“ I AM JUST GLAD THAT I ’ M HERE TO HELP BUILD IT . I WAS ONE OF THE FIRST ONES . SO I ’ VE JUST GOT TO HELP GUIDE THE REST
OF THE GIRLS ,”
Brook West Comanche High School freshman wrestler
from Duncan High School . He has trained with West for the last several years in hopes to build girls wrestling in Stephens County .
From his time at Duncan High School , Rowell remembered another trailblazer in women ’ s wrestler in Joey Miller , who was at Woodward High School .
Rowell mentioned Miller was wrestling with the boys because it wasn ’ t sanctioned in Oklahoma as a sport yet on the girls ’ side . He said it is good to see West and the group of girls becoming trailblazers on their own .
“ With Brook and this group that is coming up , they are actually getting to compete against girls and so it ’ s completely changing the sport ,” Rowell said . “ These girls work very hard . She ’ s one of the hardest working girls and athletes in general that I have . I ’ m getting to train her twice a day pretty much year round and so I see what she does and I ’ m very proud of what she does .”
In the middle school program , which , within the next few years will turn into the high school level , Comanche has nearly 10 who will continue blazing the path for the future of girls wrestling .
Those girls include : Celina Quezada , Shalin Stiles , Hayliee Roy , Emily Clark , Bristol Hurst and Teagan Cox . Other schools are starting to implement their own programs , including Duncan ,
BROOK WEST GRABS A COMPETITOR DURING ONE OF HER WRESTLING MATCHES . WEST IS A FRESHMAN FOR THE LADY INDIANS .
Marlow and Empire .
Rowell also has the help of Comanche Teacher of the Year Dilynn Hare , who is one of the assistant coaches helping the girls ’ program build to the level and add to the family atmosphere that is wrestling .
Hare has been around the sport her entire life as her boys wrestled . Rowell believes it is a huge asset to have her involved as a role model .
“ She knows a lot about the sport . Having a lady like Hare , who is a great teacher , a great person and someone who knows wrestling being around it forever adds a lot of a value to our program ,” Rowell said . “ She has been so great and it is really nice to have a coach who gets the girls in there and running them through a practice and being a sounding board for the girls .”
With the State Tournament in the
16 DUNCAN MAGAZINE | SPRING 2023