As girls wrestling continues to grow throughout Minnesota schools, a grant from the Northwest Minnesota Women’s Fund has given girls wrestlers the opportunity to learn skills that could benefit them if they seek to compete in college.
A $1,500 grant from the Women’s Fund helped the Bemidji High School girls wrestling program host a four-day workshop with clinicians experienced in freestyle, the form of wrestling competed in collegiate athletic programs.
“More than 100 colleges offer female wrestling, and this is a growing number,” wrote Missi Bahr, who helped coordinate the event through Bemidji Wrestling Club. “Having the ability to try out a different form of wrestling while still in high school is crucial to your ability to continue wrestling into college.”
The Women’s Fund, a fund in the Northwest Minnesota Foundation’s family of funds, was established in 1998. The Women’s Fund, which typically hosts an open grant round each fall, envisions Northwest Minnesota as a region where women and girls reach their full potential.
In its lifetime, the Women’s Fund has awarded 115 grants, totaling $254,221. It also has awarded 27 scholarships, totaling $16,100.
“The Women’s Fund has had significant impact throughout Northwest Minnesota for many years,” said Ashley Johnson, senior philanthropy manager at Northwest Minnesota Foundation. “What’s really interesting to me is that when the fund was first established, I doubt its founders ever envisioned girls wrestling events. That’s what is really great about our funds – they adapt to fit the needs of a changing world, while still meeting their original intent.”
Bemidji event: Strength in growing numbers
The Bemidji Wrestling Club brought in college and advanced wrestlers over a four-day period, offering training and encouragement to more than 80 female athletes throughout the region.
A keynote speaker also spoke about the strength of female athletes and discussed how girls could “find their path” toward college athletics or establishing a career in athletics. Emily Shilson, a three-time world champion female wrestler from Maple Grove, Minnesota, is a five-time national champion with a record of 54-0 and her appearance was a highlight for attendees.
For the students who participated in the clinics, they reported that the clinics helped them realize how many peers they have in the sport and the strengths in their growing numbers.
A ninth-grader told Missi at the start of the workshops that she was the only female wrestler on her home team: “It’s really hard to be included as a team member.”
“When I returned after the event was completed, I was having a hard time tracking (her) down,” Missi reported. “I finally found her wrestling around on the mat with several other wrestlers and having fun. She came to me with a smile and said she had a ‘blast’ at the event and was able to get Emily Shilson’s autograph on her wrestling shoes.”
A fifth-grader from Detroit Lakes told Missi that she’d been wrestling since she was 4 years old and loves wrestling different styles, from Greco to freestyle to folk-style.
“Her goal is to become an Olympic wrestler one day,” Missi reported.
