Posted: | February 16, 2022 11:54 AM |
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From: | Senator Scott Martin |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | March 13, 2022 - Pennsylvania Girls Wrestling Day |
In the near future, I will be reintroducing a resolution that designates March 13, 2022, as Pennsylvania Girls Wrestling Day. For the past five years, girls wrestling has been the fastest growing high school sport in the country. In Pennsylvania, despite not being an officially sanctioned sport by the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA), female participation in the sport has increased by approximately 100% during this time. That said, the PIAA laid down a marker on this matter; should one hundred teams be established amongst the various high schools, they will sanction the sport and create an official post season tournament for these young ladies to compete for a PIAA Championship. That challenge has been accepted by The Pennsylvania Girls High School Wrestling Task Force who has organized a grassroots effort dubbed “SanctionPA.” This movement has earned the support of groups from across our country including Wrestle like A Girl, Pennsylvania USA Wrestling, Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association, National Wrestling Coaches Association, National High School Coaches Association and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. At last count, 34 teams have been established, an increase from last year’s 10. Momentum is building and it is important for the Pennsylvania Senate to continue its support for these efforts. The positive influence that wrestling has had on my life cannot be understated. I am excited and glad to see girls experience that same positive influence as it grows in our Commonwealth and across the country. Without question, with the sanctioning of girls wrestling in Pennsylvania, we can keep building our rich wrestling tradition while also providing young female athletes greater opportunities to achieve success. I ask for your support by co-sponsoring this resolution. |
Introduced as SR245