REYES NEW DORP 10
135 Lbs:
1st: LASHIRA UPSON SUSAN E WAGNER 9
2nd: AMA OSAFOYEBOAH WINGATE GENERALS 11
3rd: DANIELLA DEPASQUALE TOTTENVILLE
145 Lbs:
1st: RUTH LEGER WINGATE GENERALS 10th |
BY MITCH ABRAMSON, NY Daily News
 Janel Gonzalez's reaction was one of pure joy. Moments after the 96-pounder from Lehman pinned her opponent in a PSAL wrestling match, Gonzalez, a 4-6½ spigot of energy who is also a cheerleader, cupped her hand over her mouth.
"I was shocked that I really won," she said of her first win of the season, which came against Petrides' Emmanuel Bandoo on Jan. 3. "I didn't believe it at first. I was just shaking my head. I tried to go back to the bench, but I was suffocated by hugs."
Such scenes of hysteria are becoming more common this winter, in what has amounted to a breakout season for girls wrestling in New York City.
Approximately 40 girls from 16 PSAL schools are pulling on a singlet and taking their spot on the mats, according to data compiled in December by Mike Spanakos of the Beat the Streets program. With 15 fledgling developmental squads this season bringing the number of PSAL wrestling programs to 45, the number of girls is noticeably increasing.
Some, like Gonzalez, say they were attracted to the sport's physical component. Baruch's Joann Lee, a former team manager who grew frustrated as a spectator and discovered she is a terror on the mat, wrote her college essay on her experiences as a grappler.
Read More.
The Beat the Streets Regional Training Center is proud to announce an all girls wrestling clinic and scrimmage on Saturday December 22, 2007 at Parsons Beacon Community Center, 158-40 76th Road, Fresh Meadows, Queens, NY 11366. The clinic/scrimmage is headed by none other then Julieta Okot.
Read More.
posted November 13, 2007
Hey guys, clear the mats. The girls are getting ready to wrestle!
So said the TSSAA board of control on Monday in Nashville as a unanimous vote was given to approve a high school girls wrestling duals invitational on Saturday Feb. 2 in Clarksville, Tenn.
The double-elimination tournament will be held in conjunction with the TSSAA boys Division I state duals wrestling tournament at Clarksville High School.
"Right now, five states besides Tennessee have girls wrestling and we (TSSAA) believe the time is right to hold a girls invitational tournament," said TSSAA executive director Ronnie Carter. "There is good interest in a girls event and to have this first duals tournament in conjunction with the boys state duals is the best scenario."
Read More.
November 17th at the New York Athletic Club
Body Bar Systems Sponsors Women's Wrestling Technique Clinics
Growing Interest in Women's Wrestling Fuels Trish Saunders Women's Wrestling Technique Tour
BOULDER, Colo. - October 23, 2007 - Body Bar Systems, a premier fitness company specializing in products and educational tools for fitness enthusiasts of all ages and abilities, today announced its sponsorship of The Trish Saunders Women's Wrestling Technique Tour at the 2007 Sunkist Kids International Open.
World Champion, Olympic Team Coach, and Hall of Fame wrestler Trish Saunders will conduct a free series of women's wrestling technique clinics sponsored by Body Bar Systems, a USA Wrestling's Women's National Team sponsor.
Read More.
 Nearly 100 of the 900 wrestlers in the Beat the Street Wrestling Middle School Program are girls. Twenty-five of them attended a summer wrestling camp and one was a champion and the other a finalists in our inaugural middle school wrestling championships in March at Hunter College.
In the upcoming season there will be additional opportunities created for "all girl" training, competition and select team competition with specifically trained coaches.
The sport is expanding quite rapidly throughout the United States with college opportunities increasing for girls nationwide. New York City for the first time, will be starting on a even keel with the rest of the country expanding girls and women wrestling.
Conder wins gold, Padilla takes silver at Junior Worlds in China
Gary Abbott USA Wrestling
08/23/2007
BEIJING, CHINA - Whitney Conder (Puyallup, Wash./USOEC) claimed a gold medal at 51 kg/112.25 lbs. and Tatiana Padilla (LaVerne, Calif./California Grapplers) captured a silver medal at 59 kg/130 lbs. at the Junior World Championships on Thursday night.
Conder defeated Kumari Babita of India, 2-1, 3-2 in the finals. Conder scored two takedowns in the first period. In the second period, the difference for Conder was a takedown with exposure points. Read more.
Click here for full results.
Dear Editor,
Attached please find the NCWA press release on the nations first collegiate wrestling league for women. Please post this press release on your site. There are currently three colleges in NY with active NCWA programs, UAlbany, RPI and Syracuse. It is rumored that Hudson Valley CC is going to start one next year as well. For more information on the NCWA go to www.ncwa.net . I am also a source for such information and may be contacted by anyone wishing to learn more about our state teams, Northeast Conference teams or the NCWA in general. I can also help facilitate the forming of new teams on campuses that have none and will travel to meet with those interested in starting a program in the NCWA. I am currently working with some guys in the north country to get a program started at Clinton CC.
Thanks for your help and continued support.
Yours in wrestling,
Stephen Shaw
Head Coach,
UAlbany Wrestling
Director of Development,
NCWA Northeast Conference
(518) 376-8183
Coachsshaw@aim.com
Tabitha Wilson NCWA
07/20/2007
Dallas, Texas, July 20, 2007 -- The National Collegiate Wrestling Association has officially announced the addition of a Women's Collegiate Division for the upcoming 2007-2008 season. This monumental addition will provide the only post high school collegiate style venue for women, thus catering to a deeply underserved wrestling population.
"We are excited to lead the way and act as pioneers for women's wrestling" said NCWA Executive Director, Jim Giunta. "Women's wrestling is rapidly growing across the nation on the youth and high school level, but there are very few options for them on the college level."
Read More.
OKLAHOMA CITY -- When you think of big-time college sports, women's wrestling is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.
However, Oklahoma City University is starting a varsity program this fall, complete with scholarships and a head coach it shares with the men's team.
Archie Randall at OCU has been coaching men's wrestling for years. However, a few months ago, he was also named the head coach of the newly formed women's team. While it's the same sport, it couldn't be any more different.
Randall recently hosted a camp for the school's newest varsity sport, and 25 of the city's newest Stars showed up. The first thing he noticed, he said, was how different they were from the guys.
Read more.
2007 TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School All-American Wrestling Team named
06/29/2007
 The nation's best girls high school wrestlers are being honored with the announcement of the seventh annual TheMat.com/ASICS Girls High School All-American Wrestling Team.
Making the First Team for the third straight year were juniors Michaela Hutchison of Skyview High School in Alaska, Joey Miller of Woodward High School in Oklahoma and Tatiana Padilla of Northview High School in California.
Making the First Team for the second straight year was senior Nicole Woody of Arundel High School in Maryland. Read More.
Photo by Larry Slater
Congratulations to Julieta Okot for her 3rd Place ranking with the United States Women's Wrestling Team. Julieta finished 3rd in the 2007 World team trials in Las Vegas over the weekend. The ranking will qualify her for National Team Ranking and subsidy continuing her quest for a berth on the 2008 Women's Olympic Team.
Julieta is the Beat the Streets Wrestling coordinator that travels to all the Middle School Teams working with the wrestlers and coaches. She conducts clinics and performs demonstrations in physical education classes and assemblies recruiting students, teachers and administrators to add wrestling through the CHAMPS Program in the New York City public school system.
Read more.
New York Times
UNCASVILLE, Conn. - The takedown came after all of 12 seconds.
Jessica Bennett, Montville High School's 103-pound wrestler, waited until Rich Wood went down to try to grab her leg, then launched herself onto his back, and got him down to his knees. After a brief stalemate later in the match, Jessica, 15, lifted him off the ground and took him back to the mat, for more points.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02 /17/nyregion/17wrestle.html ?ref=nyregion
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Beat the Streets Coach Julieta Okot Places 3rd at Women's World Team Trials