The Galesburg HS wrestling program is going thru exciting times. They have some great coaches who are highly invested in their student-athletes, they are coming off just recently having a State Champion, and their numbers are growing each year. It is a program that young people want to join.
One of the most exciting things going on in the wrestling program is the recent addition of girls wrestling. This is a story that I wanted to do, and it certainly didn’t disappoint me. I got to talk to people involved in the wrestling program about girls wrestling. Their excitement is contagious!
First I reached out to Greg Leibach, who has been the wrestling coach at GHS for several years. Initially, he was in charge of the entire program (boys and girls), now he’s designated the boys wrestling coach.
Massey- What were your first thoughts when you heard girls could go out for wrestling?
Coach Leibach- The real spark goes back to 2021, when the IHSA announced that they would be hosting a girls wrestling state tournament series. I was thrilled. I really believe in the positive impact of the sport on the school day and lives of our wrestlers, which includes goal-setting, work ethic, fitness, and performance mindset.
The IHSA’s announcement meant that those benefits were becoming more easily available to females that were interested in wrestling. Any competitor looks forward to the opportunity to learn and grow over the course of a season, then get the chance to see how far they can advance in a postseason tournament.
In my coaching years before 2021, we’d had a couple of girls take interest in competing, but there were added challenges to pursuing it in a mostly male environment. The growth of girls wrestling, locally and statewide, created more girl-versus-girl match opportunities and greater camaraderie with other girls on the same roster. The rapid pace of that growth since 2021 shows that the interest was there, waiting for the opportunity.
It is really enjoyable to see a young person set a goal for themselves and go after it, through the struggles and the small victories. It’s inspiring. And when those goals are achieved, for an individual or for a team, it’s an incredible thrill. The expansion of girls wrestling means that there is more of that happening each year out of the Galesburg wrestling room.
Obviously, you have had to make adjustments in the wrestling program to the increased number of wrestlers that can be both good and bad. How have girls’ wrestlers changed the wrestling program?
Massey- Are there things the girls have “taught” you and have made the program stronger?
Coach Leibach- When the whistle blows, wrestling is wrestling, whether it’s a boys match or a girls match. In Galesburg, we run a blended practice, where our full coaching staff is working with all wrestlers. Perhaps that will change in the future, but right now, I believe it is the preference for everyone involved.
The greatest adjustments have come in the ways of facilities, uniforms, competition schedule, and coaching coverage on competition days. We want to make sure that our girls have comfortable locker room spaces for changing and checking their weight. We were able to order girls-cut singlets that are more comfortable for them to compete in. And we’re now more conscious of stocking our travel kit with hair ties!
One of our former coaches, Eric Vogel, deserves a lot of credit for pursuing girl-specific competitions in those early years. He saw the need (alongside our already established boys’ varsity and JV schedules) and he made the effort to make it happen.
Last winter, we benefitted from the addition of a ‘Girls Wrestling’ head coaching position, which has allowed further pursuit of girls-specific duals and tournaments. Our girls are really lucky to have Coach Ryan Shipp in that role, who has further rallied that side of the program with an approach that is both fun-loving and competitive.
Massey- There are old timers or traditionalists who might be apt to say wrestling is no place for girls. Is there a story or stories you could share of a girl or girls who in practice or in competition have been inspiring to watch? Ones where you would say,
“Doubters should have seen this. This is incredible what this girl did.”
Coach Leibach- We have seen countless examples of toughness and grit from our girls. I think a lot of credit goes to our original trio - Hannah Almendarez, Emylee Miller, and Andrea Morales - who all started wrestling as sophomores in 2021. They each had some familiarity with the sport before they became wrestlers themselves.
When they began competing, they worked the process perfectly. They were consistent in their training routine, supportive as teammates, and aggressive in matches. The following waves of girls that joined our team had available role models for what it looked and sounded like to do it the right way. Those three were real pioneers for girls wrestling in our town...
Hannah was so skilled and so fearless in her senior year that she was both a state medalist on the girls’ side and our starter at 106 lbs.in the boys’ lineup throughout the season. She was ready to take any match against any same-weight opponent and our team was better for it.
If there are any doubters, I would wish for them to see the IHSA Girls State Tournament held over two days each February in Bloomington. The atmosphere is incredible, the skill and athleticism on the mats is remarkable, and the drama that unfolds from round to round is always entertaining. It is a great event and a great accomplishment for any girl that earns an opportunity to compete there.
Next I was able to talk to some girls and boys in the wrestling program to get their perspectives.
Amyah Pruitt- Junior, 3rd in FS State last year.
Massey- What was your reaction when you first heard there was girls wrestling?
Amyah Pruitt- When I first heard about girls being able to wrestle I wasn’t really sure about doing it. My best friend Kamorra Garza was really motivating and encouraging and convinced me to try it and when I did the coaches were also very encouraging.
Massey- I am sure when you first started, there were challenges doing something that was just starting. Were there things that discouraged you or people who tried to discourage you?
Amyah Pruitt- While starting my wrestling journey I really struggled with confidence which caused me to doubt myself and not preform well, people seeing that they started to doubt me. Some people would make fun of me for losing and not wrestling as good as the boys on the team, but even though I wasn’t the best I continued to try my hardest.
Massey- I am sure there were people who encouraged you and helped build you up.
Amyah Pruitt- Coach Leibach, Coach Shipp , Mama Shipp along with Coach Varela, Coach Orellana, Coach Parks, Coach Miller and Coach Gust encouraged me to keep working and training to get better. Coach Shipp and Coach Leibach have been people I can always look to for support in anything. They have become some of the most important people in my life. These coaches have changed my perspective on many things not just wrestling. They have helped me reshape my mentality into something that will help me throughout my whole life.
Massey- Obviously in a sport, you learn about the sport. You learn certain techniques, but the real value in sports are the things you learn about yourself as a person and the life skills that will help you later in life. How has wrestling helped you as a person?
Amyah Pruitt- Wrestling has taught me many things, but it has mainly taught me to never give up. You will never know what’s at the top of the mountain if you stop climbing. The more you work for it the better you will feel once you achieve that goal. Wrestling has really changed my perspective on a lot of things. It has taught me that when you fall you can’t just lay there, but you have to get back up and push harder than you did before.
Massey- What advice would you have for girls thinking about wrestling or just starting in wrestling?
Amyah Pruitt- Some advice I’d like to give other girls that want to try wrestling is to not be afraid of what other people with think. Some people will try and break you down but you can’t let them. You have to work for what you want and eventually that work will pay off. The beginning of every journey is hard but you have to continue to work through it.
Massey- What are some of the highlights of your wrestling career?
Amyah Pruitt- My favorite highlights from my wrestling journey are probably always having the best most encouraging coaches out there that will put you on the mat believing that you can win against anyone you wrestle. One of my most memorable moments so far is probably my fresh soph tournament, I had lost my match in the semi finals and was really down on myself. I had to wrestle another match right after to stay in the tournament, and the girl I was wrestling was really beating me because I had given up on myself. Even though I had given up my teammates, Coach Miller and Coach Robert Castellano continued to cheer for me. They encouraged me and gave me the confidence to keep wrestling and in the end I won that match. I believe that if I didn’t have my teammates and coaches support I would not be where I am now. They have helped me more than anyone will ever know.
Vivian Aldus- Senior
Massey- What was your reaction when you found out there would be girls wrestling?
Vivian Aldus- I was excited about going out for it and told my parents. My mom was so excited to hear girls could wrestle because she always wanted to growing up but never could.
Massey- Was it a challenge when you first started wrestling?
Vivian Aldus- I am a military brat, moving around all the time and never got the chance to play sports growing up. I always wanted to play sports but I thought I wouldn’t ever have the confidence to do it. So I got out of comfort zone my junior year to wrestling and fell in love with it.
Massey- Were there people who discouraged you from wrestling?
Vivian Aldus- In fifth grade, although I would’ve moved halfway through the season, I wanted to play soccer but I was bullied off the team and my coach didn’t care at all. I hardly had a chance to play sports growing up, and because of that experience I was scared to join another team. Coach Leibach and Coach Shipp always stick up for every single one of us and made me feel like I had a family in wrestling. My teammates create a community I constantly enjoy being in as well.
Massey- What have you learned from wrestling?
Vivian Aldus- Wrestling takes a lot of work mentally and physically, the work you put in to have the skills you need to win has taught me so much. It’s taught me whatever you put your mind to you can do if you put in the work as well. Even when it’s so hard all you want to do is sit down when you keep pushing you feel better about yourself at the end of the day. I love wrestling because it doesn’t just teach you about the moves it teaches you a lot about yourself.
Massey- What advice would you give to other girls thinking about wrestling?
Vivian Aldus- I would tell girls who want to wrestle it’s the best time to join, we had enough girls last year to officially have a girls team and we want to keep that going. I would explain the pride and happiness wrestling has brought me.
Massey- What are some of your favorite memories from wrestling?
Vivian Aldus- There was one match that really stood out to me. It was the only time I got to wrestle at home. The girl I was going to wrestle was jacked, I was scared. I fought hard and ended up beating her. My teammates told me I beat “the hulk” because her singlet was green. It stood out to me because sure I was nervous but it taught me no matter what someone looks like, I need to wrestle hard, anything can happen.
Anthony Makwala- Senior, 40+ wins, State Qualifier
Massey- As a male in wrestling, what was your first reaction to hearing girls would be wrestling?
Anthony Makwala- My first thoughts about girls wrestling was excitement. I love the sport and I think it should be available to everyone, and when girls could do it I was excited to see how that would play out.
Massey- What has been your reaction watching the girls as they get started into the wrestling world?
Anthony Makwala- After watching it these last few years I am very very impressed. We had a senior my sophomore year Hannah Almenderez she was fierce. The determination and drive to go up against men and pin them was incredible. Along with Annalisa Gibbons, Amaya Pruitt, Eliana Juarez all paced the way for girls greatness around our community and I saw that first hand. Truly an honor.
Massey- How have the girls impacted the GHS wrestling program? Have they made the program better?
Anthony Makwala- Yes, they have made the program stronger, along with the liveliness they bring to the wrestling room. They bring competition and fight that’s why they won so many duals. Even during live wrestling they aren’t afraid to scrap with those bigger or stronger they just go and that makes everyone better!
Massey- Have the girls in wrestling taught you anything?
Anthony Makwala- They have definitely earned my respect not that I didn’t respect them before but in the sense that, I should except fierceness and tenacity not just from boys wrestling but girls aswell. They never give up and keep pushing forward and for our Galesburg Program they have been nothing but an amazing addition!
Gauge Shipp- State Champion, Wrestling at Hofstra
Massey- As a serious wrestler, what was your first reaction to hearing there would be girls wrestling?
Gauge Shipp- I thought it was a great opportunity, and would help grow this sport tremendously. Wrestling went from a sport on the brink of being cut from the olympic games, to having some of the biggest increases in participants around the country.
Massey- Over the last few years, what have you observed about girls wrestling?
Gauge Shipp- I think women’s wrestling has made big strides in the past few years, and is continuing to grow up here in the collegiate level. I think it is good for the Galesburg wrestling program to have the women’s side of competition, and when I was in high school I felt the positive fan interaction when the girls were wrestling. Being involved in the Galesburg wrestling culture since I was in elementary school, I believe that the numbers as well as the support has never been higher. Now, I love watching from a distance and admiring my Dad (Coach Shipp), as well as Coach Leibach develop their driven athletes to reach their respective goals.
Thanks to all the wrestlers and to Coach Leibach for giving us an inside look at the wrestling program, and the girls wrestling team.
As someone who spent a career coaching, I have always been an advocate for the value of sports in helping develop valuable life skills in the athletes. The GHS wrestling coaches have certainly built a program that is building life skills!!
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