Any wrestling parents in here?

Randy Wieland wrote:

Olivia took that as a heck of an insult. Happened to her plenty of times. I get harassment a boy gets from other boys if they lose to a girl. Kids can be extremely brutal with that.
We got to see the actions though of some great coaches that were teaching these young kids. One that impressed me the most was a coach that pulled his boy aside and had a discussion that I partly over-heard. The boy’s excuse was he didn’t want to hurt Olivia and didn’t want to wrestle her. Coach told him to get his crap together and under stand that girl has worked 100 times harder than any guy to get where she was at. She knew she had to be tougher, work harder, and had nothing to lose and everything to gain – she was hungry. That boy ended up wrestling her and won by a few points. But, it went the distance and they both fought like hell to win. That boy came up to Olivia following and made sure she knew that was one of the hardest matches he had all year. All I remember was he had some state ranking, no clue what that was.

Worst I ever saw was a parent. Olivia won her match and the father walked right up to his son and started cussing him out in front of EVERYONE. I truly felt for that kid, so sad to see he had a pathetic parent.

It’s interesting to hear it from that point of view. I’m about 20 years removed from high school and wrestled a my senior year. Coach needed a few more guys to fill out the team so I figured I’d try it out. I wasn’t particularly good, but I hung in most matches.

Even though it wasn’t as common as today, we even had a few girls wrestling back then. They were almost always in the lightest two weight classes. I wrestled at 152 and one match the opposing school had a girl in my weight class. Coach asked me if I wanted to wrestle against her, otherwise he could bump me up to 160 for that match (didn’t have a guy in that class). I thought about it hard, but it was a lose lose in my mind at the time. I proceeded to get waxed by the guy a weight class above me, and probably let down that gal by taking away an opportunity from her. Didn’t think about it that way until now 20 years later. As a father of two girls now, that situation sits a lot differently for me today.

Is there any movement to have separate girls wrestling? I can recall many years ago playing hockey we had girls playing with the boys but once girls hockey started their own separation, they would not permit girls to play with the boys anymore at a certain age.

I am not against it either way. Seems like it could be an option though.

gimruis wrote:

Is there any movement to have separate girls wrestling?

Its growing, but not there yet. There are traveling girls’ leagues out there and “clubs”

Stanley wrote:

I have heard about stuff like that also when it comes to girls. I told my kids if they didn’t want to wrestle a girl they would have to forfeit the whole bracket. If the girls want to wrestle with the boys that’s their decision and they know what they are getting into. Only thing I tell my boys is they don’t get treated differently and to wrestle them just like they would anyone else

There is a girl who wrestles for pine city dragons. She must be 5th grade and I watch her dominate all the boys around. She is in beast mode on the mat. And her mother is to.

gimruis wrote:

Is there any movement to have separate girls wrestling? I can recall many years ago playing hockey we had girls playing with the boys but once girls hockey started their own separation, they would not permit girls to play with the boys anymore at a certain age.

I am not against it either way. Seems like it could be an option though.

There are some states that does have Separate Wrestling teams for boys and Girls. I don’t think at this time Minnesota Does. With how fast woman’s Wrestling is getting on a national stage I think as some point more state will get there.

I may be old school here, but I’m kind of on the Fence when it comes to Girls competing against boys in Wrestling. I would prefer if they each could compete against others of the same sex, but realize that is not always a option. I just see this as causing issues for both Sex’s

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Stanley wrote:</div>
I have heard about stuff like that also when it comes to girls. I told my kids if they didn’t want to wrestle a girl they would have to forfeit the whole bracket. If the girls want to wrestle with the boys that’s their decision and they know what they are getting into. Only thing I tell my boys is they don’t get treated differently and to wrestle them just like they would anyone else

There is a girl who wrestles for pine city dragons. She must be 5th grade and I watch her dominate all the boys around. She is in beast mode on the mat. And her mother is to.

I wrestled all through school and have a 4th grader in it now. I have seen some bats**t crazy, over the top parents over the years.
My buddies mom was/is crazy. Once senior year at a team section match she came out of the stands to the mat edge yelling at the ref. They went off the mat on her side. My buddy stands up and yells at his mom, “mom shut the f*** up and go sit down”. She put her head down and marched back up the bleachers. The ref just looked at him and the match resumed. One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen at a wrestling match.

I grew up in a basketball family. We traveled all over the upper Midwest playing basketball. I was the biggest kid, the fastest kid, had the cool hairy legs, etc.

Fast forward to today and I’m still 5’11” and have been this size since about age 11. I just hit puberty about 2 years before everyone else and was raised to be extremely physical when I competed. In hindsight, I wish I would’ve wrestled. I was an all-conference basketball player and football player…but think wrestling could’ve offered me a lot more to help make me a better athlete.

I have just a daughter for now and will let her decide what she wants to be in, but I will push extra-curriculars of any type. I don’t care if it’s dance, softball, the theatre, basketball, wrestling, golf, etc. etc. I just want her involved learning to manage her time, be a part of a team, and face challenges.

@fishthumper I’m a product of the late 80’s (Cambridge) and we had many battles with Staples. If you’re from that era we most likely had a few matches. I also waddled my way up from 98-112-119 over the years. I would give anything to still be at that weight!!!! I also spent most of my years freestyle wrestling around the state and a few neighboring states. I progressed into coaching the freestyle program (Rum River Wrestling) for many years after that. I always taught my older kids to give back to wrestling the same amount of years it gave to you. I’m very proud of my wrestling career even though my body regrets most of it now that Im 50. I love seeing the kids I have coached now coaching kids and making an impact. Keep up the good work Moms and Dads! Dont forget its for the kids. I surely dont miss sitting in a Gym every saturday and practices every night.

Shannon Kruse

I just got a email from mn USA wrestling about a all girls practice tonight hosted by stillwater. Thought that was convenient timing

sand-burr wrote:

@fishthumper I’m a product of the late 80’s (Cambridge) and we had many battles with Staples. If you’re from that era we most likely had a few matches. I also waddled my way up from 98-112-119 over the years. I would give anything to still be at that weight!!!! I also spent most of my years freestyle wrestling around the state and a few neighboring states. I progressed into coaching the freestyle program (Rum River Wrestling) for many years after that. I always taught my older kids to give back to wrestling the same amount of years it gave to you. I’m very proud of my wrestling career even though my body regrets most of it now that Im 50. I love seeing the kids I have coached now coaching kids and making an impact. Keep up the good work Moms and Dads! Dont forget its for the kids. I surely dont miss sitting in a Gym every saturday and practices every night.

Shannon Kruse

I Wrestled for Staples in the Early 80’s. I Graduated from there in 1983. You followed the same weight path as I did. I also did a lot of freestyle Wrestling in the off season. My body also still feels the effects of some injuries I received over my many years of Wrestling, but I would not trade it for anything. Those High Schools years are still some of the best in my life.

I think I remember seeing something about Minnesota having some sort of high school girls wrestling state tournament last spring, after the regular state tournament.

Only wrestled couple years myself in middle school. Went up a girl very last match of season I believe, got crushed.

When you grow up in a strict “you never cause a female harm no matter what” household, it becomes quite tough to turn that switch off, sport or no sport. At least it was for me.

I’m certainly not using that as an excuse why I lost could’ve cared less at the moment or to this day, and not saying anything is right or wrong but at that age with puberty, spandex, and righteousness it becomes a warzone in a preteen brain.

I grew up with all sisters so wrestling around with them I at least had some experience. Can’t imagine a kid whose had all brothers doing the same thing. Just throwing out my 2 cents, no judgements.

I have all daughters now so I can empathize Randy’s thoughts, but I do get the other side to.

He is 5’9. Tall and skinny. He gets wrapped up in giant pretzels lol
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You need to teach him how to cradle and do it well. Those tall lanky guys are natural cradlers.

buckybadger wrote:

I don’t care if it’s dance, softball, the theatre, basketball, wrestling, golf, etc. etc. I just want her involved learning to manage her time, be a part of a team, and face challenges.

KUDOS

gimruis wrote:

Is there any movement to have separate girls wrestling? I can recall many years ago playing hockey we had girls playing with the boys but once girls hockey started their own separation, they would not permit girls to play with the boys anymore at a certain age.

I am not against it either way. Seems like it could be an option though.

A lot more youth opens are having a girls only division and nywa and mn USA have a girls only division that goes all the way to state championship like the boys and they get state ranked. My youngest son goes to wrestle jitsu as well and they used to have a girls only practice every week and there would be 15-20 girls show up for that but not sure if they are still doing that.

glenn57 wrote:

Alot of my high school friends where wrestlers. So I watched alot of matches. Even went down to watch the state tourney a few times.

I wrestled with the cheerleaders, does that count!!

Did you see me? EP wrestled Roccori Cold Spring at state my Freshman year.

sand-burr wrote:

@fishthumper I’m a product of the late 80’s (Cambridge) and we had many battles with Staples. If you’re from that era we most likely had a few matches. I also waddled my way up from 98-112-119 over the years. I would give anything to still be at that weight!!!! I also spent most of my years freestyle wrestling around the state and a few neighboring states. I progressed into coaching the freestyle program (Rum River Wrestling) for many years after that. I always taught my older kids to give back to wrestling the same amount of years it gave to you. I’m very proud of my wrestling career even though my body regrets most of it now that Im 50. I love seeing the kids I have coached now coaching kids and making an impact. Keep up the good work Moms and Dads! Dont forget its for the kids. I surely dont miss sitting in a Gym every saturday and practices every night.

Shannon Kruse

We might have tangled! I wrestled a ton of Freestyle and Greco. 1985-1989 in High School from 98-125lbs, but I weighed in at 134 and wrestled 143 my senior year in Freestyle.

The MSHSL actually approved varsity girl’s wrestling for the ’21-’22 season. You’re not going to see full female teams (yet, at least), but it is a start.

Details here.

Augsburg University has women’s wrestling team.

Wrestled in highschool And son wrestles. Coach his team in Zimmerman. Definitely the sport to instill work ethic. Coaching multiple sports I LOVE the lack of politics in the sport. You win or you lose no positions, no picking who plays how much or where, no parents trying to influence playing time etc… been great seeing the tournaments busy and full. The dude at a tournament a couple weeks ago.

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DaveB wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>glenn57 wrote:</div>
Alot of my high school friends where wrestlers. So I watched alot of matches. Even went down to watch the state tourney a few times.

I wrestled with the cheerleaders, does that count!!

Did you see me? EP wrestled Roccori Cold Spring at state my Freshman year.

not that i recall!!!!!!!

Bearcat89 wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>fishthumper wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Bearcat89 wrote:</div>
My son wrestles for north branch and I coach. He is 5th grade but wrestles 6th grades typically due to his size. He is very tall 10 year old. Try to keep weight under 125 but he will weigh in up to 130.

He’s 10 and weighs 125-130. He must be a tall 10 year old. I Wrestled 119 my Sr. year but could have Wrestled 112.

He is 5’9. Tall and skinny. He gets wrapped up in giant pretzels lol

Semi-retired coach. My younger brother was built like that. Best advice I can give to a long skinny kid is to teach him how to ride the legs and use his length in every position. With the longer leverage he doesn’t have to be the strongest, just know how to use his length.