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NU girl goes to the mat
New Ulm wrestler Ali Bernard says she simply likes the sport
By Jim Rueda 2/20/02
Free Press Staff Writer
Jeff Thompson |
MANKATO - Ali Bernard is not a card-carrying member of the National Organization for Women. She's not a self-proclaimed feminist nor does she see herself at the forefront of battle for gender equity.
The 15-year-old is a simply a girl who likes to wrestle.
She likes the sport so much that she's stuck with the it long after most of her contemporaries have abandoned it.
While other girls moved on to play volleyball, basketball and other sports considered more acceptable for women, Bernard has stayed on the wrestling mat.
The sophomore at New Ulm High School has been with the wrestling program since sixth grade, not because she's a novelty act who can boost attendance but because she's earned a spot on the roster.
"I think a lot of people could look at this as an uncomfortable situation, but it hasn't been that way at all," longtime New Ulm wrestling coach Dar Arndt says. "Opponents have more of a problem with it than we do.
"She's been in the wrestling room for nearly five years now, so our guys are used to it. I'll tell you the truth, if people didn't come up to me and mention it, I wouldn't even think about it anymore."
According to Minnesota State High School League rules, Bernard is allowed to wrestle with the New Ulm boys program because there is no equivalent wrestling team available for girls.
She received her first taste of varsity wrestling last year when she went 0-4. This year, as a 140-pounder, she is 2-3. Both wins have come on forfeits.
"Most of the matches I've lost have been pretty close," Bernard says. "I'm kind of used to the attention now. Everybody's pretty supportive; there's no trash talking on the mat or anything."
The only real changes Bernard has brought to the program concern pre-meet preparations. She has to have her own dressing area and needs a separate place to weigh in before matches. Her singlet (uniform) also needs to be cut a little differently for obvious reasons.
"I usually end up changing in the bathroom for away meets," Bernard said. "It's no big deal."
When she dons a dress for school, she looks just like any other sophomore in New Ulm. "If you look at her in street clothes, you'd never guess she was a wrestler," Arndt says.
But in the wrestling room, Arndt says Bernard stands out. Not because of her gender, but because of her attitude.
"I've coached for a long time, and I've never had a kid with a better work ethic than Ali," he says. "She's never missed a practice. If I ask her to stay late to work on a specific move, she's right there.
"I think she's been a real positive influence in our wrestling room. She adds a touch of class; the guys behave more like gentlemen when she's there. I think that's a tribute to the respect they have for her."
That Bernard is even in the wrestling room does not surprise many people. Her father, Rocky, was a standout heavyweight for New Ulm and her older brother, Andy, is ranked fifth in the state at 189 pounds.
"I just followed Andy around to his meets when I was little," she says. "When I got older, I knew it was something I wanted to do.
"I like wrestling because it's an aggressive sport with a lot of contact. I'm not a basketball player, and I needed something to do that I was good at. I stuck with wrestling."
Ali says her teammates and classmates have encouraged her every step of the way.
"The other girls in school are all cool with it," she says. "And the boys think it's cool, too. Sometimes when I'm wrestling, there are people I don't even know in the stands cheering for me. That's pretty cool, too."
On the rare occasion somebody shows up to razz Ali, her 22-year-old sister Annie usually takes care of the situation. "She'll tell them off. She's my biggest fan," Ali says. "She sticks up for me all the time."
Ali has a very good leg ride but is sometimes overmatched in terms of upper-body strength. That's why coach Arndt picks his spots to put her in the lineup.
"Sometimes you have to use common sense," he says. "We were at a tournament earlier this year, and she could have wrestled Donny DePatto of Monticello.
"He's finished fourth in the state at 125 pounds last year, and he's cut pretty good. We decided to go with one of our other kids who could match up better physically."
Still, Arndt believes some varsity wins are in Ali's future. She thinks so, too. Her goal is to have a winning record on varsity.
"I'm not going to worry about it," she says. "I've had a lot of wins on B-squad already.
"I'm not out to make a statement, I just want to wrestle."
