More Than a Style: Why Freestyle is the X-Factor for Girls

If you’ve been around girls wrestling in Missouri—or anywhere in the country—you’ve probably felt it:

The level is rising. Fast.

More girls. More opportunities. More eyes on the sport.

But with that growth comes a gap—and it’s one I see all the time.

Girls are grinding through folkstyle season…

…but not fully committing to freestyle. And that’s the separator right now.

Not talent. Not toughness. Not even experience.

It’s freestyle.

College Wrestling Isn’t Folkstyle—And That Changes Everything

If your goal is to wrestle in college, you need to understand what you’re walking into. Women’s college wrestling is freestyle.

Not “kind of freestyle.” Not “folkstyle with a twist.”

Freestyle.

That means:

• You’re not riding legs for two minutes

• You’re not building matches around top control

• You’re not winning 3-1 decisions

You’re scoring. Constantly.

Exposure matters. Motion matters. Risk matters.

And here’s what college coaches are really evaluating:

Can you score?

Can you create action?

Can you wrestle in space?

Freestyle answers all three.

The World Doesn’t Wrestle Folkstyle

This part gets overlooked, but it matters.

Every major international level; Cadet, Junior, Senior, World Championships, Olympics, is freestyle. That’s the universal language of wrestling.

So when girls start training freestyle early, they’re not just getting better, they’re aligning with the highest level of the sport.

And when they don’t?

They’re playing catch-up later.

Jordan Burroughs Settled the Debate

There’s always been that argument:

“What helps more—folkstyle or freestyle?”

One of the greatest to ever do it, Jordan Burroughs, didn’t hesitate.

He’s been very clear that freestyle made him better across the board, and has even publicly leaned into the idea that freestyle is the superior developmental style.

And if you watch how he wrestled:

• Relentless attacks

• Clean finishes

• Constant pressure to score

That’s freestyle DNA showing up in folkstyle.

Real Athletes Say the Same Thing

This isn’t just theory, it’s consistent across elite wrestlers.

Kyle Dake (4x NCAA Champ, World Champion)

He’s talked about how freestyle forces you to wrestle through positions instead of stopping action. It sharpens awareness and forces you to stay offensive.

Helen Maroulis (Olympic Champion)

Maroulis has emphasized that freestyle teaches fluidity and creativity, especially in transitions and scrambles, which are critical at the highest levels.

Adeline Gray (World Champion)

Gray has spoken about how freestyle builds confidence in scoring and forces athletes to open up offensively instead of relying on control.

Jordan Burroughs

Again and again, he points back to freestyle sharpening his offense, pace, and ability to create points—things that translated directly into folkstyle dominance.

Why Freestyle Makes Your Folkstyle Better (Not the Other Way Around)

This is where it clicks for most athletes.

Freestyle fills the gaps that folkstyle can hide.

1. You Can’t Stall Your Way to a Win

Freestyle punishes passivity.

If you’re not scoring, you’re losing.

That forces:

• Aggression

• Creativity

• Confidence in attacks

Bring that back to folkstyle, and suddenly you’re not just managing matches—you’re controlling them.

2. Your Neutral Gets Dangerous

Freestyle is won on the feet.

You develop:

• Cleaner setups

• Better timing

• More committed finishes

And when you come back to folkstyle, you’re not hoping for takedowns—you’re expecting them.

3. You Learn to Scramble Without Fear

Exposure scoring changes everything.

You get used to:

• Wrestling through chaos

• Reacting fast

• Staying composed in bad positions

That’s a massive advantage in folkstyle scrambles.

4. Your Pace Levels Up

Freestyle is short, explosive, and unforgiving.

It builds:

• High-output wrestling

• Quick recovery

• Constant motion

So when you hit folkstyle matches, the pace feels slower—and that’s where you separate.

The Data Backs It Up

This isn’t just a “feel” thing.

A large percentage of U.S. wrestlers who reached the world and Olympic podium had to spend significant time after college learning freestyle at a high level.

That tells us something important:

Folkstyle alone isn’t enough.

But here’s the opportunity for this generation of girls:

You don’t have to wait.

You can build freestyle into your foundation now—and skip that gap entirely.

What We’re Seeing in Missouri Right Now

This is where it gets real for us.

Missouri is producing killers right now.

State champs. National placers. Absolute hammers.

But the ones separating themselves?

They’re wrestling freestyle.

They’re:

• Traveling in the spring and summer

• Hitting national events

• Getting uncomfortable against different styles

They’re not just staying busy. They’re developing.

The Mindset Shift That Needs to Happen

Freestyle isn’t “extra.”

It’s not:

• Optional

• Secondary

• Just something to stay in shape

It’s a core piece of development.

And the girls who treat it that way?

They’re the ones:

• Getting recruited

• Making national teams

• Competing internationally

What This Looks Like Moving Forward

If you’re serious about leveling up, here’s the blueprint:

In-season (Folkstyle)

• Build toughness

• Control positions

• Develop discipline

Offseason (Freestyle)

• Open up your offense

• Take risks

• Learn to score in volume

Year-round mindset

You’re not switching styles. You’re building a complete wrestler.

Final Thought

Freestyle isn’t just another style. It’s the accelerator.

It sharpens your offense, it raises your pace, and it forces growth.

And for girls wrestling right now?

It’s the clearest path to separating yourself.