By the time senior Brooklyn Pryor steps onto the wrestling mat, her nerves fade and focus takes over.

“I’m always nervous before a match,” Pryor said. “But once I tap the line and step on the mat, I have to focus on technique. That’s when I feel confident.”

Pryor is part of the growing wave of girls joining wrestling, making it the fastest growing high school sport nationwide. 

In Ohio, the number of schools with girls wrestling teams has increased rapidly from 20 in 2020 to 63 in 2024. Where Beachwood had no female wrestlers five years ago, the program now has six at the high school and one at middle school. 

Gallery • 9 Photos

Nao Okamoto

Mya Webb pins an opponent at the Brush Invitational on Dec. 7.

The team has also achieved remarkable success this year.

Pryor and freshman Nyla White both placed first in their weight classes at the Fording Invitational at Brush High School on Dec. 7. Sophomore Mya Webb and freshman Judith Ng also earned third place medals. 

Pryor said the win was her favorite memory so far from high school wrestling. She jumped into her coach’s arms while her family and teammates cheered from the stands.

“All the girls and my family were there to support me,” she said. “That meant everything.”

Additionally, Webb  went on to go undefeated in preliminary rounds at the Columbia Invitational Tournament on Jan. 24, recording four pins and finishing her run with a tough 4-1 decision victory in the finals. She even beat a state qualifier.

She was recognized as Athlete of the Week on Bison Athletics social media for her performance. 

“What made her performance even more impressive was her defensive toughness,” the post stated. “Mya did not surrender a single takedown to any opponent throughout the tournament. She wrestled with confidence, control, and composure in every match, setting the tone from start to finish and showing exactly what it means to compete at a high level.”

Webb, who competes in the 105-110 weight class, has been wrestling for about a year and a half. She said she became interested in wrestling due to its strong presence in her family. 

“My older brother and my dad wrestled, so I wanted to try it,” Webb said. 

Seeing their dedication and passion for the sport inspired her to give wrestling a chance at a young age. Growing up around the sport helped her feel more comfortable stepping onto the mat. 

For Pryor, what began as a last-minute decision has turned into a defining part of her high school experience.

Pryor first joined wrestling because she wanted a winter sport and knew swimming was not for her. When the wrestling coach reached out and told her there were other girls on the team, she decided to give it a try.

“I was nervous, but I was ready for a contact sport,” she said.

One of the biggest influences on her wrestling career was her friend Lynnia Doss (‘24), who trained with her before Beachwood even had a girls team.

“She pushed me every day in practice,” Pryor said. “She inspired me to keep going.”

When Pryor transferred to Beachwood, she and Doss approached the coaching staff together and asked to join the wrestling program. Since then, Pryor has continued to grow both physically and mentally.

Pryor explained that now, girls on the team train alongside the boys and complete the same workouts. The difference comes on competition days.

“We practice together, but we go to different tournaments,” she said. “This year, our coach decided girls shouldn’t wrestle boys anymore.”

Wrestling requires a lot of time and dedication. The team practices multiple times a week, including early morning practices three days a week starting at 6:30 a.m., as well as after-school practices that last a couple of hours. Morning workouts include running, lifting and conditioning, while afternoon practices focus more on technique. 

Webb says wrestling can be challenging both mentally and physically. She admits she can be hard on herself after losses and has dealt with injuries, but she continues to learn and improve. 

“I’m starting to learn how to focus on the match and not get in my head,” Webb said. 

When preparing for tournaments, Webb warms up with teammates or her brother and focuses on her main moves. Her favorite moves include the fireman’s carry and the ankle pick, and she also enjoys folkstyle wrestling. 

Before joining the wrestling team, Webb also participated in track, competitive dance and martial arts like karate and taekwondo, which helped her develop balance, strength and discipline. 

One of the main reasons Webb stayed with wrestling is the team atmosphere. She said the sense of belonging and encouragement she feels from those around her motivates her to continue improving. 

“The team and the coaches are very welcoming, and it feels like we’re a big family,” she said.  

Webb explained that the support from teammates makes practices and competitions more enjoyable, even on hard days. 

Weight management is one of the biggest challenges female wrestlers face, which is a factor many people outside the sport may not understand.

“The female body is different than men’s, and it’s harder to keep weight the same,” she said.

Pryor explained that wrestlers are allowed to reweigh before competition, and some athletes even cut their hair to make weight, which is something she has done herself. Despite the pressure, she has never missed a weigh-in.

Beachwood wrestling coaches say Pryor’s dedication stands out. Coach Ed Mahone credited success to her work ethic and willingness to learn.

“She listens, she asks questions, and she doesn’t quit,” Mahone said. “That’s what makes her better every match.”

Coach Leonard Settles added that Pryor has grown significantly since joining the program.

“She’s become more confident and more technical,” Settles said. “She’s proof that girls wrestling belongs here.”

Pryor’s favorite moves include the hip toss and snap down, techniques she looks for whenever the opportunity presents itself.

Beyond competition, wrestling has shaped how Proyor takes care of herself. After dealing with injuries and never completing a full season, she learned the importance of recovery, nutrition and hydration.

“It showed me what I’m allowed to put in my body and how to diet my food,” she said. “I’m still working on drinking more water.”

Wrestling has also taught her perseverance. Despite having asthma, she continues to push through physically demanding practices and matches.

“You do things where they get hard, and you push through,” she said.

While Pryor does not plan to wrestle in college, she acknowledges that opportunities are growing nationwide. 

“It’s getting attention, but we need more girls to come out and try the sport,” she said. “Girls wrestling is [growing rapidly], but we’re still undervalued.”

As she continues her high school career, Pryor hopes her presence on the mat encourages more girls to give wrestling a chance.

Webb also said that she notices more people are starting to take girls’ wrestling seriously as the sport grows. She hopes people stop underestimating female wrestlers, saying girls are just as strong and capable as anyone else. 

This season, Webb’s goals include qualifying for the states and continuing to improve with her team. She also hopes to wrestle in college and earn scholarships in the future.