High School girls have dabbled at wrestling for some years, but the recent movement of teams and events with girls wrestling only other girls, and not boys, is really catching on in Iowa. Freshman Emma Hoyle is Greene County’s only female wrestler, but more than 550 girls across the state have taken up the sport. A girls’ only State Tournament was held last year in Waverly and is schedule for that community again, but less than 100 girls took part in 2019. The explosion of participants is causing the sponsors of the event, the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association, to look at possibly moving it to a bigger venue. All high school female wrestlers in the state are automatic State Tournament qualifiers.

Hoyle was asked by Raccoon Valley Radio what she thinks about the rapid growth. “It’s pretty cool. I hope it gets bigger, especially with our program here. I just think that’s cool!” Hoyle wrestled at 145 lbs. at the Des Moines East girls’ tournament in December and went 1-1 in her first two matches as a high school wrestler, winning by fall, and losing 11-9 in the closing seconds. She’s scheduled to wrestle this Saturday, Jan. 4 in another girls’ only event in Colfax hosted by Colfax-Mingo.