Stroud is more than 'The Girl Wrestler'
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
(Editor's note: Due to printing deadline, Coach Shane Paul's comments were not in the print edition of this article.)
Kylee Stroud is more than just "the girl wrestler," but the senior has heard it all when wrestling against the boys the past three years. She not only made those who have doubted her eat their words, but she's made history along the way ... and she didn't even know she was doing so.
Last weekend in Chillicothe, Stroud became the first female wrestler to ever place at the South Central Ohio League Tournament, a league that began in 1923, by placing fourth in the 106-pound weight class.
This season, Stroud has won 18 times, placing in fourth or fifth place on three occasions. For her three-year career, she has 44 wins against "the boys."
Also during her career, she's wrestled in the USGWA Ohio State All-Girls Wrestling Tournament where she's placed in third the past two years.
Stroud didn't wrestle to stand out in the crowd. In fact, she began wrestling for the challenge of the sport, and since taking on the challenge of wrestling kids physically stronger than her, she's left doubters and critics in the rearview mirror.
Her wrestling teammates have become her "brothers."
"My family thought I was crazy at first but always supported me 100-percent," Stroud said. "They took me to a few meets and were showing me the type of guys I would be wrestling against in the 106 weight class.
"My dad and stepmom even went to the head coach (Shane Paul), to see if he would be OK having a girl on the team. At first, the wrestling team didn’t really know what to think of having a girl on the team.
"I had a cousin, Gary Ryan, and a few friends on the team. It didn’t take the team long to welcome me. I now see every guy on the team as my brother. They make sure I’m OK and have my back no matter what. I will cherish those friendships always."
MHS wrestling head coach Shane Paul spoke proudly of Stroud.
"Kylee has progressed. Like all wrestlers, she started out raw and has progressed along a natural learning curve. Boy or girl, it doesn't matter … she has had to endure all of the pains and rigors that the boys have endured," he said. "She has received no special treatment.
"All McClain wrestlers receive fair treatment, no matter who they are, no matter what their last name is. As I say, may the best man or woman win wrestle-offs in the room to represent McClain in the weight classes. We promote equality to all wrestlers. We are a band of brothers, with one sister … we are a family."
As Stroud told the story of how she first became involved with wrestling, she said during her freshman year, she sat in on some youth practices of her brother and stepbrother and went from there.
"When my brother didn’t have a partner to wrestle with, I volunteered to wrestle with him," she said. "I began to like wrestling. The more I thought about it, the more I knew it was something that I wanted to do."
But Stroud is more than a female wrestler, because in the fall she goes with the motto of "Smile, Sparkle, Shake," as the senior is a two-year captain of the Tigerettes.
"Being captain of the Tigerettes for the last two years has been amazing … I need my girl time too," Stroud said. "The Tigerettes have made me more confident in myself. Like the wrestling boys are my brothers, the Tigerettes are my sisters.
"My Tigerette advisor, Tati Weaks, has been with me through everything … four years of Tigerettes and three years of wrestling. She is super supportive, and I don’t know what I would do without her."
In the classroom, Stroud is known for using her creative side in her award-winning artwork. She's also the art club president.
"My teacher, Mrs. Miller, is amazing and has taught me many new techniques in art," Stroud said. "My main medium is pencil. I enjoy drawing people, either realistic or fantasy. In art, like in wrestling, you have to keep working on a technique that you struggle with. The more you practice, the more skillful you will become."It is no secret Stroud is the lone female wrestler on the Tigers' team and at some of the meets, but she's used to it. She doesn't see it as having added pressure on her. As she said, "I would feel more pressure if I had to wrestle girls."
She also said when she does win with a pin, some of her opponents haven't taken the defeat "very well."
Coach Paul talked about how Kylee has proven she belongs in the sport.
"If she has done anything to overcome any sort of stereotype, she has done it by beating her male opponents on the mat, taking a beating as always happens in wrestling and still returning to practice," he said. "That is the hardest part, returning to practice, when the world around us is focusing on making life easier and easier.
"Wrestlers in general, are focusing on making theirs harder. When I say that, I mean they do so by returning to a brutal daily grind in practice. For example, we started out with 36 wrestlers at the beginning of the year, 35 of whom were boys. We currently stand at 13 boys and one girl at the end of the season. She has stayed, when many others have fallen off because it was simply too hard."
So for every time she's heard "girls don’t belong on the wrestling mat” and other insults, her work on the mat has silenced that group of folks as she has fun just proving them wrong.
All of that is just another challenge for Stroud to overcome.
"Being the only female on the team isn’t bad. I actually like it," Stroud said. "It is good to be able to let loose and joke around with the guys as opposed to the 'girl drama.' There is a lot of pressure on me wrestling boys at all of the events. I want to be able to prove all of the negative people wrong.
"I enjoy being able to prove them wrong. I believe this makes me a stronger, better person."
The boys on the team gave her the nickname of "Out Cold" before the start of her senior wrestling season.
"We were taking turns wrestling (during a scrimmage at Logan Elm), and it was finally my turn," she said. "I don’t really remember much after that except waking up as Coach Paul and four other people were kneeling around me.
"But, at least I wasn’t the only one that got knocked out ... my opponent did as well. I received my first concussion and my nickname that day."
Earning her nickname that day was just the start of a season full of lifelong memories, including placing fifth at the Troy Christian Tournament, 13th at West Jefferson, fourth place at the Miami Trace Tournament and the aforementioned fourth-place spot at the SCOL Tournament.
Stroud described her match and the aftermath of making league history.
"Coach Paul told me before my second match that if I beat him, I would place. I went out on the mat, knowing that I had it in me to beat him as I had pinned him twice last year," she said. "I was able to get the upper hand quickly and flip him over on his back.
"After winning, I was walking to Coach Paul and they announced 'Kylee Stroud winning by, pin in the first round has become the first girl ever to place in the SCOL.'"
She then spoke about not even knowing she had achieved the feat.
"I wasn’t even aware that I had made history. Honestly, I was in shock," Stroud said. "Coach Paul gave me a big hug, lifting me up off the floor. All my teammates were hugging me also.
"It was such a great feeling. I knew that I had accomplished something that not only would be remembered by me and my family, but my school as well."
Even with placing in the SCOL, it still wasn't her favorite wrestling memory. That came in her very first meet at the Bob Guy Invitational during her sophomore year.
"I was so nervous but so excited to wrestle. My whole family was there to watch me," she said. "My opponent shot at my leg, and I was able to get a headlock on him. I spun around many times before I was able to knock him over on his back.
"Once I heard the slap on the mat, I jumped up and was smiling from ear-to-ear. My hard work had paid off."
Then it was time to celebrate that first win.
"Coach Paul gave me a big hug, and I ran up to the stands to see my family. After giving hugs to my mom and stepmom, I turned to my dad and he had some tears. My dad isn’t one to show much emotion, but I knew that I had made him proud. I had made my whole family proud, and I was proud of myself."
Stroud will attend college to major in physical therapy. She's also studying to take her ASVAB and will be joining the Ohio National Guard.
Stroud had one last word of advice for anyone wanting to try something new.
"Don’t be afraid to try new things, even a male-dominant sport like wrestling," Stroud said. "You may surprise yourself, and others as well, with your ability."
Kylee Stroud is more than just "the girl wrestler," but the senior has heard it all when wrestling against the boys the past three years. She not only made those who have doubted her eat their words, but she's made history along the way ... and she didn't even know she was doing so.
Last weekend in Chillicothe, Stroud became the first female wrestler to ever place at the South Central Ohio League Tournament, a league that began in 1923, by placing fourth in the 106-pound weight class.
This season, Stroud has won 18 times, placing in fourth or fifth place on three occasions. For her three-year career, she has 44 wins against "the boys."
Also during her career, she's wrestled in the USGWA Ohio State All-Girls Wrestling Tournament where she's placed in third the past two years.
Stroud didn't wrestle to stand out in the crowd. In fact, she began wrestling for the challenge of the sport, and since taking on the challenge of wrestling kids physically stronger than her, she's left doubters and critics in the rearview mirror.
Her wrestling teammates have become her "brothers."
"My family thought I was crazy at first but always supported me 100-percent," Stroud said. "They took me to a few meets and were showing me the type of guys I would be wrestling against in the 106 weight class.
"My dad and stepmom even went to the head coach (Shane Paul), to see if he would be OK having a girl on the team. At first, the wrestling team didn’t really know what to think of having a girl on the team.
"I had a cousin, Gary Ryan, and a few friends on the team. It didn’t take the team long to welcome me. I now see every guy on the team as my brother. They make sure I’m OK and have my back no matter what. I will cherish those friendships always."
MHS wrestling head coach Shane Paul spoke proudly of Stroud.
"Kylee has progressed. Like all wrestlers, she started out raw and has progressed along a natural learning curve. Boy or girl, it doesn't matter … she has had to endure all of the pains and rigors that the boys have endured," he said. "She has received no special treatment.
"All McClain wrestlers receive fair treatment, no matter who they are, no matter what their last name is. As I say, may the best man or woman win wrestle-offs in the room to represent McClain in the weight classes. We promote equality to all wrestlers. We are a band of brothers, with one sister … we are a family."
As Stroud told the story of how she first became involved with wrestling, she said during her freshman year, she sat in on some youth practices of her brother and stepbrother and went from there.
"When my brother didn’t have a partner to wrestle with, I volunteered to wrestle with him," she said. "I began to like wrestling. The more I thought about it, the more I knew it was something that I wanted to do."
But Stroud is more than a female wrestler, because in the fall she goes with the motto of "Smile, Sparkle, Shake," as the senior is a two-year captain of the Tigerettes.
"Being captain of the Tigerettes for the last two years has been amazing … I need my girl time too," Stroud said. "The Tigerettes have made me more confident in myself. Like the wrestling boys are my brothers, the Tigerettes are my sisters.
"My Tigerette advisor, Tati Weaks, has been with me through everything … four years of Tigerettes and three years of wrestling. She is super supportive, and I don’t know what I would do without her."
In the classroom, Stroud is known for using her creative side in her award-winning artwork. She's also the art club president.
"My teacher, Mrs. Miller, is amazing and has taught me many new techniques in art," Stroud said. "My main medium is pencil. I enjoy drawing people, either realistic or fantasy. In art, like in wrestling, you have to keep working on a technique that you struggle with. The more you practice, the more skillful you will become."It is no secret Stroud is the lone female wrestler on the Tigers' team and at some of the meets, but she's used to it. She doesn't see it as having added pressure on her. As she said, "I would feel more pressure if I had to wrestle girls."
She also said when she does win with a pin, some of her opponents haven't taken the defeat "very well."
Coach Paul talked about how Kylee has proven she belongs in the sport.
"If she has done anything to overcome any sort of stereotype, she has done it by beating her male opponents on the mat, taking a beating as always happens in wrestling and still returning to practice," he said. "That is the hardest part, returning to practice, when the world around us is focusing on making life easier and easier.
"Wrestlers in general, are focusing on making theirs harder. When I say that, I mean they do so by returning to a brutal daily grind in practice. For example, we started out with 36 wrestlers at the beginning of the year, 35 of whom were boys. We currently stand at 13 boys and one girl at the end of the season. She has stayed, when many others have fallen off because it was simply too hard."
So for every time she's heard "girls don’t belong on the wrestling mat” and other insults, her work on the mat has silenced that group of folks as she has fun just proving them wrong.
All of that is just another challenge for Stroud to overcome.
"Being the only female on the team isn’t bad. I actually like it," Stroud said. "It is good to be able to let loose and joke around with the guys as opposed to the 'girl drama.' There is a lot of pressure on me wrestling boys at all of the events. I want to be able to prove all of the negative people wrong.
"I enjoy being able to prove them wrong. I believe this makes me a stronger, better person."
The boys on the team gave her the nickname of "Out Cold" before the start of her senior wrestling season.
"We were taking turns wrestling (during a scrimmage at Logan Elm), and it was finally my turn," she said. "I don’t really remember much after that except waking up as Coach Paul and four other people were kneeling around me.
"But, at least I wasn’t the only one that got knocked out ... my opponent did as well. I received my first concussion and my nickname that day."
Earning her nickname that day was just the start of a season full of lifelong memories, including placing fifth at the Troy Christian Tournament, 13th at West Jefferson, fourth place at the Miami Trace Tournament and the aforementioned fourth-place spot at the SCOL Tournament.
Stroud described her match and the aftermath of making league history.
"Coach Paul told me before my second match that if I beat him, I would place. I went out on the mat, knowing that I had it in me to beat him as I had pinned him twice last year," she said. "I was able to get the upper hand quickly and flip him over on his back.
"After winning, I was walking to Coach Paul and they announced 'Kylee Stroud winning by, pin in the first round has become the first girl ever to place in the SCOL.'"
She then spoke about not even knowing she had achieved the feat.
"I wasn’t even aware that I had made history. Honestly, I was in shock," Stroud said. "Coach Paul gave me a big hug, lifting me up off the floor. All my teammates were hugging me also.
"It was such a great feeling. I knew that I had accomplished something that not only would be remembered by me and my family, but my school as well."
Even with placing in the SCOL, it still wasn't her favorite wrestling memory. That came in her very first meet at the Bob Guy Invitational during her sophomore year.
"I was so nervous but so excited to wrestle. My whole family was there to watch me," she said. "My opponent shot at my leg, and I was able to get a headlock on him. I spun around many times before I was able to knock him over on his back.
"Once I heard the slap on the mat, I jumped up and was smiling from ear-to-ear. My hard work had paid off."
Then it was time to celebrate that first win.
"Coach Paul gave me a big hug, and I ran up to the stands to see my family. After giving hugs to my mom and stepmom, I turned to my dad and he had some tears. My dad isn’t one to show much emotion, but I knew that I had made him proud. I had made my whole family proud, and I was proud of myself."
Stroud will attend college to major in physical therapy. She's also studying to take her ASVAB and will be joining the Ohio National Guard.
Stroud had one last word of advice for anyone wanting to try something new.
"Don’t be afraid to try new things, even a male-dominant sport like wrestling," Stroud said. "You may surprise yourself, and others as well, with your ability."