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Baseball, basketball, football, track. These might have once been the most popular sports for high school athletes, but there’s another sport gaining ground.
The National Federation of State High School Associations estimates the popularity and growth of wrestling has far surpassed more traditional sports. In fact, the number of boys and girls wrestling at the high school level has increased over the last several years, with boys participation up 25% since 2022.
But girls wrestling has gone further, having quintupled since 2013, making it the fastest growing sport on the high school level nationwide.
The sport is so popular that 45 states have sanctioned girls wrestling as its own event, including state championships for the sport. And, the National Collegiate Athletic Association is adding women’s wrestling as its 91st championship sport, beginning in 2026.
“There’s been such substantial growth, it’s doubled and even tripled,” said Winchester High School wrestling coach Ryan Errico, of girls wrestling. “I would say one in three teams now has a girl on it and we’ve seen full girl teams starting to pop up.”
And while it’s great to see the sport grow, it’s a bit old hat for Errico and the Winchester High School team, where three girls wrestle.
“I have the same philosophy no matter if it’s boys or girls wrestling,” Errico said, of his program. “You come in, work hard and take this seriously. Everyone has a right to be here. I’ve always been enthusiastic about these girls wrestling.”
It may have seemed a bit weird for the boys the first year, but Errico said they eventually get over it. It’s now the norm.
The girls — freshman Eleonora Siciliano, sophomore Maria Baldwin and senior Anshu Patra — couldn’t agree more.
Love of the sport
All three of Winchester’s female wrestlers didn’t just take up the sport when they arrived at the high school. In fact, all three had either joined a youth program or had taken it up in another location.
But the question is: why do they do it? What’s the appeal?
“Confidence,” Patra said. “It has brought me a lot of confidence. I found this was a great way to get fit and meet new people.”
Baldwin and Siciliano also like the mental mindset.
“It’s a different way of thinking,” Baldwin said. “The way we move, the flexibility we have.”
But were the boys accepting? Patra has a unique take because she’s the first girl at WHS to stick with the program.
“When I walked it, it was very daunting,” Patra said. “I remember I was a sophomore and I was so scared. But when I look back, I had no reason to be because this ended up being a good place for me.”
She said those first experiences on the mat were less about how her teammates reacted to her and more about the way parents reacted.
“My parents got a lot of questions,” Patra said. “Someone would ask my mom, ‘Which one is your son?’ and she would say, ‘Oh, that’s my daughter.’”
Baldwin and Siciliano said they’d heard about a girl wrestler on the high school team, but didn’t meet Patra until they joined the squad. But they also agreed their male teammates aren’t really the problem.
“The parents get weird,” Siciliano said. “In Chicopee, I had this one kid who was walking around and saying he was going to wrestle a girl. When we got on the mat, everyone cheered. I think he was surprised. I only lost by one point.”
Although girls might still be a novelty at meets for parents, Baldwin said most of the kids are OK with it.
“If the kids are open, I find that the parents will be, too,” Baldwin said.
Difficulties
If parents and teammates don’t phase them, just what do the WHS girls find to be the most difficult thing about wrestling?
“Getting outmuscled,” Siciliano said. “Even in the light weight class, they’re still heavier and a lot stronger than you.”
Her teammates agreed.
“It’s more mental, in terms of your expectations,” Patra said. “Even if you win, you don’t win. My first year, I beat this guy and he got a lot of flack for being beaten by a girl and I got joked with.”
Don’t get her wrong. Patra likes to win.
“Of course, we want to win,” she said, with a laugh. “We’re competitive! We put up a good fight and we love the sport.”
And you can’t quit.
“We have our teammates and the coach and they are helping you not to quit,” Siciliano said. “You really need the right mindset for this sport.”
Baldwin said it’s important to remember the great things about wrestling.
“It helps you be more open,” Baldwin said. “It makes me feel like I can do anything, if I work hard enough and want it enough.”
Errico said the girls practice and work out just as hard as their male counterparts. And they have not only worked with the junior varsity wrestlers, they work out with the varsity team as well.
There are also all-girl tournaments the WHS wrestlers attend. While you might think they enjoy that, it’s a mixed bag.
“All the girls are friendly,” Patra said. “There are less of us so most of us have met.”
Baldwin said the all-female tournaments are great.
“There’s less awkward treatment afterwards,” she explained. “There’s not a lot of issues if you beat them.”
Siciliano pointed out it can also be difficult because with so few girls, you get to know each other’s moves.
“It’s a more challenging match,” she said.
What’s next?
As Winchester’s wrestling team moves into the postseason, what happens afterwards?
Patra is getting ready to graduate, but she plans on staying with wrestling as long as she can.
“I’m going to keep going, on the club level, at least,” she said. “Wherever I go, I’ll be involved in some sort of wrestling. So, I know I want to continue that.”
Baldwin has two more years at WHS so she’s concentrating on that. And Siciliano is all about the next three years.
“I think I’m going to keep wrestling all through high school,” she said. “I might also keep up on the club level, but by the time I get to college, there might be more opportunities. I want to see how that turns out.”
Errico said the girls bring a real energy to the team.
“They are always so happy,” he said. “They talk to me a lot. I’d say my plan is to bolster the awareness of wrestling, in general, but girls wrestling brings a whole other facet.”
The girls also offer some advice to others who are thinking about trying out for the wrestling team.
“If you want to do it, try it,” Siciliano said. “You’ve got nothing to lose and you have a lot to gain in terms of friendship and a new mindset.”
Winchester’s first girl wrestler said it’s definitely worth the time to give it a whirl.
“I say definitely try it,” Patra said. “Even if you hate it after one practice. But, you just might love it and then you will want to wrestle all four years like I did!”
