Herriman Highs girls wrestling team has grown tremendously, going from seven girls in the 2021-2022 season to 40 girls on the team in the 2025-2026 season. Women’s wrestling is becoming more and more popular, producing stars like Katie Law, Macie Anderson, Audrey Gribble, Hailey Harvey, Sarah Griffiths, and many more.
It is no wonder that girls wrestling has become so big here at the school as Josh Tibbs has always been such a big advocate for the team, always encouraging girls to just come and try it out. Tibbs even has a saying for the team, “Beautiful, Powerful, and Fierce.” This is something you will hear him say, because that is what they’re all about. Tibbs also encourages the girls to live by six values within wrestling and their daily lives; gratefulness, humbleness, respectfulness, inclusiveness, coachableness, and kindness. The team calls this GHRICK to help them remember what is expected of them. They constantly remind each other to live up to these values.
Tibbs is the head coach of girls wrestling, and he’s been coaching for four years at Herriman High school. With his good coaching techniques and base moves he has the girls follow, they can become unstoppable. He encourages girls to try their best, keep going, and be good people – making sure they “stay on brand.” Lidia Anderson says that, “Tibbs tells us his expectations and it helps hold me accountable to staring at a high standard.”
Anderson has been wrestling for about three years now. She said that wrestling has changed her for the better. It shows her that she has to work for what she wants. She says, ”no one is going to do it for me.” It has helped her to become healthier in her life outside of wrestling. It gives her more balance in each aspect of her life. Wrestling has taught her a lot about herself and has helped her with her confidence and resilience. The sport has changed her life, she says. She has seen a drastic difference between who she was her sophomore year to now, her senior year. Anderson is currently a captain for the girls wrestling team. “Being a leader on this team has pushed me to become better each and every day,” she said. “[Because of how good the dynamic of the team is] the days that are too hard to do it for myself, I am able to do it for my girls and push through.”
Ayvree Egelund has been wrestling for two years now. Wrestling has also changed her for the better. She says, “I’m mentally stronger and physically stronger than I have ever been in my life and it keeps me in amazing shape.” Egelund says one of the reasons for the team dynamic is because Tibbs is very heavy on making sure the returning wrestlers are inclusive and open to everyone. She says that, “I have met so many people because Tibbs has pulled them out of the hallway and introduced me to them.” The sport has taught her so many life lessons like how great things you want are going to be harder to achieve but you can do anything if you work hard and believe in yourself. If you trust those around you it makes it a lot easier to do so. The last thing she mentions and wants everyone to know is that, “Wrestling is one of the best sports ever and I will encourage everyone no matter what background to try it! It’s given me some of my best memories and best friends and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Adie Plouzek is a sophomore who’s been wrestling for 2 years now and mentions that, “wrestling has changed me by making me more confident. Wrestling has influenced me to be a better person overall.” Wrestling has taught her to be grateful for everything and to work harder for what you want. She wants others to know that just wrestling has helped her become more confident in herself and helped her build amazing friendships.
Hailey Tibbs is an all state wrestler who has been wrestling for four years. Her mental toughness and physical strength have greatly improved. Wrestling has influenced her life outside of the sport too, by helping her develop a tough mentality that helps her push through any kind of trial in her life. Wrestling teaches the girls about the importance of mental fortitude and how to react after any kind of tough loss.
Sabrie Goeckeritz has been wrestling for four years now. She says it, “has made me stronger and more disciplined as a person. It’s taught me I can do hard things.” She mentions that Tibbs wants the girls to be the best they can be. Goeckeritz notes that, “I feel like his expectations shape us into better students and athletes.” She loves the sport a ton and she says it has molded her into being a better person. The last thing she notes is that the team is amazing and also super kind, and that’s what’s amazing about it.
Overall, women’s wrestling has influenced many of the girls to become more confident in themselves. It has helped many of them get out of their comfort zones and to make many new friendships. It is an intense sport, but will help you grow mentally and physically as a person. With the rise of the sport there has been growth in more girls feeling like they can participate in male dominated sports.
