Cardinal CSD's First Girls Wrestling Team Begins Their Season

Dakota Miller, Head High School Wrestling Coach · posted January 6, 2023

This school year, Cardinal CSD began a girls wrestling program! Seven students make up the team and we are so excited to see how they grow! Learn more about this new program from their coach, Dakota Miller, below.

When the Inaugural Girls Wrestling program was announced I was excited. I have been around girls wrestling my entire life. Having three athletic nieces and a passion for wrestling, I always wanted them to wrestle. They wrestled a few times against boys and lost and that was a huge adversity. They decided to start playing basketball so they could be more competitive. 

Growing up my brother wrestled the same girl thirty-three times. This girl's name was Megan Black, a native of Batavia, Iowa, but she wrestled for Eddyville High School. Black is now a member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. She and my brother always had competitive matches in which I believe my brother lost 32 of the battles. She has been a great leader when advocating for girls wrestling in Iowa. I know many of our girls look up to her.

We began wrestling practice on October 31. Our first competition was not until December 2. After a month of practice, our girls were hungry for competition. At that first meet In the BGM High School Gymnasium, I finally saw the love of the sport in their eyes. This is a group that is strong, smart and very eager to learn. Every wrestler already has a win this year and, even better, a pin. 

Our goals this year are to continue to grow with technique, leadership and most importantly the passion for the sport of wrestling. I am excited for this journey of Cardinal's first-ever girls wrestling team.