Girl in Alaska wins state tourney

[allsaints]

Walkenvol that's a tough question.

 

We did not choose a singe sex school for that reason but because we thought that particular school was the best fit for him considering academics, friends, sports, and overall development/enjoyment. This also didn't mean that red, green, or any other color wouldn't have been a great match for him either. And yet, we also chose a co-ed school for one of my girls because its co-ed but for all the same reasons mentioned above. It was a matter of taking each situation by itself without regard to un-related influences like where a parent or a sibling went to school or its wrestling program.

 

I woudn't push my girls to go out for wrestling nor discourage them. I just don't think a girl should be denighed access to such an excellent sport. I didn't push my son to wrestle, he didn't even go out until 6th grade when his buddies pushed him into it. Until girls can pick up enough steam (which may never happen) to get an all girls league, I say let them wrestle. Besides, I've seen plenty of mature seniors walking off a mat in tears after being humilated by another boy. I remember wanting to crawl in a hole plenty of times myself and I never had to wrestle a girl. Like the advice I give my son: if your uncomfortable then forfeit. Otherwise, go out there and kick (or at least try to kick) his or her butt.

[walkenvol]

allsaints - No offense intended here, but I don't follow the logic of the pro girl position as is presented. It appears that you support the parents/students right to chose either a coed or same sex educational environment, but in athletics you support allowing the competitor to chose for your son whether the wrestling competition will be coed or same sex as his only option is to withdraw from the competition (forfeit). Why should our sons loose their right to chose not to have what many would consider inappropriate physical contact with a girl? Do you truely feel that "either do it our way or quit" is a legitimate option. Should all the tough wrestling moms be forced to take on the WV if I decide I want to enter the tough mom tourney?

[allsaints]

Good point Walkenvol and I'm afraid there is no easy answer. Wrestle me or quit when wrestling me might be too strange to take on. I don't know the answer and you have aurgued me into a corner (nice job). I'm stumped. I do know that I've seen at least 3 matches this year between boys and girls and it was not that big of a deal for the boys. I also know that some schools are allowing girls to wrestle so many boys will have to face it sooner or later.

 

Short of legislation, I'm not sure the boys are going to have much choice other than wrestle their best and make the most of it or forfeit. It was never an issue in my day so my opinion on the matter really shouldn't bear as much weight as the kids who have to do the mat time. I'll go to the expert on this matter. My teenage wrestler. Stay tuned for his insight.

[harry thornton]

allsaints - No offense intended here, but I don't follow the logic of the pro girl position as is presented. It appears that you support the parents/students right to chose either a coed or same sex educational environment, but in athletics you support allowing the competitor to chose for your son whether the wrestling competition will be coed or same sex as his only option is to withdraw from the competition (forfeit). Why should our sons loose their right to chose not to have what many would consider inappropriate physical contact with a girl? Do you truely feel that "either do it our way or quit" is a legitimate option. Should all the tough wrestling moms be forced to take on the WV if I decide I want to enter the tough mom tourney?

Walkenvol in a speedo (red and grey striped of course) in a jello rasslin' match @ the tough mom tourney??!! Somebody better step in guys or just could happen. Who saw title IX comin' ?

[Sommers]

allsaints - No offense intended here, but I don't follow the logic of the pro girl position as is presented. It appears that you support the parents/students right to chose either a coed or same sex educational environment, but in athletics you support allowing the competitor to chose for your son whether the wrestling competition will be coed or same sex as his only option is to withdraw from the competition (forfeit). Why should our sons loose their right to chose not to have what many would consider inappropriate physical contact with a girl? Do you truely feel that "either do it our way or quit" is a legitimate option. Should all the tough wrestling moms be forced to take on the WV if I decide I want to enter the tough mom tourney?

100% Agree

[mcwrestler]

Good point Walkenvol and I'm afraid there is no easy answer. Wrestle me or quit when wrestling me might be too strange to take on. I don't know the answer and you have aurgued me into a corner (nice job). I'm stumped. I do know that I've seen at least 3 matches this year between boys and girls and it was not that big of a deal for the boys. I also know that some schools are allowing girls to wrestle so many boys will have to face it sooner or later.

 

Short of legislation, I'm not sure the boys are going to have much choice other than wrestle their best and make the most of it or forfeit. It was never an issue in my day so my opinion on the matter really shouldn't bear as much weight as the kids who have to do the mat time. I'll go to the expert on this matter. My teenage wrestler. Stay tuned for his insight.

I graduated high school last year, so my perspective is a relativly recent one. I doubt much has changed since last year. Did I enjoy wrestling girls, no. But I also did not have a problem with it. . I would rather not be in the lose lose situation but an opponent is an opponent and I admire the girls for giving it a shot and showing that they too can compete. Sommers, it isn't imposing embarrassment on our boys, it is giving oppurtunities to the girls.

Edited February 8, 2006 by mcwrestler

[sly]

I graduated high school last year, so my perspective is a relativly recent one. I doubt much has changed since last year. Did I enjoy wrestling girls, no. But I also did not have a problem with it. . I would rather not be in the lose lose situation but an opponent is an opponent and I admire the girls for giving it a shot and showing that they too can compete. Sommers, it isn't imposing embarrassment on our boys, it is giving oppurtunities to the girls.

 

mcwrestler or (anyone who is in favor of girls being allowed to play or wrestle with the boys), Would you be in favor of giving a boy that was cut from the boys basketball team or boys soccer team the "opportunity" to play on the girls team? On an earlier post someone mentioned that if a girl was good enough then she should have the opportunity to play with the boys. Well if a boy isn't good enough to play with the boys but was good enough to play with the girls then shouldn't he have that option?

[mcwrestler]

mcwrestler or (anyone who is in favor of girls being allowed to play or wrestle with the boys), Would you be in favor of giving a boy that was cut from the boys basketball team or boys soccer team the "opportunity" to play on the girls team? On an earlier post someone mentioned that if a girl was good enough then she should have the opportunity to play with the boys. Well if a boy isn't good enough to play with the boys but was good enough to play with the girls then shouldn't he have that option?

Seems to be a valid point, like what if a male wrestler gets cut from the team can he go compete with the female wrestlers on the female team...................... oh wait a second, THE GIRLS DON'T HAVE A TEAM. Boys have the oppurtunity to play basketball if they are good enough, so they have an oppurtunity. What if the girl is good enough to wrestle for the school, can she just go sign up with the girls wrestling team. NO. She cannot as of now join an all female wrestling team. She can join the male or coed wrestling team. It is not about being able to play and make the team or not, it is about having the option to try out for the team. I do not forsee a girls division taking off anytime soon. A girl should have to make the team like anyone else, with no exceptions. I am not advocating letting girls on the team just because they are girls and we have to to be fair. I am for letting girls onto the team if they can make it. As for the boy missing the cut and going to the girls team, that is ridiculous, he had a shot and needs to work harder for the next year. When the female wrestlers get a team then we can talk about having a second chance at making another team, but for now it is about getting the chance at all. In my opinion, the people opposed to female wrestling are not out for male equality, if we want a male volleyball team go lobby on the volleyball link, they are afraid of their kids having their feelings hurt because they get beat by an opponent who happens to be a girl. A guy on my old team lost to a girl and came back to bust his butt and get better, he showed that he was not going to let something as SILLY as losing to a girl stop him. And he got alot better. Wrestlers, quit running from matches with girls unless you lack confidence in yourself. A girl is an opponent, whoever enters that ring is you opponet. Spectators, does it really bother us that much to see a girl wrestling. Seriously, how bad is it.

[sly]

if we want a male volleyball team go lobby on the volleyball link, ..............................................................................Spectators, does it really bother us that much to see a girl wrestling. Seriously, how bad is it.

 

mcwrestler, The reason I don't think boys should be wrestling girls is I think its inappropriate. Thats it. It has nothing to do with winning or losing. I have seen many wrestling matches over the years and I've seen dozens of matches with boys wrestling girls and 99% of the time the boy wins.....not a surprise. You say if we want a volleyball team then go lobby for it.....OK, well until there is a boys volleyball team the boys should get to compete on the girls volleyball teams just like the girls are getting to wrestle on the boys teams(until there is a girls team).

 

There once was a high school wrestler who played volleyball during the summers and was a pretty good player and when he asked to start a boys team he was told there were no other boys teams so there was no reason to start a boys team. He then asked if he could play on the girls team and he was told NO! He could have taken it to court but it sure would have looked bad for a big bad wrestler going to court so he could play girls volleyball. I guess one problem I have is I don't like the double standards.

 

As far as how bad is it to watch a girl wrestle a boy....I'm sure there are exceptions but most of the matches don't last very long....the boy usually pins her and really I am concerned that the girl might get hurt.....hurt bad.

[mcwrestler]

That is a good point about the volleyball team but Iwould expect that big bad wrestler to overpower teams he played against. I enjoyed volleyball, stunk at it, but it is fun. This is a situation where one instance does not apply to others even though they are the same, confused, I know it is. I understand the risk of a girl getting hurt, I also enddured injuries yet I am a male, it does happen. I have fractured ribs and wrestled with it and seperated my sternum twice and now I have a seperated shoulder that has ended my season this year. I have injured both elbows. These injuries are not from being dominated but from wear and tear and weird landings, mostly in practice. It is a rough sport and girls know that coming in. I understand the injury risk but that is one you must be willing to take if you participate.

[mcwrestler]

I guess one problem I have is I don't like the double standards.

 

As far as how bad is it to watch a girl wrestle a boy....I'm sure there are exceptions but most of the matches don't last very long....the boy usually pins her and really I am concerned that the girl might get hurt.....hurt bad.

I too dislike the double standards and like I said I do not support them , but just because we are unable to do something (volleyball) should we then disallow someone else from an oppurtunity(girls wrestling). Double standards are the sad fact of an overly PC (Politically Correct) world. Every thing is about being PC and being sensitive. I am currently doing a report on the negative effects of title IX on wrestling and male sports. I am doing this because it is a topic I care about. Some may believe that since I do not like the implementation of title IX then I must not want girls to wrestle. Here is the deal on that. Girls and Guys both got screwedby title IX. Girls did not get more sports as was hoped for, guys just got less. Fairness is a tricky issue and something hard to obtain. I hope that we can. We all have opinions we are entitled to, and I hope I have not offended anyone, I am just outspoken on what I believe, especially since I would allow girls on my AAU team but if they want to wrestle in high school then what.

Edited February 9, 2006 by mcwrestler

[MasterBlaster 1]

Let me put my 2 cents in here. I think it is unfair for the Board of Education from any district to force a coach to allow girls on their team. Have you seen the news lately with all the male coaches, teachers etc. getting in trouble.

 

If a girl gets mad at her coach, all she has to do is say he touched her wrong or looked at her the wrong way....and it never has to be proven for this coaches life to be ruined. (Trust me, I don't get paid enough in coaching to give up my career so a girl can prove something). It may be cool now, but watch, when one coach gets burned it won't be such a cool idea anymore.

In this day and time, it could be a young man in your scenario.

Take it back 60 or 70 years ago these debates would be over race and religion.

 

I've seen some young ladies at camps give the majority of the guys great competition. I said good for them! However, last year I saw a young lady from Karns get her nose busted at least 3 X and that made me think if I would want my daughter out there. The young lady was not out for the team this year. So it was not for her.

 

Let them decide our young men are going to be compting with them in the work force, armed forces and in Marriage.

 

Open your eyes the world has changed for most of us.