# Congratulations, Heaven Fitch! (High school wrestling champ!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 27, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604 "2020-02-27T16:18:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/1 "2020-02-27T16:18:01Z")
[Story here](https://apnews.com/1ed5d2aa31eb6bf1544cb43875121dca). [Picture here](https://twitter.com/NCHSAA/status/1231440853903847424/photo/1). > [@](#): > > The North Carolina High School Athletic Association said on its website that junior Heaven Fitch of Uwharrie Charter became the first female to win one of the association’s individual state wrestling championships. She won the 106 pound (48 kg) weight class at the 1A division on Saturday. > > A photo released on the association’s official Twitter account shows her beaming, standing next to three boys who finished behind her in the tournament. > > She had a 54-4 record for the season and won Most Outstanding Wrestler for the 1A division. > > “I’m just really overwhelmed … It’s like insane what I’ve done, it’s not fully sunken in yet,” she told WRAL-TV. > [@](#): > > “I thought as a freshman I wouldn’t even have a winning record, and to do this now, I would have never thought of it,” Fitch said. You go, girl! Good job! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/2 "2020-02-27T16:36:49Z")
Wow! What a season for her! Took a lot of guts for her to even try - and incredible skill to come out on top! ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/3 "2020-02-27T18:04:36Z")
She does look incredibly happy. Congratulations to her! (and the others on the podium as well- placing at a state competition is always a hell of an achievement) (\*As a sidenote to the “placing” comment and as I haven’t seen a good other place to grumble about it. I, like the rest of america, watched the recent “Cheer” documentary on Netflix. I was very disappointed to learn that there are literally only two schools in their division at the Florida competition. Not to take away from the interesting team stories, but it does take away from the 13 time national champions.) So this is to say that Heaven’s win is all the more awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/4 "2020-02-27T19:14:08Z")
Bo, what were you googling when you found that? 😉 j ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/5 "2020-02-27T20:01:49Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Bo, what were you googling when you found that? It is on the CNN home page right now. I saw it in my news feed this morning. I know you were joking, but it seems to be fairly big news. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/6 "2020-02-27T20:02:46Z")
I ran across the story on imgur, my newsfeed, and now here. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/7 "2020-02-27T20:04:07Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It is on the CNN home page right now. I saw it in my news feed this morning. > > I know you were joking, but it seems to be fairly big news. Huge news in the wrestling world. Three of my nephews were wrestlers in school, one still coaches. They’ve each messaged me today about this. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/8 "2020-02-27T20:13:27Z")
Woo-hoo! SO cool! And she’s only a _freshman_? Wow! I notice the other kids–all boys–on the platform don’t look too happy, whereas the finishers in the other weight-class photos do mostly look happy. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/9 "2020-02-27T20:19:25Z")
heh wonder if wwe will be watching her in the next few years … ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/10 "2020-02-27T20:55:11Z")
> [@nelliebly](#): > > Woo-hoo! SO cool! And she’s only a _freshman_? Wow! I think she’s a junior. I was expecting her to be something like a foot taller than the boys at that weight class, but she isn’t that tall. Quick - someone call the NCAA and have them allow schools to give out women’s wrestling scholarships! (Yes, I checked, and no, they can’t. Somebody can give her a _men’s_ wrestling scholarship, but I don’t see that happening.) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2020, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/11 "2020-02-27T21:26:12Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > It is on the CNN home page right now. I saw it in my news feed this morning. > > I know you were joking, but it seems to be fairly big news. Yeah, joking - but I had no idea it was such big news (hasn’t reached Europe yet, so far as I can tell). But yes, well done her. j ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/12 "2020-02-28T17:53:57Z")
I don’t get it. What’s the joke? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/13 "2020-02-28T18:14:23Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Quick - someone call the NCAA and have them allow schools to give out women’s wrestling scholarships! (Yes, I checked, and no, they can’t. Somebody can give her a _men’s_ wrestling scholarship, but I don’t see that happening.) Congratulations to Ms. Fitch, of course, but you are probably correct that a wrestling scholarship is not likely. AFAICT there are only [seven schools in her division](https://www.courier-tribune.com/sports/high-school/uwharrie-charter-academy-join-yvc). Still, good for her - there were three other female wrestlers in the same tournament, but I don’t think any of them placed. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/14 "2020-02-28T18:28:50Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Huge news in the wrestling world. Three of my nephews were wrestlers in school, one still coaches. They’ve each messaged me today about this. Curious what the boys had to say. Were they happy for her? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/15 "2020-02-28T19:24:53Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > Curious what the boys had to say. Were they happy for her? They were happy for their sport. I know nothing about wrestling; I used to ask my nephews if it hurt when they got hit with folding chairs. My ~28 year old nephew coaches at the Highschool level and he was really pumped up. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/16 "2020-02-28T20:22:56Z")
Hey Bo, you’re joking me right back, yeah? 😉 Just checking in to report that the story _has_ made it across the Atlantic - [this](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-51666728) was posted 3 hrs ago. There’s even a snippet of video. j ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/17 "2020-02-28T22:00:51Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > They were happy for their sport. I know nothing about wrestling; I used to ask my nephews if it hurt when they got hit with folding chairs. My ~28 year old nephew coaches at the Highschool level and he was really pumped up. Great! I’m happy to hear that she has support from her fellow athletes and coaches! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/18 "2020-02-28T23:10:50Z")
Looks like her parents took the “boy named Sue” route to producing a fighter. Too bad she’s up next against Inglebert Snoodflap. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/19 "2020-02-29T01:35:31Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I don’t get it. What’s the joke? All my friends assume that I often google “Teenage Girls That Could Body Slam Me”. But I am n_ot_ admitting that that’s how I saw the story… Regards, \*\* digs\*\* (who \*'rassled \*all the way through High School and College and finally won ONE match … got painfully pinned every other time, so I respect this girl!) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2020, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604/20 "2020-02-29T02:29:51Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > I think she’s a junior. > > I was expecting her to be something like a foot taller than the boys at that weight class, but she isn’t that tall. A friend of mine wrestled in school and provincially (has the cauliflower ear to prove it) and he told me that height isn’t an advantage in wrestling. Short and compact body structures apparently work better in wrestling. Easier to get leverage against tall skinnier opponents. I once was calling at the wrestling at the Canada Summer Games (en français) and watched many matches. It did seem that the shorter wrestlers found it easier to flip taller wrestlers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congratulations-heaven-fitch-high-school-wrestling-champ/848604.md?page=2)