When many of us think of wrestlers or football players, our minds immediately envision a buff 200-pound guy, not a seventeen-year-old girl in your chemistry class. However, this is not surprising to Watkins Mill High School students and staff, as this has become the reality here.
At WMHS, a very inviting, inclusive dynamic exists within the athletic program. Both men and women are able to dominate in the same sport without any negativity. “The interactions have been great, especially here on the wrestling team,” said wrestling coach Daniel Cassini.
National champion wrestler Nebi Tsarni said, “Jabea [Ewane] and I both won states, and they would have celebrations. It makes you feel recognized.”
Female athletes in male-dominated sports are somewhat of a novelty. “There were no female wrestlers when I was wrestling,” said Cassini. “If you saw a female wrestler, it was like seeing a unicorn. They just didn’t exist.”
At WMHS, there has been a recent rise in female athletes. According to Athletic Director Lisa Magness, female participation in sports has risen by 1.5 % in the last three years. “Sports have always been a big part of my life, so to see our[WM] growth in that has been tremendous,” Magness said.
However, despite the progress, being a female athlete on a male-dominated team can sometimes be isolating and lonely. “Since I’m the only girl on the team, I’m really the only one in the locker room sometimes, and that can be lonely,” said football athlete Roseline Oshagbemi. Despite the occasional loneliness, Oshagbemi never fails to find the silver lining. “Overall, it is a pretty fun experience, and it’s something I’m happy I did,” she added.
Magness also shared her experiences playing girl’s lacrosse in high school. “It brought me some of my closest friends in life,” said Magness. “I want our girls to have the same experience I did of bonding with your teammates.”
In the end, gender does not matter on the field. “I mean, an athlete’s an athlete. I don’t really see it as male or female, to be honest, “said Tsarni. Inclusivity is vital at WMHS and will remain so. The school is very proud of its student-athletes and appreciates their efforts on and off the field.
