Girls wrestlers set to hit the mats at Sunday’s Columbia Cup

Wrestling is one of the fastest growing sports for girls, and Andrea Yamamoto of Richland is helping the sport move in a positive direction.

As women’s director for USA Washington, Yamamoto helped organize the Women’s Columbia Cup, which will host about 200 wrestlers from Washington, Oregon and Idaho on Sunday at Hanford High School.

“I’m really hoping we get some state champions,” Yamamoto said. “State just finished up and a lot of girls are tired and have eaten, but Cameron Guerin of Davis, who who won a state title (at 110 pounds), is coming. The hope is to get a good mix of elementary, middle school and high school girls. We have had some interest in the open division, as well.”

But that division won’t include Yamamoto, who was a member of six national teams and five world championships, and has competed all over the world.

“I’m not sure I could get into a singlet,” she said with a laugh.

Miguel Reyna, whose sixth-grade daughter wrestles, also has had a hand in bringing the event to the Tri-Cities.

“Miguel and the Tri-City Wrestling Club have done a lot to bring this here,” Yamamoto said. “None of this would happen if the Hanford coaches weren’t willing to help us out. We hope this will inspire others to hold tournaments like this.”

Sunday’s event, which includes folkstyle and freestyle divisions, will have weigh-ins from 7-8 a.m., with wrestling starting at 10 a.m. Participants must have a valid USA Wrestling card to compete. The cost is $20 for one style and $35 for both, if preregistered. If not, the costs are $25 and $40.

USA Wrestling has proclaimed March 5-13 as Women’s Wrestling Week. The Women’s Columbia Cup kicks off the week and is offering a complimentary USA Wrestling card to girls who don’t have one so they will be able to participate.

“We are excited to celebrate and promote Women’s Wrestling Week,” Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director, said in a news release. “USA Wrestling is committed to providing every single American youth with the opportunity to experience wrestling, both male and female. Our goal is for young girls to be given additional quality opportunities to get on the mat. America needs wrestling now as much as ever, and that goes for women and men alike. These are exciting times as we thrive to make our sport available to all.”

The weekend will kickoff with a clinic Saturday from 6-8 p.m. at Hanford High, featuring 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and World Champion Clarissa Chun. She recently won gold at the Pan Am Games in Frisco, Texas.

“Clarissa is huge for us,” Yamamoto said. “She is coming from Pennsylvania to do the clinic and will be there Sunday during weigh-ins. She is competing at the Olympic trials next month (April 9-10) at University of Iowa. For her to sign on and come to this event and share her experiences is really special.”

Today’s clinic is free and open to boys and girls. Participants must have a valid USA Wrestling card.

Also in attendance Sunday will be Marie Ziegler, a multiple world medalist and a member of the first U.S. women’s team in 1989.

“We are trying to get as much face time with them as we can,” Yamamoto said of Chun and Ziegler. “Clarissa and Marie will be handing out goody bags and water bottles at weigh-ins.”

This story was originally published March 4, 2016 at 9:19 PM with the headline "Girls wrestlers set to hit the mats at Sunday’s Columbia Cup."