Recently, with much enthusiasm from female athletes, YCHS has expanded the wrestling program to include girls, and in addition to our successful boy’s wrestling team, there will be a girl’s division representing YC in future competitions. 

While there were some initial murmurs of controversy and confusion, mostly fears about weigh-ins and locker rooms, that’s died down and been replaced with interested girls preparing to participate in the sport. When asked about the new move, YCHS Wrestling Coach and biology teacher Sean Nonamaker noted. 

“Well, there’s still one team. OSAA, Oregon Schools [Activities] Association started a girl’s competition. For years and years and years girls were always allowed to wrestle, but they would wrestle only the weight classes that the boys were in. Now what’s begun, all across the nation, girls now have their own sanctioned sport.”

However, there’s no plan to force a co-ed match. In fact, the opposite is true.

“The only difference is now they’ll have the option of only wrestling females. So it’s not like it’s a new-new thing, it’s just new to being a sanctioned division.” 

Regardless of the evident lack of significant change, it still was new for those at YC, a fact that didn’t escape Nonamaker.

“Now, why it seems especially new to YC is because we’ve only had a handful of girls wrestle throughout the years. I think I’ve had 2 female wrestlers in the 5-6 years I’ve been here. I think that’s why it seems strange with the 4-6 girls interested this year, which seems really new.”

However, he didn’t excuse the complaints of the few boys against the addition. “My guys will overcome, they’ll adapt. At the end of the day, they’ll have to get along and figure it out and become teammates.”

From the girl’s side, the enthusiasm is palpable. YCHS Junior Cristin Brethower says, “All 8 of us or so are pretty new to the sport, but we’re supporting each other as a team, which will be important to achieving success. Each of us has different reasons and expectations, but I’m eager for this opportunity to try something new and strengthen myself mentally and physically…Everyone on the team is looking forward to a great season.”

It seems like this new addition is a great development for YC and the ever-important athletics division.