Ginger Lile of Newberg, Ore., a leader among pairing officials and longtime wrestling volunteer, has been named Woman of the Year by USA Wrestling, the national governing body for wrestling in the United States. This award recognizes an outstanding woman for her contributions to the sport of wrestling.

Lile serves as National Pairings Director for the U.S. Wrestling Officials Association, entering her third year in this role, where she helps manage activities of the nation’s pairing officials. She is directly involved in the assignments of pairing officials for national and regional events. 

Lile is a member of the USWOA Board. She has been on the Pairings Advisory Board since 1999, when she received the rank of P-1E, the highest national ranking. She is also a FILA Pairings official. 

Lile has been a pairing official since the early 1980s, and was licenced and worked her first major USA Wrestling event in 1984 in Antioch, Calif. She has worked hundreds of local, state, regional and national events over the last three decades. She got involved because two of her sons wrestled, and, as Ginger puts it, she forgot to quit. 

She has been head pairer of dozens of major events, including serving as Western Kids Regional head pairer eight times. She is the only person to ever serve as Head Pairing Official for USA Wrestling in Oregon. 

Lile enjoys working local events, having run dozens of events in Oregon already this season. She especially enjoys working the Kids level events. 

Lile remains active because so many of her friends are involved in USA Wrestling. She also takes pride in seeing a tournament come together and run well. She has been running well-run wrestling tournaments for USA Wrestling for decades. Her efforts have impacted the lives of thousands and thousands of youth.

USA Wrestling hosted a social in Fargo, N.D. at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior and Cadet Nationals, where Ginger’s achievement was recognized and celebrated.

PAST USA WRESTLING WOMAN OF THE YEAR WINNERS
2009 – Ginger Lile
2008 - Sue Hesser
2007 - Dr. Lin Miller
2006 - Sharon Dowden
2005 - Kim Martori-Wickey
2004 - Patricia Miranda
2003 - Kristie Marano
2002 - Pat Short
2001 - Paula McGahee
2000 - Sandy Stevens
1999 - Sue Siar
1998 - Nancy Schultz
1997 - Tricia Saunders