Okoboji’s 2022-2023 winter athletic season was a historic one as Okoboji fielded it’s first-ever sanctioned girls wrestling team! Eight high school girls started practice on October 31st and they join close to 2,000 other girls planning to compete in the state of Iowa, according to TrackWrestling. Okoboji hosted a girls only high school and middle school tournament on Friday, December 2 that fielded 19 teams and roughly 280 wrestlers. More competitions are scheduled the next two months with a regional postseason tournament in late January at sites to be determined. The state championships will be held at the Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa on February 2 and 3. Girls are allowed fifteen competition dates and will be allowed unlimited scrimmages for the 2022-23 season.
Okoboji has faired very well early in the season! Coach Nate Dau has been very happy with his high school competitors, “The girls have had multiple opportunities to compete so far and have done very well. Alex Koep, Avery Ballis, and Kaydence College placed 2nd in their weight class at the Sergeant Bluff tournament (Long Lines Arena) and wrestled aggressive throughout the tournament. Alex Koep and Soraya Hanson were also the Okoboji Invite Champions on December 2 in Milford.” Dau also sees a lot of potential in his young group at the middle school level. “The Middle School girls have a lot of talent in the sport of wrestling. Through their first 30 matches, the girls have a combined record of 24-6.” Congratulations to these girls on Pioneering New Pathways in the sport of wrestling!