Meet Downingtown wrestlers Finley Hall, Madison Helms, Sienna Landrum and Layla Namerow
DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. — Wrestling is an arduous sport, physically and mentally demanding. The training is extensive, endurance is required, and it comes down to two competitors on a mat, facing off only against each other. Every move requires strategic and quick thinking, executed with the skill to be on the offensive and counter when on defense. Traditionally, it’s been men’s sport, but that is quickly changing as female trailblazers make women’s wrestling a growing reality. Four of them are young women in our community: Finley Hall, Madison Helms, Sienna Landrum, and Layla Namerow.
The girls had several reasons for getting involved in wrestling. Layla, an 11-year-old student at the MC6GC, used to accompany her mom to her brother’s wrestling practices at the Downingtown Thunder wrestling club. When she turned six, her mom supported her wish to get involved, and the coaches welcomed her. She was the only girl on the team and is grateful they advocated for her with the boys and some of the parents. For Madison, also age 11, wrestling was a big part of her family’s life. Bored, waiting for her brother at her dad’s wrestling club practices, she threw on a pair of old shoes and found a willing training partner, and her dad and uncle coached her. Finley, an 11th grader, was inspired by watching the athletes at her high school, Downingtown West. Sienna, a 15-year-old student also at West, did Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, a sport similar to wrestling, and her parents and coaches suggested that she try it.
These female athletes have found many aspects of participating in the sport rewarding, including traveling to national-level tournaments and making new friends. They’ve earned the respect of their male teammates and competition, even when they win against them. The girls have gained a range of confidence, including not caring about what people might say about whether or not girls can wrestle. All the athletes are excited to have a significant role contributing to wrestling being inclusive of girls’ teams, something that PIAA is considering to make a state-sanctioned sport soon. They learned the virtue of continuing to work hard, and they have evolved as young people knowing they will apply the grit they gained to their life paths. Finley’s mom, Kristi, adds,” Most people ask us how we can stand to watch our (daughters) out there on the mat. Sure, it’s hard sometimes, but this is about so much more than wrestling. The camaraderie in this sport is unlike any other, and the resilience it has built in Finley is something I could never have taught her without it.”
While they love being there, there are challenges competing on mostly boys’ teams. Once they reach high school, the biological development of their male competitors can naturally give them a more muscular composition than girls at the same age. Therefore, getting the outcome, these female athletes strive to attain can make it more challenging. However, throughout their wrestling careers, they’ve achieved many wins against the boys in their weight class, and some of their toughest matches have been against other women wrestlers.
This year, Sienna, the only girl on the varsity lineup for the team in recent years, started her senior project with her coaches and teammates by holding multiple “Girl’s Wrestling Try-It Nights” that have given the opportunities for girls of all ages to experience the sport. They take it in when they talk to girls who tell them they are there after seeing Sienna, Finley, Madison, and Layla wrestle for their numerous clubs and high school, and they want to try it. Attendees will say they are there after watching them participate in the sport. Layla adds, “I’ve had parents tell me that I inspired their daughter to wrestle. It is really cool for somebody my age to have inspired another girl just by doing something I love.” Sienna adds, “I am excited for these girls and the future in wrestling they will have,”
At the time this article was written, the high school girls, Finley and Sienna completed the PA Wrestling Girls East Regionals. Finley medaled 7th at 100 lbs, and Sienna placed 2nd and qualified for states at 124 lbs. The younger girls, Layla (84 lbs), won 1st, and Madison (116 lbs) placed 2nd at the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling (PJW) state qualifying tournament for 11-12u girls. When asked what they would say to another girl curious about trying the sport, unanimously, the four young women responded, “just go for it.” They agree it requires a strong mindset and motivation to work hard and gain resilience, not to give up, especially in a male-ladden sport. The physicality of the sport can be daunting, but they want their female peers to know they can do it with lots of work and perseverance. They find nothing like having their arm raised by an official with a win. Madison encourages, “Don’t deny being part of a great sport. Give it a chance.” Thanks to these female athlete paving the way, more and more girls locally, state-wide, and nationally, will take that opportunity.
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