Eaglecrest, a school welcoming to new clubs and programs, is starting a co-op district girls wrestling team with regular season practices beginning Friday, November 10th. Practices are everyday from 3:45-6:00

   The program was inspired by junior Emily Llamas, who was the only female wrestler for the 2016-2017 season and will be returning for the 2017-2018 season. Llamas explained that in creating the new program she hoped thayt it would, “give girls an opportunity to do things they normally wouldn’t do,” and “give more opportunities for college.”

   As of right now there are four wrestlers that will participate on the team. Freshman Victoria Knoll, Sophomore Josie Fullford, Junior Kylie Wycott, and returning wrestler, Junior Emily Llamas.

   Llamas had previously tried encouraging more girls to join but explained that they, “didn’t want to wrestle boys.” She also said the difference between wrestling boys and girls is that, “boys act like they have more control because of upper body strength whereas girls have more lower body strength, so it’s just different technique.”

   Kylie Wycott explained how her goal for her first season is, “to learn all the moves and become a better athlete.” Wycott will also take part in varsity soccer this year and said she hopes to improve her athleticism.

   Josie Fullford will be joining the team for the first time this season but it is not her only experience with wrestling.

   “I wrestled in eighth grade [at] Thunder Ridge middle school.” Fullford also explained that she had experience when she was liwttle as well. When asked if she has any fears for the season she confidently answered, “No.” She is not only involved in wrestling but played rugby, track, and also played for the Eaglecrest Freshman Football team last year.

   Fullford finds a strength in her ability to “repeat [something] exactly how it was taught.” Her goal for the wrestling season is that other schools, “see that Eaglecrest is doing this so maybe we should try it.”

   Another experienced wrestler joining this year is Freshman, Victoria Knoll. She says she picked up her technique from previous wrestling at the Grandview wrestling program and Horizon Middle School. She also took part in the Overland Gymnastics team over fall and plans to take part in the Eaglecrest Track team in the spring. Her main focus for the season is only, “to get better than I already am.”

   “My brother is also a wrestler so he’s been able to help me,” is one thing Knoll considers to be a strength of hers as well as, “I’ve been a wrestler for a while already.” She is motivated to join the team, “Because they made a girl’s team and I’d rather wrestler girls than boys.”