As the new Wrestling season begins in November, the sport has expanded greatly compared to past years, gaining prominent growth at Aliso Niguel High School. With over sixty boys and over twenty girls on the teams, expansion for a new space had been in consideration years before construction began.
Fortunately for females in this extracurricular, wrestling as a sport has expanded most within United States High Schools statewide, with participation rising between 2010-2022. From 2021-2024, the number of girls in the sport increased by approximately 50%, quintupling the athletes rosters in the past four years. Though, unfortunately, on the contrary, boys participating has gone down by about 6.3%. Because of this, the coaches at ANHS would prefer to not put these genders in different lights and categories, but rather unite both and create an environment friendly towards wrestling and nothing more.
With the expansion of girls wrestling, an extra space for them to wrestle in was sought. Finally, in the Summer of 2023, Coach Cowell and Mr. Mashburn began to plan. As Mashburn first pitched the idea of the room, both Coach Cowell and Coach Trevino optimistically agreed.
The walls and mats used to build and create the future room were ordered in the Summer of 2024, and finally, the room was ready to be built for the next season to come.
The project and its construction was heavily assisted by Coach Cowell and his father, putting in the majority of the work and effort to work on the room. Alongside this, many parents and children helped as well and pitched in further materials, aid and more.
Coach Trevino says, “We had lots of help from the senior boys as well. It was a Wrestling effort, not a boys’ or a girls thing.”
Coach Trenivo also adds, “This room has benefited both boys and girls. There are over 60 boys on the roster and we needed the space for everyone. Yes, it’s a dedicated girls room, but the other wrestlers get to enjoy it 20% of the time. If you see it as a blessing, then it’s a blessing either way, we just have to train. The girls’ team is growing and the goal remains the same, the state tournament. But it is pretty cool having our own dedicated room!”
Varsity Girls Wrestling captain, Chanel Corredor (11), delighted about the new space, comments about the room: “This season will be different because we are making new memories here. We have a lot of new people in this room, so I’m really excited about the next season.”
With the room being finalized after much anticipation, many have enjoyed it during various practices as the teams prepare for their upcoming season in November. To Coach Trenivo and Coach Cowell, this extra room means a lot to the contribution towards improving performances.
