Brandon Twp. -One is ranked among the top 10 nationally in her weight class, while the other is just starting out in the sport.
Yet Brandon sophomore Sarah Bond and freshman Jacqui Warrilow have one thing in common ? they are females competing in the male-dominated sport of high school wrestling.
The two students say Coach Kent Bailo and the other members of the team have provided a supportive environment.
‘They’re all my best friends,? Bond said of her teammates and coaches. ‘They’re the greatest guys. I’ve been supported the whole way.?
Warrilow also said the guys on the team have ‘looked out for her a lot.?
‘I’ve been actually getting along with them pretty good,? she said. ‘I’ve definitely gotten a lot closer with them.?
The girls? sentiments are backed up by one of their teammates, junior Justin Eimers. ‘It’s more fun to have them on the team,? he said.
Warrilow said it helps that Bailo is also the head of the United States Girls? Wrestling Association. ‘He knows how to coach girls,? she said.
The two girls bring different experience levels to the table. Bond is currently ranked 8th in the nation in the 126-lb. weight class, according to the USGWA Web site.
Bond, whose father was a high school wrestler, started wrestling at Goodrich Middle School in the eighth grade and has taken martial arts classes.
Mary Bond, Sarah’s mother, said when Sarah first approached her and her husband Larry (who wrestled at the high school level) about trying out for wrestling, they told their daughter to ‘go for it.?
‘At first we thought she might be at a disadvantage because of strength, but as it turns out, because of her flexibility and athletic ability, she did well,? she said.
Last year, Sarah amassed nine wins for Brandon while competing on the varsity level at 125 lbs. She is currently competing at the junior varsity level, and is 8-1 this season against male wrestlers.
‘It’s the exact same as when I wrestle girls,? Bond said of wrestling against boys. ‘Sometimes they are stronger, but a lot of the time it’s technique that matters. I think of them all as opponents. There shouldn’t be a barrier between guys and girls wrestling.?
She predicts the number of female wrestlers competing at the high school level will increase in the near future.
‘Some schools don’t allow their boys to wrestle girls, but that’s changing, because girls wrestling is the fastest growing sport in America,? Bond said. ‘You get in the best shape of your life.?
For her part, Warrilow is still learning the ropes in her first year of wrestling. She was on the varsity team at 160 lbs., but currently competes on the junior varsity at 152 lbs.
Bond said her teammate is making steady progress. ‘Since the beginning, you can see her technique and outlook improve,? she said.
Warrilow said she decided to take up the sport because ‘I just wanted to do it.?
‘It looked like fun, and I didn’t want to play volleyball, so I decided to wrestle,? she said.
She said she hasn’t received any negative treatment from opposing fans and players when she and the Blackhawks travel to other high schools. In fact, the opposite is true.
‘I make friends with the guys on the other teams,? Warrilow said.
Mary Bond said Sarah occasionally runs into situations where wrestlers from other teams don’t want to wrestle her. In those instances, she said the opposing coaches are usually respectful of their wrestler’s wishes, and switch up their lineups so that one of their other wrestlers will compete against Sarah.
She also said Sarah handles herself very well when she travels with the team to other high schools.
‘She keeps things low key,? she said. ‘They’re (opposing fans and teams) usually surprised to find out she can wrestle.?
With the increase in girls? wrestling, there will be no doubt be plenty of girls approaching their parents about trying out for the sport.
In order for the situation to work, Mary Bond said all parties involved ? parents, coaches, teammates and the girl herself ? have to be on the same page.
‘The girls have to really want to do it in order to be successful,? she said.