Last week marked an important time for area schools and state athletics.
Throughout Nebraska, girls competed in the first sanctioned girls wrestling duels and tournaments. Arlington and Blair were part of that monumental occasion.
And it couldn't have been a better sign of things to come than Josie Biffar, the first wrestler in the first Blair girls duel, scoring a pin in her first ever match on the mat.
Individuals and teams suffered losses and celebrated wins throughout the weekend but no matter the outcome, the coaches and wrestlers expressed their pride in one another and their appreciation for the state and their schools to make those competitions possible.
And the enthusiasm is contagious. Social media posts throughout the area flooded the channels with messages of congratulations and pictures of triumph, again, whether their school won or lost.
This was an important step for a number of reasons. First, interest in girls wrestling has grown in the last few years. Washington County schools already had girls out for wrestling and more showed interest each year, as was clearly the case throughout the state. This was the next natural progression for the sport.
Second, it widened winter athletic offerings for girls. Before, girls had basketball, as far as sanctioned athletics, as well as other extracurricular activities. While some of the girls who participated this year have been wrestling for a number of years, many hadn't set foot on a mat until fall 2022. More than 20 wrestlers signed up for Blair's team this year, which showed the need for another girls sport this time of year.
Athletics foster an increased attention to a healthier lifestyle, improve self-esteem, offer more avenues for friendship and help increase a students' focus on education. The state and schools should be applauded for helping increase those offerings, especially if it helps more students find their place.
The first few days of girls wrestling were positive steps for the sport and the crowning of champions a couple of months from now is greatly anticipated. Good luck to all girls participating throughout the state this year.
