DALEVILLE, Va. – Lord Botetourt High School hosted its first wrestling tournament in nearly two decades on Tuesday, marking a milestone not only for the school but for Southwest Virginia.
The “Feats of Strength” invitational tournament, sanctioned by the Virginia High School League, was the first all-girls wrestling tournament held in the Roanoke Valley and surrounding region. Nearly 60 wrestlers from more than a dozen high schools competed, signaling continued growth in girls wrestling across the state.
“Girls tournaments are starting to grow, and we wanted to be a front-runner,” Lord Botetourt coach Paul Craft said. “This is the first girls tournament in the Roanoke Valley.”
The competition mirrored the intensity typically seen at postseason events, with wrestlers battling across multiple weight classes. Among the standouts was Lord Botetourt senior Serenity Shearer, who captured the 145-pound title on her home mat. Shearer, one of the program’s early female wrestlers, said the event was something she never expected early in her career.
“I would not have imagined this my freshman year or even last year,” Shearer said. “Getting the privilege of hosting a tournament, especially since I was one of the first girls to join the team, is something special.”
Jasmin Andrade also earned a championship, winning the 165-pound division. Andrade said competing in a girls-only tournament offered a different but valuable experience.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Andrade said. “Guys are stronger, and I like wrestling them too, but having the same level of competition helps push me and builds more passion for the sport.”
Coaches emphasized the importance of events like this in developing confidence and experience among female wrestlers.
“If you get beat up constantly, it can be demoralizing,” said Josh Porter, a Radford High School assistant wrestling coach. “When girls get to wrestle someone at an equal skill level, it really boosts their confidence.”
Craft added that mat time is essential as participation continues to grow.
“When girls realize they don’t always have to wrestle against boys and can compete against other girls, it creates a comfort level,” he said.
Shearer said the turnout alone showed how far the sport has come locally.
“Seeing this many girls at a local tournament is insane,” she said. “Two years ago, we didn’t have anything close to this. It shows how much interest and growth there’s been.”
Following the success of its inaugural event, Lord Botetourt plans to continue the Feats of Strength tournament and expand it to include both girls and boys divisions as early as next year.