Springfield High School debuted its first girls’ wrestling team this winter. Not only are they competing, they're ranking in the sport statewide.
Two of the team’s athletes took second and third place in their weight classes at a recent tournament.
These are the first Springfield female wrestlers to place at a tournament since the Ohio High School Athletic Association introduced women’s wrestling in 2022.
“Girls wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in the United States,” Varsity Head Coach Matthew Weaver said in a statement. “I truly believe that in the next few years, our numbers here will explode.”
Open mat sessions over the summer helped to train girls that had no prior experience in the sport. Now, there are nine athletes on the roster. This is also the first year Schaefer Middle School hosted a girls wrestling team.