Girl wrestlers have found an appreciation for the sport, team bonding and fun under the guidance of a new coach. 

 Aspen Longworth is the girls wrestling coach at Warsaw High School. She wrestled in the state of California for four years in high school. 

   “I choose to coach girls wrestling because I wrestled in the state of California for all four years of my high school career. It is a sport that I am very strongly passionate about and wish to teach other girls how to do as well. I think it is important that all girls have the opportunity to learn this sport and be successful doing it,” Longworth said. 

   Some girls wrestlers have a reason behind why they choose this sport.

    “My dad wrestled when he was in high school and it always seemed pretty cool, along with the fact that some of my friends do it, I thought, why not,” sophomore Alysia Yoder said. 

   Some girls have someone they look up to to help them stay determined. 

   “My family got me into it, especially my sister Skylon and my little brother Boston. They tried to convince me for years and I finally started my freshman year,”  sophomore Brooklyn Jackman said 

   It takes motivation to win and every wrestler gets motivated in a different way.   

   “I think about my goals and how I was tired of losing matches,” Jackman said.

   Some wrestlers love wrestling because of the people or coaches and some love it for the aggressiveness.

   “My favorite thing is pinning people, because it is aggressive and fun,” freshman Naomi Yoder said. 

   “My favorite thing about wrestling would be having a bond with girls I never thought I would have had if it wasn’t for it,” Yoder said. 

   This is Aspen Longworth’s first time coaching, so she is still learning too.

    “This is my first year coaching, so I am learning and taking time to do anything possible for our athletes to be successful in this sport,” Longworth said

   The girls have started their season and have found some success on the mat. At the Versaillies tournament on Nov. 22, Skylon Boone went 3-1 and placed third, Brooklyn Jackman went 3-1 and placed third, Alysia Yoder went 1-2 placed sixth and Naomi Yoder went 0-3.  At the Versailles Tri on Dec. 6, freshman Naomi Yoder went 2-0, junior Skylon Boone went 2-0, junior Marlee Street was 1-1,