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Tests forced on female wrestlers unfair, sexist

First published: Saturday, March 10, 2007

This letter is in regard to the March 1 article, "Wrestling with 2 sets of rules," about women in sports, especially wrestling. I was appalled to read that young women are forced to take additional testing over boys in order to compete, but further disgusted by the maturation test that judges young women on their breast size.
What year is it anyway? It can't be 2007. This is obviously an illegal and discriminatory practice (or it certainly should be), but worse than even that, this is an offensive, sexist and embarrassing practice. I would never allow my child to be subjected to such a test. Why is no one working harder to get this "test" off the books? And people wonder why there are feminist groups still fighting every "little" issue.

Additionally, I applaud the young women who still participate in these sports despite the insane testing expected of them. Congratulations to you for enduring such treatment and staying true to what you love, but do not take from this that you need or deserve to be treated in such a disgraceful manner.

KIM VINING

Rensselaer

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All-District wrestling team honored

Daily Times - Salisbury, Md.3/10/07

EASTVILLE -- Eastern Shore District wrestlers earned All-District honors at the annual district tournament held at Northampton High School on Feb. 14.

Unlike other All-District squads, in wrestling there is no vote of the coaches or politics played when it comes time to decide the top wrestler in each weight class. In wrestling the honors are earned on the mats.

Earning All-District honors this year were Kyle Binder of Arcadia in the 103-pound weight class, Mandi Barnes of Northampton in the 112-pound weight class, Keith Whatley of Arcadia in the 119-pound weight class, Parke Atkinson of Northampton in the 125-pound weight class, John Hickman of Northampton in the 130-pound weight class, M.J. Graw of Nandua in the 135-pound weight class, Donald Rogers of Nandua in the 140-pound weight class, Ryan Rock of Northampton in the 145-pound weight class, Brennan Waldorf of Nandua in the 152-pound weight class, Nathan Iseman of Nandua in the 160-pound weight class, Ben Hammer of Nandua in the 171-pound weight class, Zack Mallette of Nandua in the 189-pound weight class, James West of Northampton in the 215-pound weight class, and Tom Ward of Northampton in the 285-pound weight class.

Hickman, Waldorf, Rock and Mallette won All-District honors last year as well.

Northampton won the team title in a close race with Nandua. Both schools had six All-District wrestlers. Arcadia finished with two All-District wrestlers.

Northampton's Mandi Barnes became the second female wrestler to register an All-District title. Nicole Beasley, also from Northampton, was the first female to win a district title last year.

Barnes went on to become the first Eastern Shore District girl to compete in the State Group A Wrestling Tournament this month.

Whatley, Atkinson and Northampton's Sherman Rogers went on to win Region A titles this season. Rogers led the local wrestlers with a fourth place finish in the state tourney last weekend.

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Imperial girl's win is a first

Glae Thien
SPECIAL TO THE UNION-TRIBUNE
February 18, 2007

VALLEY CENTER – Imperial junior Priscilla Caldera has followed a family line of fine wrestlers, but in her own way she became a trailblazer last night in the Division IV championships.

Caldera became the first female in the state to win a section title against boys competition with a pin at 1:55 against Santana freshman Brent Wilson in the 103-pound weight class at Valley Center High.

Advertisement “I'm just ecstatic right now, Caldera said. “I hope this shows if any girl tries hard enough, it's possible.”
Her grandfather, Joe Guizar, once competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials. Her uncle, James Guizar, won a state high school title in 1998 for Imperial.

“They were always doing it and I was around it,” said Caldera, who divides her time competing against boys and girls. “I just wanted to be a part of that as well.”

The top-seeded Caldera won all three of her tourney bouts by pin, including two in the first period. Not one opponent scored a point against her. In the final, she held a 2-0 lead with an early takedown before the pin.

“I just wanted to go out and do my best, hoping that would be good enough,” Caldera said. “I thought the final was going to last a little longer, but it was kind of a relief, too, because then the pressure was off.”

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Our Opinion: Caldera notches a special win

Wednesday, February 21, 2007 11:57 AM PST

It has been said that this is a man’s world. But Imperial High’s Priscilla Caldera has proved that old adage wrong.

Last Saturday, Caldera became the first girl in the history of the state of California to win a wrestling championship in any division by winning the CIF-San Diego Section Division IV championship.

But don’t look for Caldera to expect a parade or seek out any honors. She is a humble 16-year-old who simply loves to wrestle.

That is apparent, because she is very, very good at it. Wrestling at 105 pounds, Caldera won by pin in all three of her matches at the tournament. For the championship, she pinned her opponent in 1 minute and 55 seconds.

And yes, all of her opponents were boys.

While Caldera won’t sing her own praises, we certainly will. She obviously worked very hard to become a champion in a male-dominated sport, and was named most valuable player in her division. That alone will earn her the respect of many in the sport, and from countless others in the Imperial Valley and elsewhere.

But the fact that Caldera didn’t go into the tournament focusing on her gender but simply her love of wrestling is what makes her even more special. This is no show-boating athlete. She probably won’t earn a college scholarship for wrestling or end up on a Wheaties box.

But she is still a trailblazer for women in the state of California. She still earned the right to be called “the first” to achieve something for her gender. That is something to be proud of.

Who knows? Somewhere in the Imperial Valley right now, there is a young girl who wants to be the next Priscilla Caldera. And when that young girl grows up to be a state wrestling champion, maybe it won’t be such a big deal. But it is right now.

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Athlete of the Week: Caldera looking to make history

By MARIO RENTERÍA, Sports Editor

Tuesday, January 30, 2007 11:04 AM PST

TODD KRAININ PHOTO Imperial High’s Priscilla Caldera finished fourth at the 44th annual Holtville High Invitational on Saturday.

Imperial High’s Priscilla Caldera could make history this wrestling season.

The 16-year-old junior would be the first girl to win the CIF-San Diego Section Division IV championships in her weight class if she does what her coach expects her to do.

To date, no girl has every won any weight class in the section championships.

“She’s already beat everybody else (in her weight class in Division IV),” Imperial coach Tirso Lara said. “She would be the first girl to win CIF.”

Last weekend she continued toward that goal by taking on some of the best competition that San Diego and Imperial Valley has to offer in the 44th annual Holtville High Invitational and finished fourth at 104 pounds. The Holtville tournament featured schools of all sizes.

“I’m pretty happy, excited and I’m looking forward to the next tournament so I can do better than I did this weekend,” Caldera said.

Lara said that’s what makes her a good wrestler — her desire to improve.

“She works hard, she listens and has a good attitude,” Lara said.

To add drive to her expectation, Caldera finished second at 103 pounds at the CIF South Regional tournament at Channel Islands High in Oxnard on Jan. 19-20 — the only all-girl tournament sanctioned by CIF.

With good results at two consecutive tournaments, the expectation for Caldera to win the section championships in her weight class only gets bigger.

“It’s kind of scary, but I hope I live up to my expectations and do good and win it,” said Caldera of the CIF section championships. “Right now, I’m taking it one match at a time, but if I do have a goal, that (would be it).”