USBWA/USGWA
History Of The USGWA/ USBWA
Women's Wrestling Visionary and USGWA Founder Kent Bailo held our 1st event on March 28-29, 1998 at Pioneer High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In that inaugural event 272 female wrestlers from 35 states in grades 7-12 competed to be “ High School Age Division” National Champions. The first USGWA National Champ was 8th grader Alaina Berube of Escanaba, Michigan. Alaina won three more USGWA National Championships, before completing an undefeated collegiate career and was the Olympic alternate in 2004.
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Also champions that first year were Sara McMann of North Carolina and Katie Downing of Indiana. Sara went on to place in several World Championships and won a silver medal for the USA in the 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece. Those were the first Olympic Games to include women’s wrestling. Katie Downing pinned all of her opponents easily in that 1998 USGWA Nationals and has won medals for the USA at the World Championships.
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The USGWA became a proving ground for many who became wrestling household names globally. Tela O'Donnell, Toccara Montgomery, Clarissa Chun, Elena Pirozhkova, Stephany Lee, Haley Augello, Adeline Gray and the USA's 1st Female Gold Medalist Helen Maroulis all participated at the USGWA Nationals on their path to becoming Olympians!
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After many years in Michigan, the USGWA Nationals moved to California in 2014 to the Napa-Vallejo Region, which many consider to be the cradle of the women's wrestling movement here in the United States as the Napa Valley Girls Classic(America's Longest Running HS Girls Event) was born here and the City of Vallejo hosted the California Girls Invitational(The Un-Official State Championships) which led to the CIF's Sanctioning of a California Girls State Championship, all which have made the Golden State a National Power at USA's Fargo!!!
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Many stories about great wrestlers can be told from what happens at this tournament. Many more stories can be told about “pretty good” wrestlers and “average” wrestlers; those who just love this sport and may never take to the mat again after their senior year. Wrestling is about building lifelong memories, making new and lasting friends and all of the other things that the great sport has to offer. The USGWA was founded in 1998 so that girls and women could become members of the most elite family in the world-the wrestling family. We share a common bond, a common experience and as the legendary Olympic Champ/Iowa Coach Dan Gable once said, “Once you’ve wrestled, everything else is easy."
Support all women’s wrestling with your presence at ALL tournaments. All mat time is good mat time and there is no substitute for experience. The more matches you wrestle in the better you will get. Certainly, natural talent, strength, quickness and flexibility are all factors, but experience is your best asset. And when you are done wrestling, give back!! Be a coach, be a ref, be a supportive parent who takes your kids to wrestling practice!
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