Female Supremacy Articles - Page 13

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But while Hutchison and many other girls in this state have come a long way, earning respect and establishing themselves as equals on the mat, they can go further still.

INSPIRATION

The history of girls wrestling in Alaska is cloudy. Many of Alaska's large-school coaches said girls first began showing up for wrestling tryouts in the mid-1990s, although former ACS wrestler Jason Hofacker -- who just last month hung up his whistle as the ACS wrestling coach after seven years -- remembered girls wrestling at the small-school level in the late 1980s.

Regardless of when girls started going toe-to-toe with boys on the mat, they didn't truly make their mark until 2000. That's when Melina Hutchison and O'Donnell became place-winners at state -- and instant pioneers.

On Dec. 16, 2000, Melina Hutchison, wrestling at 112 pounds, placed third and O'Donnell, wrestling at 119, placed sixth at the fall state wrestling championships in Kenai, solidifying their legacy in the sport.

"I think Melina and Tela did wonders for girls wrestling," Gardner said. "When they came into the picture, it wasn't like guys were saying, 'Oh, you got this one.' They beat a good portion of the boys."

Numerous girls cited both Melina Hutchison and O'Donnell as either the reason they got involved with wrestling or their motivation for sticking with it once they reached high school.