In 2022, girls’ wrestling became an officially sanctioned sport by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). As of 2024, girls’ wrestling has been welcomed to the list of winter sports available at Niles North for the first time. 

Joining girls’ wrestling offers numerous benefits, both mentally and physically. It’s a well rounded sport that can encourage anyone who is willing to take that leap of faith and give it a try.

“We are a no-cut team, “ girls wrestling head coach Kelley Latting said. “It’s a hard enough sport where people cut themselves. Some people are not mentally tough enough. It’s about signing up and being curious.” 

Considering that this is the teams first season, they are expecting a lot of trial and error. It’s a learning process as everyone is navigating their way into learning the techniques and skills of being a successful wrestler. 

“I don’t care about wins or losses. I just hope at the end of the season they love the sport as much as I do and they do their best, “ Latting said. 

Coach Latting is dedicated to teaching his wrestlers the right techniques for who they are. Everybody is different, it’s important to accommodate to what is best for each individual athlete. Especially for athletes who are new to a difficult and technical sport such as wrestling, it’s important to seek guidance from coaches and teammates. 

We expect to see tremendous growth from the team within the next couple of years here at Niles North. Wrestling is a fast growing sport among women right now. With the right support from their peers at school, the team has a shot to make it big. As of now, the team is in their beginning process of coordinating what the season will look like. Stay tuned for more on girls wrestling.