Teen female wrestler featured in Parade Magazine’s Fresh Voices column
Alexis Richel/Parade Magazine
New York, – Danbury, Conn., resident Susie Levitt, 18, was ranked No. 4 by the United States Girls Wrestling Association for the 2004 season. As women’s wrestling gains momentum (it became an Olympic event last summer), Levitt tells PARADE magazine for this Sunday’s issue why she hopes more girls will give the sport a chance.
“At first, everyone thought I was out there just to be with the boys, “Levitt says. “But I proved I was serious. I love wrestling because I’m competitive. ”
Her love of wrestling might have something to do with her pedigree. She tells PARADE that her older brother was an All-American wrestler and her dad became a wrestling zealot and began an elementary league.
“My sister and I were the only girls on the team. When I was 7, I beat every boy in the league in my weight class, “she said.
Levitt began wrestling again in high school, where she was the only girl on a team full of state champions. “By then, the boys were all stronger. I have a lot of muscle, but the boys are naturally faster. In practice, I’d have to push myself as hard as I could just to keep up.”
“A lot of guys have refused to wrestle me because they’re afraid of losing, “she says. “That’s why I’m hoping more girls will come out for wrestling, so we don’t have to be matched with guys. Its actually a lot harder to wrestle other girls, because we’re flexible and can do lots of moves guys can’t.”
Levitt enjoys wrestling because it is a team sport, yet you can compete individually. And it’s a great workout.
“People are shocked when I tell them I wrestle, because I’m so girly: I wear makeup, have long hair and curves.It shows that you don’t have to be a tomboy or weird. You can just be a regular girl who wants to wrestle, “she said.
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