Wrestling stands as one of the oldest known athletic competitions worldwide, with evidence of the sport dating back thousands of years. Today, it continues to grow in popularity, with more than 300,000 high school-level wrestlers in the country. Within this community of wrestlers, there has been a notable increase in the number of female wrestlers over the past couple of years. This growth has been attributed to several factors, such as the rise of social media and more awareness about the sport, and can clearly be seen at McCallum.
Senior Isaac Frank, a captain of the McCallum boys wrestling team, said that he has noticed the sport’s popularity increase both at McCallum and across the country. He believes that social media is the main cause for this shift.
“Wrestling is gaining popularity fast,” Frank said. “Originally, wrestling was extremely popular in the northern states. But because of the South’s love for football, it was never something focused on. I think because of social media, lots of young men and women are seeing and learning about wrestling, and because of that, they want to try it. I also know for a fact that it’s the fastest-growing female sport at McCallum. We have more than quadrupled the size of our girls’ team in the last four years.”
Sophomore Elena Cohan began wrestling last year as a freshman and fell in love with the sport. She agrees that social media has played a key role in wrestling becoming more popular and accepted nationwide.
“Wrestling has always been a great sport that many people would love to partake in if they knew it existed,” Cohan said. “Social media and other forms of media have allowed wrestling to broadcast and reach many different people. The prior minimal interest in wrestling had nothing to do with the sport itself, but rather the lack of knowledge about it throughout the community.”
According to the girls’ wrestling captain, Noble Pierce, the growth in the wrestling team on both the girls’ and boys’ sides has been very apparent at McCallum.
“My freshman year, the entirety of the girls wrestling team was four people, and the boys were pretty decent, but still no one really knew we had a wrestling team,” Pierce said. “Throughout the years, I’ve personally done a lot to talk about wrestling, and I think that’s what’s contributed to the increase in not only team size but popularity in general.”
Pierce explained that the wrestling community is what they love most about the sport.
“Probably the community, but more specifically the female wrestling community,” Pierce said. “I mean, it’s just the sweetest thing ever. We all feel strong and are having fun, but there is still so much compassion and love going around. Fighting is more intimate than a lot of people realize. I mean, you could beat someone on the mat and then the next second you and that person are talking and joking. It’s also the hardest sport. I don’t say that to toot a horn, it just is. The physical, mental, and weight aspects of it can be challenging, but having a community of people who get it and understand the struggle means so much.”
According to Cohan, more girls are joining the sport due to the self-defense applications and the confidence it can give to young women.
“Women’s wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in Texas,” Cohan said. “I have had girls tell me that knowing something as simple as moving swiftly to avoid a lunge towards them has made them feel much more comfortable in their everyday lives. As a person, but especially as a woman, it is very important to know how to defend yourself, and wrestling allows you to learn those necessary skills while also growing and learning with an incredible community of other wrestlers by your side. I hope the growth in popularity allows this wonderful sport to help benefit the lives of people all over the world, as it did for me.”
Frank explained that he is excited about the rising popularity of wrestling as a lover of the sport, but warns that it can be challenging for newcomers, both mentally and physically.
“I love the personal fulfillment you can find,” Frank said. “You train on a team, but you compete alone. Which means every win you earned, and every loss you probably deserved. It holds you accountable. But honestly, this sport isn’t for everyone, it gets mentally and physically demanding the deeper you get, and I’ve seen a lot of people try the sport and they can’t handle that pressure, which I completely understand.”
Pierce said they are thrilled about the growth in the McCallum wrestling community and the opportunities that will open up for athletes.
“It’s not only nice to be cheered on, but it’s even better to cheer my newbies on,” Pierce said. “I think wrestling builds so much character, and it’s beneficial, so I’m glad people can experience its benefits. I definitely enjoy it becoming more well known because it opens doors or so many opportunities.”
