Before organized high school girls' sports, there was GRA

     

That's me, center, biting my finger nails and greeting my friend,
Jean Pelzer, while her sister, Diane, is at left. Diane Pelzer
was president of the GRA at Tipton High School in 1974.

An explanation of GRA activities from the 1974
Tipton High School yearbook.

    About a week ago, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Association sanctioned girls' wrestling for the first time in state history.

    It was approved because 58 high schools have committed to sponsoring the programs. There are 1,018 girls participating in grappling programs from more than 185 high schools. This is the 11th girls' sport sanctioned in the state, and the first since bowling was okayed 15 years ago. (Source: ighsau.org)

    Before those 11 sports became sanctioned, there was the Girls' Recreation Association, or GRA.

    I attended school in Tipton, Iowa, from 1969 to 1976. In that time period our district started several girls' sports, including basketball, track, cross country, softball and swimming. 

    Yours truly, ever interested in sports, tried track when it was first offered, but then chose cheerleading for various teams. One way to stay active, however, was with the GRA at Tipton.

    I bet our GRA organization had more than 100 girls -- freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. We had dedicated coordinators, and arranged activities. 

    For example, in 1974 we played deck tennis, volleyball, gymnastics and dodgeball. We also hosted the school gymnastics play day with participants from throughout the WaMaC Conference on March 23 of that year. After the meet the kids got to play in our school's indoor pool.

    These type of intramural programs fit the bill for students who did not have the time, or ability, to play on the sanctioned teams.

    Girls' basketball is a legendary sport in Iowa. It was offered in rural schools in the 1920's, and became the marquee event for the IHSGAU, as well as the entire state. Television picked it up and when I first moved to Iowa, I watched the tournament with my dad on TV. I had never seen the six-on-six game before.

    Playing six-on-six or five-on-five girls' basketball was discussed in the 1970s and 1980s. The Tipton Tigers played the six-on-six style very successfully. I cheered for girls' basketball, literally and figuratively.

    Five-on-five was chosen as the approved game in 1994.

    According to the IHSGAU, here are important dates and the order that girls' sports were added in Iowa:

1920s: Basketball. The state girls' athletic association formed in 1925. 

    Dr. E. Wayne Cooley, a visionary leader, was hired as the association's director in 1954. One of his goals was to increase the number of sports programs offered to girls, and that is what he did.

1955: Softball.

1956: Golf and Tennis.

1962: Track & Field.

1966: Cross Country.

1967: Swimming & Diving.

1970: Volleyball.

1972: Title IX was passed by the U.S. Congress. The legislation required gender equity in all federally-funded educational programs in the United States. Many states rushed to keep up with Iowa.

1998: Soccer.

2006: Bowling.

2021: Wrestling.

    Wrestling is growing fast. We have enjoyed seeing girls wrestle, most recently at Davenport Central High School, in Davenport, Iowa.

    An online search of intramural programs in Iowa shows that several colleges offer them. I wonder if any high school girls still play in organizations like the GRA?