This year Arvada West, who previously has had a very successful boys wrestling program, has decided to add a girls program as well. This will give more opportunities to female athletes at Arvada West to succeed and be a part of the program. Many girls were happy to hear that there was a program that they could join.
Freshman Saige Dell says, “I was very excited about it [wrestling program] and I thought it would be a cool opportunity for some of the girls”.
Along with Dell, Carmen Johnson remarks, “I was super excited about it.” Johnson explains that her boyfriend Auston Eudaly, also a wrestler for A-West, got her interested in the sport and was glad that there was an opportunity for her to join a team. Johnson attends Ralston Valley High School but wrestles for A-West due to the fact that Ralston Valley does not offer a girls wrestling program.
Girls wrestling has begun to become more and more popular over the last couple of years. Over the weekend of January 13, A-West hosted a wrestling tournament. In this tournament Dell says, “I took fourth place in my weight division and almost every girl placed.” Additionally, “I got the first girls pin in school history” Johnson announces.
“It’s one of the fastest growing high school sports in the USA” athletics director Gordon Volk states. Volk regrets not adding the program sooner, but when A-West decided to start a boys volleyball program, it felt like a good time to add a girls wrestling program as well. Part of the motivation to add a girls wrestling program was, “we have a youth wrestling program that has girls that are wrestling, so I want to make sure that when they come here they have a spot,” Volk explains.
A lot of work goes into creating and starting a new sports program, and it varies from sport to sport how to manage it. In order to create a program, one must find coaches, time, and the equipment (if necessary). This is no different for girls wrestling. After all of this, one also has to get the program approved by CHASA.
Due to Title Nine, a school must have at most a 5% difference in female and male sports, so part of the reason that girls wrestling was added is due to the start of boys volleyball.
Overall, there are many things to consider when starting a new sports program but mostly should consider the individuals and giving them new opportunities.
