Twins Reece, Olivia Woods lead Eagle HS to first Idaho girls wrestling state title
EAGLE, Idaho (BVM) — After nearly three decades as a coach, Eagle High School wrestling coach Mike Stone was finally able to hang a banner in the gym, but not for the sport he was expecting. The nine female wrestlers on Eagle’s team won almost every meet they participated in this year. Six of those girls went on to win Idaho’s inaugural girls wrestling state tournament.
“The door’s always been open to let girls wrestle, but it’s been few and far between,” Coach Stone said. “They weren’t just girls doing it for shock value, these were athletes, something to behold. Never in the history of wrestling has there been so much buzz about girls wrestling as there is right now. It’s a perfect storm of these badass girls who are now my wrestlers.”
Part of this buzz included individual state champions and twins, Olivia and Reece Woods. Reece placed first in the 182-pound weight class, while Olivia finished first in 285. Their younger sister, Emry, took fifth in 285. Another teammate, Liv Wieber, took first place in 132. Wieber was the first girl to join the team and inspired others to join her, including Reece and Olivia.
“It kind of started out as a joke,” Reece said regarding her first taste of wrestling. “My dad was really excited about the idea so it just blossomed from there.”
“We just did it and it ended up being fun,” Olivia added. “It was a great experience. I just encourage everyone to give it a shot.”
While the twins were inspired by their dad to join the team, it was Coach Stone’s support and encouragement that forged the path to their success.
“One of the highlights of my coaching career is to have these girls,” Coach Stone said. “They redefine tough and added such a fun element. I’ve coached for 27 years total, 14 as a head coach, and never hung a banner in the gym. They got me coach of the year and they got me my first banner to hang in the gym. Never in a million years did I think I’d get that.”
“We have been totally blessed to have the coaches that we have,” Reece said. “Stone has made a very good point for the guys to respect us and really make us feel like we are a part of the team. That has really been motivation to continue. This is going to be a revolutionary time for Eagle girls wrestling.”
“I think our coaches are great,” Olivia added. “They work with the girls and don’t just shove us off in the corner. It makes you feel important. They understand what you need to work on in order to be successful in the sport. Our coaches are awesome. I couldn’t ask for any better.”
While the coaching staff at Eagle High School fully supports their newly established girls wrestling program, not all schools across Idaho can say the same.
“For me and other teams around the state, we are really advocating for more weight classes and bigger brackets (for the girls program),” Coach Stone said. “I think we made enough noise that they’re going to recognize it and do something better next year. I just want to see it even. I want the same opportunity for girls as there is for boys. And not treat it as an afterthought, treat it as a forethought. Make it equal.”
Reece and Olivia enjoy wrestling and all it has taught them, but both are first and foremost rugby players.
“For wrestling, I’m not thinking college,” Olivia said. “I’m thinking college for rugby. Wrestling’s more like a ‘get in shape, learn body awareness’ for going out and playing rugby. I don’t think I’ll go any further than high school for wrestling.”
“I really love wrestling in the way that it’s taught me many mental strategies and physical strategies, something that I don’t think rugby or any other sport could have taught me,” Reece said. “I’m thinking rugby for college, but if the opportunity comes and the wrestling avenue is a better way to go, then I would consider it.”
As juniors, the Woods twins will be back on the mat next year looking to defend their state titles, both as individuals and as a team. They encourage other girls across Idaho and the United States to give wrestling a shot.
“You don’t need to know anything, they’ll teach you,” Olivia said. “You’ll learn. We learned. You don’t have to be a special person to wrestle, you just have to be willing to go out there and try it.”
“Be willing to push yourself to be better,” Reece added. “Wrestling is a really good way to do that. Sometimes it doesn’t feel the best and sometimes it’s very mentally draining, but I think at the end of the day it made me a better person.”
