Iowa wrestling standout refuses to face girl

Associated Press ^ | 2/17/11 | LUKE MEREDITH

[Nachum]

DES MOINES, Iowa – A standout Iowa high school wrestler refused to compete against a girl at the state tournament on Thursday, relinquishing any chance of becoming a champion because he says wrestling a girl would conflict with his religious beliefs.

Joel Northrup, a home-schooled sophomore who was 35-4 wrestling for Linn-Mar High School this season, praised his first-round opponent, Cedar Falls freshman Cassy Herkelman, and Ottumwa sophomore Megan Black, who became the first two girls to make the state wrestling tournament in its 85-year history.

But in a news release, he said he defaulted on his match with Herkelman because he doesn't think boys and girls should compete in the sport.

"I have a tremendous amount of respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments. However, wrestling is a combat sport and it can get violent at times," said Northrup. "As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner. It is unfortunate that I have been placed in a situation not seen in most other high school sports in Iowa."

[Secret Agent Man]

Why do want them to do this in the arena of public school sports? The parents will sue the damn school and everyone in the town will pay.

[Clint N. Suhks]

Arm Bar...

[MarineBrat]

Wrestling with women.... this could lead to something very ugly.

[Vendome]

When I was in Taw Kwon Do I wouldn’t hit or kick a girl as hard as I would a man. In fact, they got more licks in on me than they would have if they were a guy.

I can’t say it was fair for them as I wasn’t going to be as aggressive physically as I would a man and they weren’t learning as much from me except that I was going to block them.

I took a kick to the head once, got knocked to the ground and I got up and let the girl have it and good. But I felt terrible about it afterward and just went back to pulling punches and kicks and blocking.

I don’t want to compete with a woman in a contact sport.

It isn’t ever going to fair.

Good for the kid but, sad he will forfeit his chance at a state trophy.

[Will88]

I understand girls’ basketball is also very popular in Iowa. Until boys are allowed to go out for girls’ basketball and other girls’ sports, incidents such as these are nothing but discrimination against boys.

I’m sure some boys who can’t make their high school boys’ team would like to go out for the girls’ team.

[Nachum]

A woman, Ann Meyer, was drafted by an NBA team many years ago. More as a publicity stunt than anthing else.

I was thinking of her specifically when I said the NBA. I saw her work outs. The men took it down the lane and she got clobbered. Over and over again. She didn't last long at all.

At its higher levels, collegiate wrestling is a blood sport.

[Cicero]

I really don’t think that girls belong in men’s wrestling. In the circumstances, he did the right thing.

Some sports, like tennis or golf, fine. But not a close contact sport like wrestling.

It just isn’t right for kids to be involved with something like that, especially not to make it effectively mandatory.

[Pining_4_TX]

I would imagine it is due to the close contact, the violence, and the necessity of having to grab some young lady’s crotch on occasion. Even if the young lady in question does not have a problem with this, it violates the principles that this Christian teen was taught.

It amazes me how modern society is trying to erase the distinctions between the sexes. Feminists have always denied reality in the name of emancipating women, and young girls have been harmed the most. It has gone way beyond the point of women being able to pursue a desired career to where women are now expected to behave like men.

[Jolla]

As a matter of conscience and my faith I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to engage a girl in this manner.

It would appear it is is conscience and his faith.

[OKSooner]

"There is nothing disrespectful in wrestling. Just the opposite, one develops respect by competing against she/he. "

"She/he"?? Or do you mean "He/she?"

[A CA Guy]

He was raised to respect women and be a gentleman. I think he would feel like he was abusing a woman if he went all out at them in a wrestling contest.

I get it.

[When do we get liberated?]

if she is 20-13 in Iowa Wrestling, the girl is no pushover..

[NationalistVisionary]

It amazes me how modern society is trying to erase the distinctions between the sexes. Feminists have always denied reality in the name of emancipating women, and young girls have been harmed the most. It has gone way beyond the point of women being able to pursue a desired career to where women are now expected to behave like men.

a male throws her down on the mat and feminists are ok with it. If a male throws her down in the hallway at school and they will want him hanged.

[virginia lurker]

my son had to wrestle a girl when he was in middle school. He showed her no mercy and won the match but was pissed that she was able to score one escape point on him. The girl continued to wrestle through high school and was nationally ranked as a female free style wrestler.

[dangerdoc]

Butt drag.

[bigbob]

He’d do it if oil were involved

[meyer]

Why the heck is a woman competing with men in a full-contact sport like this? Shouldn’t even be legal! Football, maybe. Basketball, ok. Baseball, ok. Wrestling? Are they out of their minds?

[Mrs. Don-o]

I think young Mr Northrup shows himself a conscientious man and a well-spoken one as well. I wish we had ten million like him.

[Pining_4_TX]

“a male throws her down on the mat and feminists are ok with it. If a male throws her down in the hallway at school and they will want him hanged.”

Ah, how true!