| New women’s wrestling program promotes integrity, equality |
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Nearly a dozen students from across the nation have united at MBU to form only the eleventh collegiate women’s wrestling program in all of the United States. Their goal: to be the best women’s wrestling program in the nation while educating those unfamiliar with the sport they love about its innumerable benefits. Erica Poe is a self-described “girly girl.” That may explain her pink wrestling shoes and matching headgear. Poe, a MBU freshman and member of the inaugural Spartan Women’s Wrestling Squad, is launching her college career much the same way she lived out her high school years: as a trailblazer. In high school, the Warsaw, Mo. native put her inhibitions—and flair for fake fingernails—aside and joined her school’s male wrestling squad. As the second girl ever to wrestle for Warsaw High School and one of only a handful in the state, she competed against boys—and won. In fact, she quickly earned a reputation for her sure toughness, first qualifying for the Missouri state championship her junior year and then going 2-2 her senior year at state before losing a close match that would have given her a third place place. “Wrestling has, most importantly, provided me with discipline” said Poe, who also played competitive softball during high school. “More than any other sport, you have to be mentally and physically prepared in order to be successful in this sport.” Poe’s bringing the same determination to MBU that she delivered to her high school—on and off the mat—in an effort to bring credence to her sport a the collegiate level. She’s not alone. Nearly a dozen students from across the nation have united at MBU to form only the tenth collegiate women’s wrestling program in all of the United States. Their goal: to be the best women’s wrestling program in the nation while educating those unfamiliar with the sport they love about its innumerable benefits. “Adding a women’s wrestling program at MBU is really just a way to allow another gender the opportunity to be involved in a sport that offers so much,” said Bryan Jackson, MBU head wrestling coach. “To think that this sport is specific to males is selfish.” Women’s wrestling became an official Olympic sport in 2004. And in recent years, women programs at the high school level have surfaced throughout the country. In fact, the number of women wrestlers has increased more than threefold from just a decade ago, when 1,600 girls wrestled during the 1996-97 school year, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations. The sport at the collegiate level, however, has remained relatively stagnant. MBU is only the third school in the state to offer such a program. Currently, only one N.C.A.A. member school has a varsity women’s wrestling program. Jackson believes that will change soon. He believes the sport’s very nature—while perhaps unconventional—equips participants with the attributes needed to be leaders long after their days at MBU, no matter what gender. Some of those characteristics include confidence, tenacity, loyalty and discipline to name a few, added Jackson. “Through sacrifice, you reap rewards,” he said. “I am confident that these women will grow to be fabulous mothers, wives and, most importantly, women of God.” For now, though, the students comprised of the pioneer of a MBU wrestling team have their sights set on their upcoming season. For Poe, that means preparing to compete for the first time against her own gender. “I get angry when I lose to a guy,” Poe admitted. “I don’t know how I will react if I were to lose to a girl.” |