While many folks enjoyed some downtime during the Christmas/New Year break, the sports scene, both nationally and locally, was in full swing. The college football playoffs and the down-to-the-wire ending of the NFL regular season were widely viewed and discussed. On the local high school scene, basketball and wrestling tournaments dominated the sports calendar.
While holiday tournaments have long been an end-of-the-year staple, the recent explosion of interest in girls wrestling was at the forefront as both the Hughesville and Montgomery lady matsters registered impressive outings. The Hughesville ladies won the 29-team Curwensville Tournament, while the defending state champion Montgomery girls finished second at the MATNESS at the MACC competition held at Liberty Arena.
It wasn’t long ago that girls interested in wrestling were an exception to the norm. With no teams for them to compete on, they joined boys’ teams. In dual meets, they often encountered opponents reluctant to the coed entanglement; but oh, how things have changed!
In addition to Hughesville and Montgomery, who last year won the PIAA state tournament, area high schools with girls’ wrestling teams include Bald Eagle Area, Bellefonte, Central Mountain, Jersey Shore, Milton, Montgomery, Muncy, Sugar Valley, Sullivan County, Wellsboro, and Williamsport, which operates a co-op team that includes girls from South Williamsport.
Following its Curwensville victory, Spartan head coach Royce Eyer, who grew up in Hughesville and won a national championship wrestling at Lycoming College, talked with Webb Weekly about the growth of girls’ wrestling.
“Three years ago, Hughesville started the girls’ wrestling program, and they were looking for a coach. I thought it would be a unique opportunity to start a new program from scratch.
“Girls wrestling at Hughesville started as a club team four years ago, and there was a push to make it an official school sport. That first year, the turnout was pretty good, and in the second year, we had more than 40 girls between varsity and junior high. It is good to see that other teams in the district are expanding, and new teams are growing every year.
“Hughesville has had a strong tradition of wrestling, and some girls began to show an interest in the sport. We took that opportunity, and right now I feel like we are one of the top teams in the state.”
With his strong wrestling background, Eyer’s coaching philosophy is quite simple.
“I stress the fundamentals, staying in good condition, and working really, really, hard. We want the girls to be aggressive, on the attack, and go as hard as they can for as long as they can. We just want to score points and work nonstop for six minutes.
“The techniques are similar, but there are definitely some differences in how you teach it and what you are trying to show. It also depends on the various wrestlers’ skill level. A lot of these girls are new, so stressing the fundamental elements is very important right now.
The similarities between boys’ and girls’ wrestling differ slightly.
“There are a few variances in the weight classes between boys’ and girls’ wrestling. On the varsity level, there are 13 weight classes, just as with the boys. For girls, the weight class begins at 100 pounds and goes up about six pounds through the various levels up to 235 pounds. Traditionally, the girls don’t cut as much weight as the boys do.
“The PIAA has rules to try to prevent kids from cutting too much weight. We do hydration tests, as well as tests to determine body fat level and what is healthy. But the girls don’t cut much weight, and on our team, it has been pretty steady.”
On the heels of its Curwensville win, Eyer has reason to smile.
“The season has gone well for us as a team. We’re off to a good start and have won some tournaments. We have high expectations for them, but the girls are taking things in stride. We just want them to get better each time they show up on the mat. I am happy with our success, but my focus is on the postseason and helping the girls be the best they can be at the end of the year. We’ll see how the postseason plays out.
“I think girls’ wrestling will continue to expand and give a lot of girls the opportunity to compete regardless of their shape or size. In a pretty short timeframe, I wouldn’t be surprised if it equaled boy wrestling as it continues to grow rapidly every year.”
With girls’ wrestling growing in popularity, Eyer invites other young ladies to take part.
“I would encourage them to go out and give the sport a try. I think it’s a sport that teaches them a lot more about themselves than they realize, and what their limits are. In today’s society, you need to be wary of self-defense and be able to take care of yourself, and I think wrestling helps teach that. It is a positive thing that will make them better in other sports as well. Since we began our program, I’ve seen a ton of growth in the girls who are participating.”
