Triton Central's Duthie follows her own path

A self-proclaimed "tomboy" who grew up on the family farm in Boggstown, Ind., Heather Duthie always found herself drawn to male-dominated sports. When she was 5 years old, her parents gave her an option: ballet lessons or karate lessons. She chose karate. As a sixth-grader, when many girls were choosing between volleyball and tennis, Duthie spent several weeks on the football team at Triton Central Middle School before cracking some ribs in practice. This year, the Triton Central High School freshman again chose an unconventional route by joining the Tigers' wrestling team. Before suffering a season-ending broken collarbone in January, the 15-year-old made school history in December when she became the first girl to wrestle a varsity match. While karate, football and wrestling may not be prototypical female activities, that didn't stop Duthie. "I like the more physical sports because you try harder when you're afraid of getting hurt," she said. "Plus, if you're having a bad day, it's always nice to have someone to beat up on." Her friendship with boys made it easier to join their athletic teams. "I get along better with boys," she said. "There's too much drama with girls." Duthie didn't shun all female sports, becoming a cheerleader two years ago. When there are conflicting high school events, however, she is quick to throw down the pom-poms in favor of her singlet and head gear. "Cheerleading is fun, but I would definitely choose wrestling hands down," she said. "I always enjoy a challenge, and wrestling pushes you to the limit, both mentally and physically." Although Duthie had never wrestled before this season, she's been around the sport for years. Beginning in fifth grade, she became a "mat maid" - which is similar to a team manager in football or basketball - and began the high school wrestling season in the same role. A couple weeks into practice, though, Triton Central coach Randy McPheron was shocked when she asked to join the team. "He was surprised. I caught him off guard," Duthie recalled. "He said, 'Are you serious?' And I was like, 'Yes.' ... He called my mom to make sure she approved, and then he was like, 'Go get ready. We have practice in five minutes.'" McPheron warned Duthie of the risks involved. "Once you're on the mat, you're a wrestler and you get the same treatment as everybody else," he said. "It's a very physical sport and there's always a chance of injury." After the first few practices, where McPheron said the boys were being "lenient" on Duthie, team members welcomed her with open arms. "Most of the wrestlers were my personal friends even before the season," she said. "There were a couple of puzzled looks the first day I showed up, but after that, there was acceptance." Due to an unfortunate incident involving freshman Eric Peterson, the varsity 112-pounder, it wasn't long before Duthie found herself in the starting lineup. Peterson's season came to an end when he suffered a stroke at practice. "I thought he just got knocked in the head and would be back," Duthie said, adding that Peterson is recovering. "You never want to see something like that happen, but I know he's rooting for me." Duthie saw her first varsity action at the Connersville Invitational in December. At the tournament, she lost her first match by pin, won the next two by forfeit, and was pinned again in her final match. "I don't like that some people will forfeit, but it's six points for the team," she said. "I would rather earn my victories." Duthie, who didn't join the team to make a statement or become a pioneer for female wrestling, plans to compete all through high school. Her goal is to be a state qualifier before graduation. "Absolutely, I'm going to stick with wrestling," she said. "With each passing day, I'm loving it more and more." McPheron doesn't expect Duthie to quit. "She's a very mentally tough girl," he said. "She truly seems to enjoy wrestling, but I also think part of her wants to prove girls can do this sport with guys."