Wrestling is a lifestyle for Decorah state champion Naomi Simon

Naomi Simon took her offseason preparation very seriously.

After all, this is the first officially sanctioned girls’ wrestling season in Iowa high school history.

Between June 4 and July 14, Simon traveled to wrestling camps and tournaments in Pagosa Springs, Colo., Tulsa, Iowa City, Indianola, Decorah and Fargo, N.D.

“This year I got to go to Tulsa and Fargo,” Simon said. “That was so awesome. Traveling with Team Iowa, just going to Fargo was crazy. I learned a lot from that.

“I also went to a wrestling camp in Pagosa Springs with our high school team. Coach (Lee) Fullhart brought a team out, that was different.”

All that training and traveling in less than two months.

“I loved every second of it,” Simon said. “I’m going to work until I get to the top.”

Simon, a junior at Decorah and two-time Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association state champion, is ranked No. 7 nationally at 164. She posted a 25-0 record last season and was the 2022 Preseason Nationals tournament champion.

This year, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union became the 34th state association to sanction girls’ wrestling. Simon will wrestle at the approved weight class of 170 pounds, slightly up from the 164 class she’s wrestled at in IWCOA and national meets.

Sanctioned or not, Simon’s goal for the season remains the same.

“A third state title,” Simon said. “That doesn’t come without working hard every practice and having a supportive team.”

While another title is top of mind, Simon is thankful to have the opportunity many other girls have not.

“I believe I would be the first person to do a freshman-sophomore-junior run, so that’s incredible because not only have I done it in the state of Iowa, but I had the opportunity to do it,” Simon said. “There’s not many people that have literally had the opportunity to go freshman-sophomore-junior.”

With the sport now being sanctioned, Decorah’s girls’ wrestling roster jumped from 14 last year to 21 in 2022-2023.

“We finally have a sport,” Simon said. “Giving people opportunities leads to people taking opportunities. A bunch of girls at our school took the opportunity.”

Simon has been drawn to wrestling for a long time. What originally sparked her interest in the sport was watching her younger sister compete.

“My sister Ana, who’s a freshman this year, when I was in sixth grade she was in third grade and wrestled at AAU state,” Simon said. “And that was, I believe, Felicity Taylor’s senior year of high school. And I saw her wrestle at AAU state, and I was like ‘oh my gosh, that’s so cool.’ Like, there’s girls’ wrestling. Not just my little sister.’”

Simon’s sister wrestles at 135 for the Vikings. Both Simon girls competed in cross country this fall to prepare for wrestling season.

“I did not like it,” Simon said.” I can run 3 miles, I’m not terrible. But I don’t like running.

“Ana’s the runner, she’s really good.”

When she’s not training, Simon’s watching wrestling. Specifically, Iowa wrestling.

“I really, really, love watching the Iowa men’s and women’s wrestling teams,” Simon said. “All of them are super awesome. My mom got season tickets to all the duals this year, so I get to go to all of them.”

Simon finished first at 170 pounds in the Dan Gable Donnybrook wrestling tournament that wrapped up Friday at the Xtream Arena in Coralville.