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News Page
Wednesday, April 12, 2000
By RON FOX
Staff Writer
Imagine the boys' shock when three freshmen girls showed up at the start of wrestling practice in 1998.
"At first, the boys bet we wouldn't last a week," says Krystal Maier. "But we kept coming back and they kept saying, 'Oh my God.' They were a little weird about us being on the team at first, but they got used to us and we were [accepted as] part of the team. The second year, the boys thought nothing of it."
While they were in the minority, the girls -- current sophomores Kathy Klui, Vanessa Smith, and Maier -- found strength in their own numbers.
"I'm glad they were there," says Smith of her female teammates. "I don't think I could have done it by myself."
The girls' families feared they may be injured or humiliated. "My brother, Orlando, wrestled [for Ramsey] and I thought it would be fun to do," Smith says. "At first he didn't like the idea, but after awhile he got used to it."
Klui also was preceded by a wrestling brother, Sebastian. "I used to go to his matches and my dad was really into it," she said. "He even filmed my brother's matches. But he wasn't too crazy about me wrestling. He'd come to the matches if he knew I wouldn't be wrestling. He just couldn't watch me do it."
The girls' performance must be judged by effort, not by success. They were inexperienced and often overpowered, yet kept coming back to the practice room.
They say they did not notice any negative comments.
Coach Matt Wilson and his fellow coaches appreciate that most girls who go out for wrestling are serious about it. His trio proved it. "They were there as freshmen and sophomores, every day, all season," he says. "It was tough, but they decided to keep coming back. Klui even had back surgery in the summer, but came out again. I like that attitude. I'd rather see them keep coming back because the more you're there, the more you can learn."
Klui has had scoliosis since childhood. "I've worn braces for four years and had surgery July 1, 1999," she says. "The first two months, I couldn't do much because I couldn't take a chance of being injured. I lost about 20 percent of the flexibility in my back."
She's at a major crossroads now because of it and likely wouldn't be able to continue wrestling. "I can't do track anymore because my disks aren't too good right now. Maybe I'll try swimming."
This truly could be the end of the triumvirate's wrestling tour.
"I'm not sure if I'll come back because the school started winter track this year and I'm pretty interested," says Maier, who runs spring track.
Smith seems similarly inclined.
Wilson hopes the girls hang on.
"We're talking about starting a Region 2 girls [wrestling] team," the coach says. "A couple of other schools had girls on their teams. We'd like to get them in all-girls tournaments in Virginia. There are some during the high school season and some during the summer."
There is a girl at Fair Lawn who is prepared to make a major jump to the varsity and be involved in such tournaments next year. Kim Salma, sister of Bergen County Coaches Holiday Tournament medalist Aaron Salma, did not wrestle varsity, but did win two bouts in the Bergen County Freshman tournament and just missed making her varsity debut, losing wrestleoffs at 103 pounds -- where the Cutters had their greatest depth (four contenders) -- once in overtime and once by a one-point margin in regulation.
"She's one of the most mentally tough kids in the room," says coach Frank Guadagnino, "and I really can see a future for her in wrestling. She even wrestled in the [town's] junior program until fifth or sixth grade. The boys really accepted her. Her brother helped coach her in the freshman tournament and the varsity boys were sitting in the corner cheering her. They were proud of her."
The Ramsey girls had no wins this year, unless you count a forfeit to Smith. Klui came close a year ago.
"I almost got a kid in the districts," she says excitedly. "I had him in a cradle, but I missed."
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Manchester's Perlmutter blazed a trail in Jersey
Wednesday, April 12, 2000
Amy Perlmutter put girls wrestling on the state map while at Manchester Regional in the early Nineties. She was tough, strong, and spirited, with a devastating headlock. She opened eyes when she scored a first-round victory in the Passaic County wrestling tournament.
However, she no longer is involved in wrestling. Perlmutter is a member of the Prospect Park police, having been hired in 1998.
"I went into women's wrestling, freestyle," she says. "It's a world-wide circuit. I didn't make it to the world level, but I finished third in the nation in 1995 and I was second nationally in 1996."
She had to go to Las Vegas for the nationals.
"Women's wrestling isn't that popular on the East Coast, so you have to go to the Midwest," says Perlmutter, 23. "I still liked it, but I got involved in college [she was on the dean's list at William Paterson before joining the police department] and focused pretty much on that. I got out of shape, too. I'm in good shape, but not in wrestling shape. That's a whole different thing."
Prior to high school, Perlmutter was a district and regional champion on the recreation level. And then she made history at Manchester. On Jan. 31, 1992, she became the first girl to wrestle on the varsity level in New Jersey, winning a 9-5 decision against a Midland Park boy. When she pinned Hawthorne's Catrina Carrizales on Jan. 25, 1995, it marked the first all-girls high school bout in State history. On Dec. 29, 1993, Perlmutter won the 112-pound championship of the annual Fred Sharkey Tournament at Wayne Hills. Also in 1993, she was the first girl to wrestle in the Passaic County tournament.
Perlmutter plans to return to WPU and complete her education. Having started out majoring in physical education, Perlmutter switched to business. However, she says she'll remain in police work.
"I'd still like to return to wrestling," she says. "But it just hasn't fit into my schedule."
Another wrestling trailblazer was Deirdre Mammano of Old Tappan. In 1997, she became the first girl to compete in the 38-year history of the Bergen County Coaches Holiday Tournament and nearly pulled off a first-round win. She won five bouts in her senior year. She left wrestling behind after high school and is attending Lafayette College.
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Local wrestlers stand out
By Bill Buchalter
The Orlando Sentinel , April 09, 2000
Let`s give these girls a curtain call.
Late last month, 29 Florida girl wrestlers made national debuts at the U.S. Girl`s Wrestling Association National Championships in Lake Orien, Mich.
Thirteen high schoolers and a middle schooler placed --10 earning All-American honors and Team Florida placed fifth among 38 states, behind Michigan, California, Texas and Ohio.
Cypress Creek sophomore Katie Keegan placed second in her weight class. Lyman senior Holly Haritan was sixth in one of the most competitive classes.
Others in the top 10 were middle schooler Haley Haritan, Lyman`s Suesan Sands, LeeAnn Justesen and Rachel Hauza, Atlantic`s Marisa Abbaleo, Oviedo`s Heather Walther and Gateway`s Michelle Puig.
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Cheering for spirit and strength
Apr 10, 2000
STEVE GORTEN
The Tampa Tribune
ZEPHYRHILLS - Weight rooms have been filled by cheerleaders this spring.
There was a time Nicole Lemaster couldn't picture herself in a weight room working on the bench press and clean-and-jerk.
The Zephyrhills cheerleader's parents did have the image in their minds. They didn't like it.
``They thought I was going to turn into some big body builder,'' said Lemaster, a senior on the girls weightlifting team. ``That's what all the girls think, too, but you don't.''
Contrary to her parents' fears, Lemaster, who gave up track this spring to try weightlifting, isn't now a look-alike to WWF star Chyna. Her tall, sleek build is just more refined, her muscles more defined.
``I just feel huge,'' she said, smiling and flexing her biceps. ``I've been surprised how much I've accomplished.''
She is extremely proud of beating two guys in arm-wrestling in class this semester.
``They were mad,'' Lemaster said. ``They didn't take girls weightlifters seriously.''
Especially not when the weightlifter is also a cheerleader. Although, more and more the two are intertwined in what is becoming a popular trend in Pasco County. The misconception of cheerleaders as rah-rah girls is slowly being lifted.
``The cheerleaders, contrary to belief that they're not very athletic, are very strong girls,'' River Ridge coach Mike DeGennaro said. ``The clean-and-jerk is a very athletic lift and the girls that clean-and-jerk the best on my team are cheerleaders.
``Most of them have that gymnastics background and they are used to lifting their own weight [on flips] all day long. It's a really good fit for them.''
About a third of River Ridge's roster includes cheerleaders. The ratio is higher at Zephyrhills and Land O' Lakes, where half of the team members wave pom-poms in the fall.
``Those are little girls, a lot of them, who are a lot stronger than people think,'' Gators coach Vicky King said.
In the third season of girls weightlifting, Land O' Lakes has 24 competitors on its team, nine more than last season. The roster now includes 12 cheerleaders compared to only two before.
One of those two former members: University of South Florida freshman Jill Pruden.
``One of our best lifters last year,'' King said referring to Pruden, ``cheers at USF now.''
Why have cheerleaders such as Lemaster and Land O' Lakes' Lauren Chaves and Katelyn Wojciek taken such an interest in weightlifting? Their cheerleading coaches had some influence. Some had to be convinced, Zephyrhills coach Laura Woodham said. Others, including Lemaster, were drawn to the sport by a desire to be stronger while trying something different.
``I didn't like track and I wanted to do something because I don't like sitting at home watching TV,'' Lemaster said.
``A lot of them see value in strength building,'' Woodham said.
Woodham wishes Lemaster had come out for the team sooner. Like the other cheerleaders on her weightlifting squad, she has had an impact on its success.
``Most of my really competitive people are cheerleaders,'' Woodham said. ``I don't think cheerleading has ever been seen as a sport. But if you see the workouts a lot of them do, they're very strong.''
Hudson coaches Steve and Shannon Casel said they benefited from the presence of cheerleaders, ``who started it off'' for their girls weightlifting program. This year, however, the turnout has decreased among that group and as a whole. A lot of them graduated, Steve Casel points out.
His roster includes only 12 girls - 20 are a full team - now.
``I thought we were going to be one of the bigger teams in the county,'' Casel said. ``It didn't happen.''
He hopes to regenerate interest next season among students, including cheerleaders.
Coaches agree that aside from more participation and exposure, getting the sport sanctioned by the Florida High School Activities Association - boys weightlifting is already sanctioned - will be key. The issue was discussed at the girls' ``state meet'' Saturday in Bradenton.
