IOWA adding Women's Wrestling
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okeefe4prez
Well-Known Member
This is excellent news, but I can't help but notice the lack of mention of opportunities for transgender wrestlers. I hope that they can get with the times and ensure that trans rights are protected and not listen to the TERFs who don't want trans womyn participating in womyn's sports.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
No idea where I see this. Being the only P5 program to offer it makes me question why we decided to be the first ones. On one hand its great for the women wrestlers, but I didn't realize that there were that many women wrestling.
Adding men's soccer is at the top of my list for programs I'd like to see added eventually, so I'm not overwhelmed or disappointed with the addition of a new women's program. I just had no idea that women's wrestling was a up and coming collegiate sport, let alone something gaining ground amongst the power 5 conferences. Hope it continues to grow so I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Adding men's soccer is at the top of my list for programs I'd like to see added eventually, so I'm not overwhelmed or disappointed with the addition of a new women's program. I just had no idea that women's wrestling was a up and coming collegiate sport, let alone something gaining ground amongst the power 5 conferences. Hope it continues to grow so I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Fryowa
Administrator
I follow NCAA wrestling (not just Iowa) pretty close. There are also a bunch of posters on the HR board connected to the program.
This is going to be absolutely huge. Lots of people including Tom Brands have said there are a bunch of schools that will be adding women's programs in the near future. I know the guy personally, and with him being as reserved as he is to begin with, when he tells a reporter there are several other schools about to make the jump he's not stretching the truth.
1) With the brand new facility about to open, the best men's wrestling in the USA, and the best 10 man lineup in the history of Hawk wrestling, there could not possibly be a better time to add women's wrestling. Our men's program is in the best possible spot it could be in right now, (National champs, B1g Champs, undefeated regular season, every wrestler in the lineup an All American, and all 10 guys returning), and that will be a huge factor in Iowa being able to hire the best women's coaches in the country, and we will have our pick of any recruits we want. It cannot be overstated how important it is to get out of the gate running and be the first. By doing this we will solidify our position as the top powerhouse in the nation in both sports. We literally have our pick of any women's P5 recruit. Where else would they go if they want to be at the best place possible?
2) It's a great look for the U. Who wouldn't want to be the trailblazer in a new women's P5 sport?
3) As Brands said in his presser, women's wrestling has always made the men's sport better, and it will here as well. Having the nation's dominant women's wrestling program in the best collegiate wrestling facility in the US, in the biggest wrestling arena which frequently sells more tickets than basketball (we've led NCAA attendance for eons) would be the last piece of the puzzle to making this place the Mecca of the sport and be another feather in our cap for recruiting.
4) This will hurt Penn State which is our closest competitor.
I'd highly recommend watching Farta and Brands' press conference on it. Skip past Farta unless you want to be bored to death by the snaggletoohed monster of the Midwest.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
Good take. I'll be the first to admit that despite being an Iowa native I've never followed wrestling closely at the high school or college level. I have interest in it and have watched it collegiately on BTN periodically, but won't pretend to know anything about it other than it being one thing we absolutely kick ass in. I just never realized there was much of a female following and further didn't realize that there was participation at the youth levels to the point there will soon be demand at the college level for female programs. I'll definitely watch that snaggletoothed monster of the midwest deliver the presser.
BILLYBOBSTEXAS
Well-Known Member
I don't trust snags. He reminds me of a hog trying to eat an ear of corn thru a picket fence! When he opens his mouth, I think he is either stretching the truth or just outright lying.
Fryowa
Administrator
Yeah girls/women's wrestling is getting really, really big in a hurry. The IAHSAA needs to start sanctioning it pronto.
My son wrestled his 7th and 8th grade years (he's a freshman now and probably won't go out), and I'd say most teams at the middle school level in Iowa 2A and above have at least one girl. Storm Lake had 4 or 5, and a lot of schools have 2-3. There were 683 high school girls wrestling participants in Iowa this year (that does not include middle school girls) in a sport that's not even sanctioned and promoted by schools. If the Hawks can hit the ground running with this thing they're gonna be even more unstoppable than the men's program comparatively.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
Awesome insight. I had no idea that there were that many girls participating across the state. Not something we hear very much about in the Southeast corner, but then again I don't follow it real closely so could be missing it.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
SE Iowa is almost Missouri and IL right?
kicker22
Well-Known Member
I'd rather think of myself as a little over an hour southeast of Iowa City.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
I didn't think they played real soccer there....???
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
West Burlington/ND is kind of a weird combination between public and private. West Burlington used to be just terrible at everything. Mike Falls was a pretty good pitcher/quaterback though back in the old days. If I remember right, WB had a number of players on BB suspended for brawling with Van Buren. The VB girls were awful lippy with us but their guys were pretty good sports. Notre Dame had a pretty good BB program back then. A guard named Blake? We used to have family reunions at Crapo Park overlooking the river.
3 of the 4 teams for 1A soccer were private schools in the semis.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
In prep soccer its always been that way at the 1A level. I coached 20+ years for Danville and all three of those tournament appearances ended with losses to a private school (Pella Christian, Dyersville Beckman, and Marquette (years before they joined with Aquinas to form Holy Trinity). Throw in numerous district finals losses to the likes of Hillcrest Academy (formerly IMS when I coached) and Assumption and I can say that the bulk of my post season losses as a coach were to private schools.
I used to be the guy that hated playing private schools because I had the "recruiting" blinders on. I've quickly realized that its not about recruiting, but rather commitment and dedication. These kids play year round and when they aren't playing high school ball they're playing club. That same level of commitment is trickling on to the Jr. High and elementary as well. I stepped away from the varsity level to focus strictly on the club side and can honestly say in this corner of the state the skill level is greatly improving as the number of club players continues to grow.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Can't argue with your success. Give me a great athlete and they don't have to play year round. The marginal players do. Therein is a part of the problem. The club teams can be filled with committed parents of mediocre athletes that are there because of mom and dad. I've had my own club teams and wish I still did. That way I could control the schedule. My boys were stellar athletes that had other interests but loved soccer. I think I've mentioned I've done HS too.
At a school like Danville (did they have football then?) your numbers are low so you need committed marginal players. Soccer is the hardest sport to learn at a decent level so I get it. Soccer is also problematic as selfishness can be a real hindrance whereas can be a benefit in other sports. Too many are in love with the ball.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
The problem I always ran into was at the developmental/youth levels the training simply wasn't there so there were years we'd have great athletes to be extremely competitive defensively but lack the chemistry and technical skills needed to break down good defenses. To be totally honest with you my biggest problem was competing with other sports such as basketball and track to get the great athletes year in and year out because the school those programs either didn't want their kids playing (ie. basketball) or it was simply too difficult to really share athletes (ie. track). For the most part I absolutely loved the players that came through the program, but from a competitive standpoint when I'm encouraging my players to play other sports to grow athletically during the offseason and I'm not getting that from other coaches,, I'd be saying I was lying if i said it didn't grow tire some losing players year in and year out or seeing good players in Jr. High not go out because they were pressured by other coaches.
As much as I loved competition I was a bigger fan of the sport and it ultimately got to the point where I could no longer give up 3 months a year of my life and family to spend it on players that only cared 3 months of the year. So I ended up switching to club full time where I am around the kids that loved it as much as I do year round. I agree with the take on great athletes not needing to play year round, but as a coach and fan of the game, I see feel that I'm doing more to help improve the level of play as a whole in southeast Iowa, by focusing on club and helping to enhance the level of play at the high school level as a whole. The elite athletes will still be there, but by developing those that want it I think you get the best of both worlds that way which improves the level of play at the high school level.
HawkGold
Well-Known Member
Kind of envious. I miss it. Just too busy with life. Would have scheduled a match if I'd still be doing it! I love coaching against good coaches and coaches who are ethical all the way around.
At our school the 5 10 to 6-1 guys that weigh 160 - 170 go out for soccer over football. Numbers get lower and lower for football. We have 1100 in the HS (4 years). When I did club, I got to select the players I wanted based on attitude and work ethic. We have a sizable Mormon population and that's one reason why I wanted to control the schedule, that and the wife.... Also our own church activities. We did plan an IC club team once in Champaign and I was surprised at the level of how good they were. C-U has a huge international presence and gives those schools a boost. I wiped my knee out (inverted) playing in a league with mostly internationals. It was really interesting to see how they played.
The Russians took no prisoners.
Having Turks on your team is good as they do paybacks...hard
The Brits take everything to the sideline and only pass to Brits.
The Germans only pass to Germans
South Americans don't pass to anyone and complain like crazy if you tackle them a bit hard (but legal) and are experts at flopping.
The Chinese are nice, but don't ever expect a legal throw in.
I wiped my knee taking a full speed shoulder blow when planted. I was kneeling backwards. Ended my soccer career. I had just scored a goal in the opening game of the year and thought...wow, I"ve arrived and being a bit gassed I dropped back to midfield and tried to take the ball from a Russian player. End of story. The previous day I kicked a 47 yard field goal at the Illini practice center on Kids and Parents day... Right down the middle with plenty of leg. Now I can't kick a extra point.
kicker22
Well-Known Member
I hear you. Had my back fused at age 30 which ended my competitive playing days. Now I'll still with the kids now and then but definitely feel in the knees and ankles the next few days. Getting old sucks.
