DILLONVALE — The Buckeye Local Board of Education is pondering the formation of a girls’ wrestling team amid a surge in the sport within the local area.

Buckeye Local High School Wrestling Coach Jimmy Morelli approached leaders at the Nov. 24 regular session in Dillonvale and said there had been great interest in beginning a team at the school.

“I’ve been involved in wrestling for four years now and I’ve coached kids when juniors were in eighth grade,” he said. “One of the things I’ve noticed over the last few years was a growth in women’s wrestling. I’ve talked to a lot of [interested female students] and there are a lot of tough girls who belong in that room.”

Morelli said he has gained support from parents, coaches, and even officials at West Liberty University where he is currently obtaining an exercise physiology degree, saying people were willing to help make it happen. School board member Clint Powell asked how many area schools had similar programs.

Morelli replied that East Liverpool, Steubenville, and Carrollton currently had athletes while Wheeling Park was adding a team, plus West Liberty had a Division II wrestling program with 20 female members who headed to the nationals.

“It’s the fastest growing sport in the country,” said BLHS Principal Luke Parsons. “[Schools] built an entire program and Edison has female wrestlers and wrestle in boy/girl tournaments. Jimmy came to us a year ago and we started talking about it.”

Morelli said he was seeking one or two female volunteer coaches and he hoped to create a program for grades 7-12, plus he was willing to seek funding to help support a team. Following more discussion, school leaders said they were open to the idea.

“We’re exploring the option of adding girls’ wrestling for grades 7-12,” said Superintendent Coy Sudvary. “Any additional programs have to be negotiated and there is mutual interest in adding this in the future.”