MHSAA sanctions girls wrestling

James Cook, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·5 min read

May 7—TRAVERSE CITY — Word of big news travels fast.

Even from Michigan to Texas.

Lydia Krauss and her mother discovered Thursday afternoon that the Michigan High School Athletic Association approved a separate girls wrestling state championship tournament starting next season. Krauss is in Irving, Texas, competing in the 2021 Women's Nationals and World Team Trials.

"I did not see that coming," said Krauss, a junior at Boyne City. "When it didn't happen (this year), I didn't think it would happen before I graduated."

Frankfort wrestling coach Jaime Smith saw it coming. For days.

Smith received a text from Bear Lake athletic director and MHSAA Representative Council member Karen Leinaar several days ago after the vote occurred, but the MHSAA hadn't yet released details of the council's spring meeting.

"I've been dying to be able to say something," said Smith, the only woman serving as head coach of a varsity wrestling program in Michigan. "I wanted to scream it from the rooftops. It's one of those pinch me moments."

Starting next school year, a championship division for female competitors from MHSAA member school teams will be added to the individual wrestling tournament.

"It's time it happened," Leinaar said. "We've been watching the numbers — and this year hasn't been a good year for numbers — but the time has come and it's time for our girls."

Formal details haven't been announced yet, but the hope is the girls division serves as a fifth division along with the four boys brackets at Ford Field in Detroit.

Girls wrestling is broken down into 14 weight classes established by the National Federation of State High School Associations, closely resembling the ones used the last two years at the Michigan Wrestling Association's girls state finals.

Wrestlers must earn a spot in the finals by working through sectionals.

"I felt the girls should have to earn their way to states," said Krauss, who posted a 24-7 record against boys at 145 pounds this season said. "The boys don't get a free pass, so I don't think we should get a free pass."

Girls will continue to compete on boys teams during regular-season and team tournament competition, and can opt to compete in the boys tournament instead of the girls bracket.

Just over 400 girls competed in wrestling for MHSAA member schools during the 2019-20 school year, up from 250 in 2017-18 and then 327 in 2018-19. That number dipped slightly in 2020-21 as COVID-19 worries took a toll on boys wrestling participation numbers as well.

Krauss and Leinaar both said they expect the MHSAA's decision to result in even more growth for the sport. Michigan becomes the 29th state to have its high school sports association ratify a girls wrestling tournament.

"There's going to be a lot more girls," Krauss said, noting that California, Iowa and Florida took the lead in promoting female wrestling. "There'll be more motivated and they'll be more serious."

Leinaar said it's only a matter of time until participation numbers increase enough for schools to have separate girls teams.

"We're going to get a push for more girls and that could be a reality within 10 years," Leinaar said.

Smith said she looks forward to seeing her niece Haley Stenz, a fifth-grader at Alpena, compete in the finals.

"I think about 1998, 1999, and you'd rarely see a girl at a (boys) tournament or on a team," Smith said. "To see how far we've come has been great. This is going to be huge. The fandom that comes to support girls wrestling is going to be amazing."

The Representative Council voted in numerous other changes in the Monday meeting:

* Approved the following statement to suggest to local schools that they review nicknames and school logos that are considered offensive or hurtful to minority groups or demonstrate an insensitive bias: "The MHSAA recognizes the importance of equity in high school sports. Schools and mascots are rich in tradition and unique to each community. Although we understand the tradition of those individual communities, we also wish to support and foster an environment of inclusion. It is in this spirit that the MHSAA encourages member schools and communities to evaluate and reconsider names and mascots that may be offensive to groups of individuals."

* Moved the start of all fall sports practices to the same day. For the upcoming school year, fall sports start Aug. 9.

* Approved an extension of the waiver of the previous academic record regulation for sports played in Fall 2021. The previous academic record regulation requires participants to have received credit for at least 66 percent of a full credit load during the previous semester.

* Approved a recommendation to adjust the officials rating system with the hope of encouraging more ratings and providing a more specific understanding of an official's overall body of work. Instead of the current overall 1-5 rating system, officials will receive specific feedback in four categories: judgment, presence and demeanor, attitude and effort, and administration and communication.

* Required the use of the iWanamaker scoring program and app in boys and girls golf during the regular season, beginning in fall 2021.

* The Association's $11.5 million budget for the 2021-22 school year was approved.

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