You can tell Ivy Carl that she wrestles like a girl, and she'll take that as a compliment. She's proven that girls can succeed in a sport traditionally dominated by boys, coming off a very successful season wrestling with Elizabethtown Area School District.

This year, Ivy was the first Elizabethtown girl in her weight class to win the Elizabethtown Optimist Junior High Tournament, taking first place in every match in the 103-pound group during the event, held in February. Her end-of-season record was 19-1 for the regular season and 26-6 post season.

Ivy began wrestling three years ago, when she joined the Elizabethtown Bears Club (EBC).

"I made the competition team my first season and wrestled mostly boys," she said. "I wrestled with EBC for two years and then tried out for the middle school team my third year." She credits her EBC coaches with taking a chance on her, giving her the push she needed to continue pursuing the sport she discovered through her brother.

"I would wrestle around with my brother, who wrestled on the team I wrestled for," she recalled. "He started before me. There was a takedown tournament I was asked to try out the day of it. I took third place my first time trying the sport."

Ivy, who is in seventh grade, joined the Elizabethtown Area Middle School team this season. She also wrestles in other clubs to stay conditioned.

"I wrestle wherever I can find to keep in competition," she stated. "I like that wrestling is an independent sport that prepares you in strength and in life."

This was the first time the Optimist tournament - a well-known event marking its 50th year - was open to all-girls' teams.

Becoming the first girl to win her weight class in the tournament was an accomplishment she's proud of, Ivy said, but she said there's value to be had in losses as well.

"Even being on mat makes you a stronger person, whether wins or losses," she said, noting that many wrestlers get pinned and many experience "tech falls" in their matches, when the opponent's lead is so large, the opponent automatically wins. "Many kids never win a match."

Ivy is just one of three Carl kids who succeed at wrestling. Her older sister, Cassidy, also wrestles, as does her younger brother, Liam.

"All three of us qualified for Keystone States this year," Ivy said. "I also qualified for my fourth season on the PJW (Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling), which is a state-clarified tournament as well."

The Carl siblings, who are the children of John and Tracy Carl of Elizabethtown, travel to compete in wrestling as well. They recently competed in a high school national tournament in Virginia Beach.

Cassidy began wrestling three years ago after watching her brother and becoming interested in the sport. She wrote a letter to the Elizabethtown school board to push for a girls' wrestling team in the district.

The current Elizabethtown Area High School sophomore said she's learned a lot from both the girls' team wrestling coach and EBC coaches.

"I competed in my first takedown tournament with only one practice under my belt," Cassidy shared. "I have learned a lot since then. Something I love about wrestling is it pushes you towards your limits, and it really grew my confidence. It also pushes you mentally and physically."

Like her sister, Cassidy enjoys that wrestling is an individual sport, but she appreciates the support of her teammates.

"My team is like another family," she said. "We all push each other and care for one another."

Ivy credits her success to support from her family but also believing in herself and her abilities.

"(It's about) confidence," Ivy said. "I was the lowest seed in one tournament and on paper looked as the least better wrestler, but I won whole tournament, taking first place."

She hopes other girls will consider wrestling.

"Don't be afraid to try it," Ivy remarked. "It grows confidence, and it takes you places. I have gotten to travel more than I have in past. You will be stronger for it."