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NANTICOKE — It’s nothing new to see a female put on a singlet and a hair net and step on the mat for a high school wrestling team.
In fact, there have been girls wrestle for Luzerne County high school teams in the past.
But what Nanticoke Area’s Krystal Daniele and Megan Kocher are doing is unprecedented.
Daniele, a senior, and Kocher, a junior, are thought to be the first females to wrestle multiple years for the same Wyoming Valley Conference team at the same time.
They are also successful on the varsity level at what they do, something no female wrestler has done before in the history of District 2 athletics.
Daniele became the first female ever to win a medal at the District 2 Individual Wrestling Championships when she took fifth place in the 126-pound weight class during 2014 Class 2A Tournament.
The following year, Kocher made her mark at the tournament becoming the first female in tournament history to win a match by decision at the tourney when she earned a win in the consolations of the 113-pound weight class. Kocher followed that performance by picking up her first career pin last month at the Lackawanna Trail Duals.
Sure, it’s a major accomplishment for the two Trojan wrestlers, but it’s not something they brag about, or expect recognition for.
“It’s no different than when a boy wins his match,” Kocher said. “It’s the same thing.”
Kocher and Daniele, who also play field hockey for the Trojans and have been involved in that sport for several years, both have a background in martial arts as well. There is somewhat of a connection between karate and wrestling so they decided to give it a shot.
Three years ago, they approached the Nanticoke Area athletic director, asking when and how to sign up for the wrestling team — the rest is history.
“I thought it would be a lot easier, but I’m OK with the challenge,” Daniele said. “I thought I would be a little more successful than I am but it happens. I’m not too beat up about it because I still go out there and have fun.
“It’s just as difficult to me as it is for any other person out there. The difficulty level is not higher or anything; the only thing is that guys are bigger. That’s where the difficulty comes in.”
If there’s one thing bothersome for the two, it’s how they have to weigh in. Generally, the wrestlers from both teams will convene in a locker room with the referee and get their weight checked before a dual or tournament. But the females have to be weighed in separately, and not with the referee present but with another female official around.
It’s not such a big deal for Daniele, who says “Guys can be kinda gross so I’m OK with it.”
But Kocher has opposite feelings.
“Honestly, I think I should get to weigh in with them, too because we’re not allowed to be naked. I have to wear a sports bra and spandex,” she said. “It’s just annoying to have to wait until they’re done. I’d rather go at the same time.”
While many states have a female wrestling league, it’s not yet that popular in Pennsylvania. There are, however, many all-female tournaments available in the state, including the Pennsylvania Women’s Wrestling Championships, which will be held March 13 at Susquehanna Township High School near Philadelphia.
Daniele has participated in all-female tournaments in the past and took third. Kocher prefers not to attend tournaments with just girls and instead wants to prove she’s as good as the boys, which she has done and has another year to show even more.
“When I was on junior high, I wrestled a few girls and they were all nuts,” Kocher said. “If there was a tournament that said ‘no girls allowed’ I would be pretty mad. So why would I go to one where there’s no boys allowed? I think it’s stupid just dodging boys because they think I can’t beat them.”
This isn’t just a one-time scenario for Nanticoke, either. The Trojans have another female currently wrestling on the junior high team in Katie Pegarella, a sixth-grader who appears to be on track to set even higher standards for female wrestlers in the area.
Daniele wishes more females would get involved in the sport, and at an earlier age because there are so many lessons to be learned.
“I’ve learned a lot of life lessons like things are going to be harder than you expect,” she said. “You just have to push through them to have some success.
“Once you start wrestling, and you’re dedicated and have the determination, it’s like a drug; you can’t stop doing it. You can’t just not do it. I don’t have it in me to stop wrestling.”
Hazleton Area also has a female wrestler currently on the team with junior Hope Kinney, but she has only seen action in one varsity match.
