Sophomore Hudson Press steps onto the wrestling mat before practice, the room buzzing with testosterone and filled with boys sprawled across the mats, warming up for the grueling evening of training ahead of them.
But being one of only four girls on the Paly team doesn’t faze Press. Her goal is to qualify for the California State Wrestling Championships before she graduates high school.
Press said the primary reason for the low numbrer of girls on the team is the stigma surrounding the sport.
“Mainly for girls, a lot of people assume that all wrestlers have to cut weight and have eating disorders,” Press said. “I understand how someone would see that, but you can, in my opinion, say that about any sport, like cheer or dance.”
Similarly, head coach Jon Kessler said stereotypes surrounding girls wrestling are often generalizations and shouldn’t be taken seriously.
“We want a good press release (about girls wrestling) and you know, a lot of times these stories will come up,” Kessler said. “In terms of the stereotypes, there are multiple different weight classes; there are junior varsity competitions and varsity competitions.”
Despite the many stereotypes around her sports, wrestling has provided Press with social opportunities she may not have gained otherwise.
“I love most of the team and the people I’ve met; I’ve made a lot of great friendships, even from other schools … the team really feels like family,” Press said.
Junior Bela Meyers also said wrestling has provided her with a new, supportive community.
“I stuck with it because my coaches and my teammates are very encouraging, and they always believe in me,” Meyers said. “They always tell me, ‘You can do this,’ they never doubt me.”
Along with creating a safe community, Kessler said he coaches both genders with the same mindset even though wrestling is often seen as a male-dominated sport.
“Being from New York and coaching out there, we didn’t have any girls, so it’s kind of funny,” Kessler said. “My first interview here 10 years ago, they asked me that same question (about coaching boys and girls), and I didn’t really know how to answer it, and then in one of the interviews I was like, ‘You coach them the same.’ It’s true.”
Kessler said that while there may be only a few girls on the team, their success has been remarkable, particularly freshman standout Ella Cohen, ranked 13th in the country in her weight class.
“She’s in ninth grade, and she’s crushing it: 25-1 , and she’s won a couple of tournaments,” he said.
With such a strong start, Kessler said much of her success early in her career is thanks to her unwavering dedication.
“She’s like a sponge. She just works really hard. She’s probably the hardest worker, to be honest,” Kessler said. “A lot of the work she’s put in — a lot of dedication, a lot of national terms, traveling around to seek that competition and put herself in position to hopefully become a girls state champion.”
Meyers said the success of her teammates like Cohen and Press inspires her to push herself more and believe that anything is possible.
“It’s like you’ve got yourself, but then you see someone else do it and you’re like, alright, well, if she can do it, then I can do it,” Meyers said. “There’s no reason for me to not at least try.”
And Press said she would encourage young girls to join wrestling and not be intimidated by its reputation as a male-dominated sport.
“Don’t be scared to go and try it, even if you’re working with guys,” Press said. “Show them that you have the dedication, and you’re willing to give the time and effort to perform your best, whether you’re going against guys or girls. Just don’t be afraid to show up and try it out.”
Although up only 18% of all high school wrestlers, Kessler said girls wrestling has come a long way since he started coaching the sport, and he hopes to continue seeing it provide opportunities for females.
“(The NCAA) just sanctioned national championships in the 2026 season, so it’s only going to grow,” Kessler said. “Right now, California is the biggest girls wrestling state in the nation. It’s growing, and I just can’t wait for all these Division II and Division III (colleges) to pop out programs, because it’s only going to be beneficial to the girls.”