The end of February may signal the end of wresting’s regular season, but one coach in Hopewell Valley says that in some ways, March is actually the most exciting time of the year in the sport.
The first week of the month will bring the high school state championships. And later in the month, national collegiate championship wrestling is set to kick off. “Just (speaking) as a fan, the postseason is when wrestling is definitely on the brain,” says Brendon Morfe, a Pennington resident and coach with Hopewell Valley Youth Wrestling, formerly known as the Hopewell Valley Junior Bulldogs.
Championships are not the only reason that Morfe has wrestling on his mind. He is also excited because Hopewell Valley Youth Wrestling has been part of the growth of girls’ wrestling at the youth level. His daughter, Elinor, a kindergartner at Toll Gate Grammar School, was one of four girls to participate in the program this year.
Morfe hopes that more will join next season, and for many of them, March could be the time of year when they get on the mat for the first time to see if the sport is for them.
Hopewell Valley Youth Wrestling is a program for kids in grades kindergarten through 8th grade. Team members participate at a variety of competition levels depending on their skills and experience.
“Typically in spring and summer, we have open mats or spring practice. Often it’s a good opportunity for folks who are interested in getting kids involved in the sport, but aren’t sure it’s for them. A lot of parents have misconceptions about what it is and also what it’s not,” says Morfe, who is one of several coaches with the club. “This time of year is a time to get your kids on the mat, walk them through an easy practice, and try to get a sense of what wrestling on a team is all about.”
According to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, there were 804 girls wrestling in high school in the U.S. in 1994. By 2020, that number had risen to more than 28,000, says the U.S.A. Wrestling Girls High School Development Committee.
So while girls’ wrestling may be on the rise in Hopewell Valley, the truth is that in many parts of the country — and the state — girls’ wrestling has already risen. Members of the Hopewell Valley Youth Wrestling club attended a “Girls Night Out” wrestling event in January, featuring girls’ wrestling teams from around the state and hosted by North Hunterdon High School, which has full varsity and junior varsity teams.
The four current members of the girls’ squad include Elinor Morfe as well as Hopewell Elementary school second grader Emma McLaughlin, Stony Brook Elementary School fourth grader Naëlle Belony and Bear Tavern Elementary School fifth grader Reese Bartlett.
When Morfe’s daughter was younger, she would see her brother Graham, now 8, take part in practice and wish that she could practice as well. When she reached kindergarten and was old enough to take part, she was excited to get started.
“I think a lot of people don’t know that it’s an option,” Morfe says. “All the girls on our team have brothers in the program as well. If someone’s got their son in wrestling, and they have a daughter of similar age that has some interest in wrestling, they might consider joining as well.”
During the season, wrestlers practice at the high school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For now, Bartlett and Belony tend to be matched up in practices, and McLaughlin with Elinor Morfe. If more girls join the program, there will be opportunities for the wrestlers to practice.
On weekends, there is usually at least one day of competitive wrestling for those who want to compete. Away meets are usually within a 30-minute drive. Morfe says that while matches are scored, coaches strive to get wrestlers matched up fairly in competition, so that they win at least as many as they lose.
“A lot of parents say wrestling is really great for character building,” says Morfe, who is an account executive with Gartner. “It teaches kids how to win and lose with grace, and they learn a lot of skills that translate really well to life, and not just sports.”
Some wrestlers compete on the HVYS travel teams. Others compete only at the recreational level, and some don’t compete at all. Not until they feel that they are ready for it. Reese Bartlett is one wrestler who worked her way up to competitive matches.
“We were already there for her brother (Tadd, 9), and Reese started wrestling a little under duress, frankly,” said her mother, Lauren. “She didn’t want to wrestle boys she didn’t know. But this year, she said, “I think I want to compete.’”
Reese only wrestled girls in two events this season. The rest of the time, she was matched up against boys. Her mother said it has been a thoroughly positive experience.
“We have not had one incidence of sexism or ‘Oh my God, she’s a girl,’” Lauren Bartlett said. “Parents, coaches come up and say, ‘Way to go, girl’ and it’s really helped that they are just treating her like every other wrestler. That’s all she wants.”
Practices during spring and summer are usually only held once a week, “Kids have baseball, lacrosse, travel soccer, so we know we’re not going to get a full commitment then,” Morfe says. “But it’s a way to keep kids engaged until next season.”
To learn more about Hopewell Valley Youth Wrestling, check out the Hopewell Valley Wrestling Association page on Facebook.
Hopewell Valley Youth Wrestling girls’ team members Elinor Morfe, Naëlle Belony, Reese Bartlett and Emma McLaughlin at a recent team practice. (Photo by Matthew Eaton.),
