Cedar Falls High School was treated to a rare historical moment recently: this was the first time that the Tiger women competed in a sanctioned home wrestling dual.

This isn’t national news, of course. Several Iowa high schools had moments like these. Girls' high school wrestling was sanctioned earlier this year so historic matches like this were popping up everywhere.

There’s a difference here, though. This was my high school making history. This was my high school putting 37 girls on the mat. This was my high school celebrating women’s wrestling.

For most of the girls, this was the first time they had ever stepped foot on a mat. Head coach Ali Gerbracht estimated that 75 percent of her team had never wrestled prior to the first day of practice, which is an encouraging sign.

It also left us collectively saying, “See, why didn’t this happen years ago?”

But, women’s wrestling is finally here and it is being embraced state-wide. Gyms are packed. Fans are enthusiastic. Iowans are happy.

The Cedar Falls dual had all the growing pains you’d expect from wrestling neophytes. Locked hands were called. Full nelsons were illegally applied. Headlocks were thrown without an arm.

This is all part of the process as young wrestlers begin to understand the intricacies of a new sport.

Nervous dads watching their daughters are part of the process, too. Greg Halsor, a state champion for the Tigers in 1993, was an irritable mess when he watched his daughter, Apryl, wrestle her first home dual in the same place where he made the magic happen 30 years prior.

The normally talkative Halsor could barely muster a minute of conversation before taking his seat at the top row of the stands. He stood in jubilation with his hands raised when his daughter secured a fall.

Jeff McGinness — a four-time undefeated state champion and a two-time NCAA champion for the University of Iowa — has been front and center for all that has transpired. His role as head women’s coach at Simpson College (a Division III program in Indianola, Iowa) provides a unique perspective as he recruits girls across the state.

“There are some growing pains with so many girls who are brand new to the sport and who have a wide experience level,” McGinness said. “You have some girls who have been wrestling their entire lives and some are brand new. The coaches are having conversations at these tournaments to make sure the girls are in the right places so they have a good experience.

“The biggest thing, for this state, is making sure that every girl who wrestles has a great experience. And that’s what we’re seeing as we go from tournament to tournament.”

Athletic directors are experiencing growing pains, too. They are learning how to juggle practice times between two teams and coordinating bus schedules for late-night practices. Getting referees to officiate men’s and women’s duals can also be a challenge.

However, the resounding message is this: sanctioning girls' wrestling is not only a good thing — it’s the right thing.

Gerbracht appears to have the magic touch as she leads Cedar Falls during its inaugural campaign. The 21-year-old did a masterful job of recruiting and retaining the girls on her team.

“We have a lot of girls and a lot of hard workers,” Gerbracht said. “We have a lot of newbies and we put them through some tough practices but they keep coming back and they keep saying they’re excited.

“Having a girls' team and knowing they have their own program pushed them to be part of something bigger than themselves. I don’t care what color of medal these girls get. I just want them to be a better person.”  

Jaden Swarts, a senior cross-country runner, went out for wrestling last year and took the plunge again this year. Her unique abilities as a leader are flourishing — even though she’s not the best wrestler on the team.

“Not every girl wants to be a basketball player,” Swarts said. “This is a challenging sport and anyone who has done it can attest to that. These girls work hard day in and day out and that’s really impressive.

“Once you said it’s new and we’re making history — a lot of girls just showed up. They’re here for the challenge.”

There are inevitable challenges in any new endeavor, but wrestling provides a new opportunity to take them on.