Going into this week, I had one goal in writing this piece: discovering the difference between girls and boys wrestling is.
I don’t know anything about wrestling, so I went into this blind. I knew most sports vary greatly between the genders, like women’s hockey not allowing the physical blockings and bodychecking like men’s does. So, I wondered, will that translate to wrestling?
After seeing the girls match, I thought they would be the most aggressive. The matches are intense with many bloody noses.
Yet, as soon as the whistle blows, the girls stop, and their comradery is commendable.
You’d expect their opposition to continue off the court, but it doesn’t. They understand it’s just a sport. When off the court, you can witness them talking about things like hair and liking the other’s braids.
Boys wrestling, however, isn’t so friendly. They don’t fight off the court, but they don’t chat either. They only discuss with their teammates and avoid talking to the others, not vehemently, but when they can.
But their matches don’t seem as aggressive – they’re more violent.
They had fewer bloody noses, but they had much more flying through the air.
They always shake hands before and have extreme civility, but as soon as they start, they become harsher and more violent than I imagined.
The body-slams onto the floor were commonplace and powerful. The force with which they spared is undeniably violent.
I watch gruesome movies and shows all the time, but during some of these matches I had to look away for fear that a bone would break or a shoulder would be dislocated.
I know aggressive and violent are nearly synonymous, but wrestling perfectly highlights their differences.
