“This is Rocket Territory” is painted on the side of a barn at the end of Rocket Drive leading to Slippery Rock Area High School in Slippery Rock Township, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Cary Shaffer/Butler Eagle

The Slippery Rock Area School Board on Monday approved the creation of a girls wrestling program.

Kevin Shamblin, Slippery Rock’s JV boys wrestling coach, said the interest has always been there. The the boys wrestling team has had girls on its roster for the past six years, Shamblin said, but others who come through youth wrestling may be more willing to join an all-girls varsity team.

“There were quite a few girls that came through the youth program, we had girls that wrestle in the varsity program years ago,” Shamblin said. “One of our varsity assistant coaches has three daughters — they wrestled in girls wrestling, in nationals 15 years ago. One is on the Laurel staff now for girls wrestling. And recently we had Lexi Doerflinger, who was a state medalist.”

The PIAA sanctioned girls wrestling in May 2023, and the sport has continued to grow across the state. I am three Butler County girls teamsaccording to PIAA: Butler, Knoch and Seneca Valley.

“It’s grown statewide and nationally, and our numbers are looking pretty good right now for participation levels,” Shamblin said, adding that about a dozen girls are currently in Slippery Rock’s youth program.

The program should officially begin by Dec. 15, according to Shamblin. He met with the school board during the board’s athletic committee meeting Monday night to go over logistics such as scheduling.

“They’ve never had just a girls tournament until a few years ago, now the state is on board and schools are getting on board as fast as they can because the opportunities are just … the time has come for girls sports,” Shamblin said. .