IX AT 50: Kretzer campaigns for HS girls wrestling to be an official sport in KS

June 23, 1972, President Nixon signed Title IX into law, prohibiting sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding. Title IX has largely been considered the springboard for collegiate women’s sports to get where they are today — but the fight for equality is far from over. Every Thursday night at 10:00 p.m. leading up to the 50th anniversary of the law’s passing, 13 Sports will honor the women who changed the game for girls’ and women’s sports in Kansas.

“IX at 50: The Trailblazers of Women’s Sports in Kansas”

MCPHERSON, Kan. (WIBW) - Mya Kretzer is a three-time state champion — though you won’t find her name in any history books.

“I just wanted to be recognized for being the best in the state,” she said.

Wrestling wasn’t wasn’t offered for girls while she was at McPherson High. So, under her head coach (also her dad), she competed against boys.

“That was just emotionally a whole lot,” Kretzer said. “And on my body - I still have body pains just because of me wrestling against boys that were a lot stronger.”

She and her dad began working to push Kansas to join 14 other states at the time to recognize girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport.

Together, they went to high school coaching seminars across the state, drumming up interest and bolstering the number of girls competing.

“Helping them develop girls teams, what’s the next steps,” Kretzer explained. “We got girls tournaments going on in the state. We helped develop that in the state. A few tournaments, and then more tournaments the next year.”

McPherson even held three unofficial state championships, starting with 56 competitors in 2017. The event quadruped in size two years later.

Finally, the spring of her senior year, KSHSAA approved adopting girls wrestling with a vote of 63-2.

She sat in the room overcome with emotion when the vote passed.

“It helped me develop confidence, just the friendships that I’ve made with everyone, how strong that was, it was just an emotional time for me to be able to share that with everyone,” she said.

Just this week, her name went up on the walls of her alma mater:

The sign reads, “MAY IT BE KNOWN THAT THESE THREE GIRLS BLAZED A TRAIL TO ALLOW YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO WRESTLE AGAINST OTHER GIRLS IN THE QUEST TO CLAIM GOLD. THEY NEVER HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY, BUT THEIR EFFORTS ALLOW YOU THIS SACRED PATH.”

“I kind of missed the opportunity a little bit, but it was all worth it in the end,” she said. “I wanted girls to have the opportunity.”

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