We've Got The County Covered
We've Got The County Covered
Harlem Lady Cat senior Amelia Blackcrow is used to breaking down barriers and continues to do so as she becomes the first athlete from Blaine County to sign a National Letter of Intent to wrestle collegiately for the Inaugural Season of Women's Wrestling at Dickinson State University in North Dakota.
Amelia has been wrestling since she was in the fourth grade and remembers going to meets and counting how many other girls there were competing. From fourth grade to her freshman year in high school, Amelia and the few other girls wrestled with the boys, and on occasion one of the few other girls taking part in the sport.
The Montana High School Association began sanctioning Girls Wrestling in Montana her sophomore year and the sport has grown leaps and bounds in just a few years, "I used to count the other girls, one, two but this past year there were too many. So many girls," stated Amelia.
The growth is great for the sport, but Amelia feels the numbers have lessened the competition to some degree, "When I started in high school me and Rebecca (Stroh) we would never get a pin, we would wrestle the whole match, every minute of every round, but now there are all kinds of pins. Until you get to state." The quality is definitely there, "These freshman coming in, they are good, they are going to do some big things," added Amelia.
As far as wrestling at the next level it wasn't really in her plans, "I love film and making documentaries. I've made two so far and am working on a third right now. The Head Coach from Dickinson (Tyson Springer) kept on me though and eventually I decided to go ahead and sign."
Amelia will be part of the inaugural Dickinson State Blue Hawk Women's Wrestling team and her high school coach, Jonny Baker couldn't be happier for her, "I've had the pleasure of coaching this young lady in both swimming and wrestling! She has always worked hard and been very coachable. Her efforts have finally paid off and being recognized for the inaugural women's team in Dickinson is the icing on the cake! I'm sure whatever she does she'll go in headfirst and continue to make history! I've been coaching her since 5th grade, and she has always committed to the task ahead and I'm sure college level will just be another chance for her to impress!
