Girl’s wrestling pioneers build up in Colorado Springs
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- It's long overdue, but girl's wrestling is finally a CHSAA sanctioned sport, and this is year one.
"I find it really important because now it's official, and we're really here," says junior Sarah Savidge. "It's not like, this is just a test run. We are here, and we're here to stay. I feel more like a pioneer."
"It's very exciting to have our own girls recognition," says senior Shayla Valdez. "I've been wrestling for five years, and it's great to get that recognition."
Before this year, female wrestlers had to wrestle on club teams. If they wrestled for their school teams, there were fewer girls, and they had to wrestle boys. Now they're laying the foundation for future classes to follow.
"I'm actually very thankful for people to be able to come up and follow us," says junior Candice Brickell. "My little sister should be coming up next year so that will be good. Future generations will be good. Hopefully it will be promoted more, and become a bigger sport."
The sport is still growing. Doherty's squad is made up of girls from 4 different high schools (Doherty, Palmer, Coronado, and Mitchell). As luck would have it, COVID-19 is still very much a problem, but at least there's a season. The girl's have a chance not just to show what they can do, but to change attitudes.
"It's a very tough sport," Savidge says. "A lot of people think it's just a man's sport, but it's for everyone. It doesn't matter who you are. If you've got that heart, and you got that drive, and you're tough as nails, you can do it."
