Some say it can’t be done, but this year it is happening.
A girls division will be added to the wrestling team this season.
The team was formed by three sisters, Tera, Abby and Kaileigh Hunter. With the help of their wrestling coach, Michael Hynd, the formation and planning of the wrestling team only took about a week to craft.
The push for the girls to participate in wrestling was inspired by their brother Lukas Hunter. For the Hunter sisters, wrestling is a sport they have been involved with for a long time. The sisters’ older brother, Lukas, wrestled for four years, as Kaileigh and her sister sat on the sidelines recording and keeping track of points.
This caught the attention of Kaileigh and Abby to create a team. The girls needed nine or more girls to start an official girls division of the team. The girls managed to get 10 participants. The team practices and works out together with the boys with separation in locker rooms and wrestling on mats. Girls on the team still have the option to wrestle with boys if they want and if they are comfortable.
“Seeing people on the mat and seeing the opportunities of GlenOak having a girls wrestling team really encouraged me to start,” Kaileigh said.
Some had concerns about conflict or tension between the girls team and boys team but so far the girls have had no issues being around the guys.
“There are no issues with girls on the team, some of the guys are excited to have them,” Hynd said.
The way the girls train and attend matches is the same as the boys team. A big part that Hynd is trying to impart to the students is equality and comfortability on the team.
The drive to have more females wrestle in the future is a goal for Kaileigh and Abby to see how GlenOak widens the opportunities and courage for more girls to do wrestling.
