Girls Wrestling Jamboree showcases growing sport

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Girls wrestling continues to gain momentum in Yuma County, and that growth was on full display Tuesday afternoon at Gila Ridge High School.

The school hosted a girls wrestling jamboree featuring teams from Buckeye Union, Cibola, Desert Edge, Kofa, and several others, giving athletes a chance to compete, sharpen their skills, and build confidence early in the season.

Cibola head coach Kaleen Drake says events like this provide valuable opportunities for both athletes and coaches.

“I love doing a jamboree like this style because we get to see all of these girls and we get to see the growth throughout the season — not only my athletes, but their athletes as well,” Drake said.

For many wrestlers, the sport has become much more than just competition. Cibola junior Alicia Valenzuela has seen the change firsthand after spending four years on the mat.

“It’s definitely growing,” Valenzuela said. “From when I was in middle school to now, it’s beautiful.”

Coaches say the rise of girls wrestling isn’t limited to Yuma County. Nationwide, new teams and programs are being added at a rapid pace.

“We’re trying to keep improving not just technique and ability, but also adding more women to the sport,” said head coach AJ Kinnell. “It’s gone astronomical across the nation. There are more teams popping up almost every month.”

For athletes like Cibola sophomore Savannah Arriola, wrestling started as something familiar before becoming a true passion.

“At first I did it because my brothers did it,” Arriola said. “But this year I really locked in, and I’m really getting into it and trying my best.”

The increased interest is also changing team dynamics. Cibola junior Madison Pawloski says the roster has grown significantly in a short amount of time.

“We had three originals from our last team, and now we have 10 or 11 girls,” Pawloski said. “That’s a big change, and it’s really encouraging to see how well the new girls are doing.”

As the host school, Gila Ridge hopes events like this encourage more girls to give wrestling a try.

“Doing things like this helps keep the sport growing,” said Gila Ridge head coach Tyler Yogihinton. “Hopefully more high schools can have full lineups, and girls realize it’s not that bad and they want to try wrestling.”

Even first-year wrestlers are finding motivation in being part of a growing sport. Gila Ridge freshman Charlize Figueroa says wrestling offers something different.

“There’s not a lot of girls wrestling,” Figueroa said. “I hope there are more, because wrestling is something not everyone has done.”

With the season just getting started, athletes and coaches alike hope the momentum from events like this jamboree continues — helping girls wrestling grow one match at a time.