LEDGER – The Mitchell High School wrestling team was selected as a finalist in the Aspen Institute’s Healthy Sport Index Contest.
“The national search seeks teams that embrace best practices and innovate new ways to encourage physical activity, minimize injury risk, and support athletes’ emotional, social and mental well-being,” said Jon Solomon, editorial director for the Aspen Institute’s sports and society program.
A USA Today article talked about the reasons Mitchell was selected as a finalist, which included the wrestling team’s involvement in Mitchell County SafePlace’s “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” domestic violence awareness campaign.
“At a school with 45 percent of the students eligible for free or reduced lunch, the wrestling team uses different styles of wrestling to teach athletes about different cultures,” according to the article. “The team also participated in a charity walk that raised awareness about domestic violence, including creating posters to promote the event.”
Mitchell head wrestling coach Ed Duncan said domestic abuse is a real issue in our area.
“When you think about wrestlers, the image is big, tough fighters,” Duncan said in the article. “We’re not going to fight with women. We won’t beat up on women. We’re going to protect women.”