Press "Enter" to skip to content

Two Gloucester girls finding success with wrestling program

On a warm Monday afternoon, McKenzie Walker and Michaela Foley are working on their grappling moves under the expert eyes of coach Ricky Pierce in the wrestling room at Gloucester High School. Although the GHS wrestling season is over, the girls are still on the mats preparing for the spring/summer tour of women’s wrestling tournaments.

“It’s strange,” said Pierce, who has coached GHS wrestling since 2004. “My first head coaching job was with a girls’ team, but after that, I never thought I’d be coaching girls.”

Pierce said the first girl joined his GHS team in 2007, and since then has worked with at least one girl each season. Some of them have simply sought the strength and agility training that comes with wrestling, but McKenzie and Michaela are different. “They’re more focused and more serious about wrestling than any before them,” he said.

The two girls did not get much competitive wrestling time in for the Dukes...

To view the rest of this article, you must log in. If you do not have an account with us, please subscribe here.