Carlisle Wrestling Club sees rise in number of girls joining

A traditional sport which has been part of rural village life for centuries is becoming increasingly popular with young girls. Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling remains a regular feature of agricultural shows and local fairs in Cumbria and Northumberland with multiple generations taking part. Carlisle Wrestling Club chair Linda Scott said about 70 young people were now registered at the club and the most noticeable change in recent years was the number of young girls wanting to get involved. Arianna, 13, said the sport was helping her "stand up to boys" and prove girls could wrestle too. "Everyone likes a bit of rough and tumble, but it's also controlled," Scott said. She said she believed the girls found it "exciting because it's challenging and they're pushing themselves to the limits". Arianna said she first discovered wrestling after her dad saw the club on social media, and had taken to the sport naturally because of her enjoyment of rugby. "I'm not saying that it's to make the boys scared of us, but it's making us stand up to boys and saying we can do sports as well," she said. It is a sentiment shared by Eleanor, 13, who added: "Everybody says boys are way stronger than g

Mar 17, 2026 → Mar 26, 2026