Girls wrestling at Warren Central High School has entered its second season as an IHSAA-sanctioned sport. This milestone continues to reshape opportunities for female wrestlers across Indiana, bringing new rules, clarity and visibility to the Warren Central Lady Warriors wrestling program.
The Indiana High School Athletic Association approved girls wrestling for full recognition beginning in the 2024-2025 school year after being considered with its Emerging Sports Process. This move allowed the IHSAA to have a full state tournament for girls for the first time in January 2025. The 2025-2026 season is therefore the second IHSAA-sanctioned season and follows a state finals and playoff calendar, just like any other sport.
Junior Ryanna Benson has been wrestling since her freshman year and has seen the switch at Warren Central from the Indiana High School Girls Wrestling league to the IHSSA. She wants to focus on climbing the ranks by winning as many tournaments and duels as she can, while reviewing her past mistakes and matches to continue learning from them. She is adapting to the new rules while ensuring that she maintains discipline and a fierce mentality.
“Competing in the IHSAA differs from competing in the IHSGW because it's a stricter program than before,” Benson said. “People could get away with not staying disciplined and still wrestle, but this year, not everyone can wrestle. There are differences, like JV and varsity tournaments are separate, and some moves we could do back then we can no longer do now.”
Coach Chico Adams has been coaching for three years and has witnessed numerous changes, whether it’s the wrestlers, rules or the overall structure of the girls program. His coaching style hasn’t changed in many ways since the league switch, but he is always looking for ways to improve to help the team. He still focuses on winning matches this year by employing strategic tactics such as forward pressure and hand fighting.
“I’m stepping forward, I’m using my forehead to make contact,” Adams said, explaining the strategies. “Then I'm using my hands to push you, pull you, snap you in quarter term. That's the hand fight.”
Patience Fields, a returning player, is a junior and has been thriving, along with the program, in the IHSAA. She plans to grow as a wrestler by keeping her emotions stable and coming out of her comfort zone more. She is taking wrestling a lot more seriously and urges girls to come out and try it.
“Not everything will float your bubble, but it's just good to get out there and try,” Fields said. “At first I was scared, because I thought it was mainly a boy sport, which it's really not. There are a lot of girls that are very competitive and very good at the sport, and now, since scholarships come from it, it's just good to get out there and do something that you love.”