More than 27,000 girls are wrestling nationwide. This is what’s next for growing movement

Jasmine Godinez was enthralled by the controlled violence, enthused by the thrill of a knockout.

She loved the stare-downs of the combatants — the “mind games” as she called them. And, after every UFC fight she watched with her family, her father would teach her a move.

After all, Godinez’s father, Lazaro, helped train a UFC fighter for a couple of years. And her brother, Alex, wrestled in high school for Hialeah-Miami Lakes, finishing second at state in 2018. Godinez went to nearly all of Alex’s matches and was at the gym with her dad whenever possible.

It should, therefore, come as no surprise that Godinez, an HML junior, has followed her family’s passion. She’s one of roughly 650 “girl wrestlers” in Florida, but that description of Godinez is too wordy by half if you ask her.

“Never classify yourself as a girl wrestler,” Jasmine Godinez said when asked how she would advise girls who want to take up her sport. “If you’re a wrestler, you’re a wrestler.”

Godinez is not alone in her passion. According to a USA Today report from August 2019, there are 21,735 girls who are high school wrestlers in the country. That number is up by 27% from the previous year.

In addition, girls’ wrestling has been sanctioned in 21 states, which is way up from just four states five years ago. The sport isn’t yet sanctioned in Florida, although that could happen this June. In the meantime, girls have their own tournaments and some girls — including Godinez — compete against boys as well.

Last year, Godinez finished just one win short of qualifying for the boys’ wrestling state tournament. At regionals in the 106-pound category, the 5-foot Godinez upset Norland senior Carlos Copeland.

“I felt pretty good after that match because I had lost twice to him previously,” said Godinez, who plans to take up boxing this summer, figuring it will help her footwork for wrestling.

“[Copeland] told me, ‘Keep working hard. You’re a really good wrestler.’ … That motivated me.”

NEXT LEVEL

There are 24 colleges that offer female wrestling — none of them in Florida and all but one of them in something other than NCAA Division I.

It might not seem like much, but it’s a start for someone such as Stephanie Villalobos, a 5-5, 182-pound senior at South Dade.

Villalobos finished fifth at the unofficial girls’ state championships last season and then sat out four months following knee surgery. She plans to be back at Orlando’s Dr. Phillips High on Feb. 14-15 for the 2020 tournament, and she hopes a strong performance will lead to a college scholarship.

She recently visited two NAIA colleges that are recruiting her: Life University, in the Atlanta area, and Grand View (Des Moines, Iowa).

Much like Godinez, Villalobos took up wrestling because of her brother. In Villalobos’ case, it’s her twin, Steven, who is the top-ranked wrestler in the state in the 160-pound class.

But while Steven is expected to compete in the 8,000-seat Silver Spurs Arena for the FHSAA-sanctioned boys’ wrestling state championships in Kissimmee on March 6-7, Stephanie will toil in relatively obscurity at the smallish Dr. Phillips gym as part of the girls’ season finale this month.

“I wish I would still be in high school next year when we get sanctioned,” Stephanie Villalobos said. “But at least some other girls on my team will experience that thrill.”

EQUALITY

Coach Victor Balmeceda, who has led South Dade to six straight boys’ wrestling state titles, says girls’ wrestling is “on the rise.”

Noting that women’s wrestling has been part of the Summer Olympics since 2004, Balmeceda said “it won’t be long” before every state has sanctioned the sport for girls.

Chino Duran, one of Balmeceda’s assistant coaches, has taken charge of the girls’ program.

“Just like we have tough and athletic boys at our school, we have tough, athletic girls,” Balmeceda said. “And because they are practicing exactly like our state championship boys, they are developing fast.”

HML coach Mike Turner says he treats all of his wrestlers the same.

Turner has had five female wrestlers In his 28 years at the school. The first four — the ones before Godinez — quit before the end of the season, he said.

“When Jasmine showed up her freshman year, I told her: ‘If you think I’m treating you any differently, then this is not the program for you’,” Turner said. “She bought in and never asked for the rules to be changed for her, and now she’s dominating. Technique beats strength every time.”

Duran, the South Dade coach, has eight girls in his program — including his niece, Natalie Duran — and they practice with and against the boys every day.

“Wrestling teaches accountability,” the coach said. “You are out there by yourself. If you’ve worked hard, it will show. There are ups and downs, but, if you persevere, you will be rewarded, just like in life.

“This sport is impactful, and we want to spread that to every human being alive.”

This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 4:31 PM.