EXCLUSIVE: Documentary+ has acquired WrestleHer, a major nonfiction series on the rise of girls’ high school wrestling, one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S.
The 11-part series, produced by Substance, will premiere on Documentary+ and Allez! Sports on September 10, just as highschoolers around the country are returning to class for the fall term. We have your exclusive look at WrestlerHer in the trailer below.
“Set in Ohio, long considered one of the nation’s most competitive wrestling states,” notes a release, “the series follows a group of determined female high school wrestlers and their coaches during a historic turning point: the final season before girls’ wrestling became officially sanctioned, and the first season in which female athletes could compete for their own state championship.”
“Across the series, the athletes push themselves physically and emotionally,” the release continues. “Supported by coaches, families, and trailblazing women who came before them, the wrestlers confront both the demands of elite competition and the realities of being teenage girls forging a new path in a traditionally male-dominated sport.”
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Ryan J. Kelly developed and directed the series and serves as showrunner. He produced WrestleHer along with Adam J. Wilde, and Geoff Yaw for Substance; Jon LaGuardia and Grace Nowak for Fusion Filmworks; Madison Craft and Geoff Clark for Documentary+, and Melissa Forman and Allyson J. Davis for Allez! Sports.
“I am thrilled beyond words that WrestleHer will have a home on Documentary+ and Allez!,” said Kelly. “The vision of Doc+ and Allez! teams have for this series and the future perfectly aligns with the challenges these girls faced throughout their journey. While WrestleHer is based in Ohio, the stories of these girls are happening all over the world every day. These are genuine stories from real people, and we couldn’t be more excited to share them with the world.”
WrestleHer features appearances from some of the top figures in wrestling, including Olympic gold medalist Helen Maroulis, Olympic champion Kurt Angle, Olympic silver medalist Clarissa Chun, Sally Roberts, Tela O’Donnell Bacher, and Vanessa Oswalt.
“WrestleHer represents exactly the kind of storytelling Documentary+ exists to champion,” commented Geoff Clark, CEO of Documentary+. “These young athletes aren’t just competing for championships – they’re fighting for recognition, equality, and a place in the future of the sport they love. When we watched this series, we immediately knew it was something special. It captures the grit, courage, and heart that define the very best documentaries.”
WrestleHer joins an expanding roster of original titles on the Doc+ platform including The Price of Milk, A Man With Sole: The Impact of Kenneth Cole, Still Single, THC, Inc, The Spiritual Advisor, The Power of Pickleball, Comedy Against the Odds, The Hobby, Charm Circle, and Oscar-shortlisted A Swim Lesson, among many others.
Documentary+ is a global streaming platform dedicated exclusively to documentary films and series. It’s available on Roku, Apple TV, iPhone, Samsung, LG, Vizio, FireTV, Android, and Google Play, and can also be streamed for free on Samsung TV Plus, DirecTV, Dish, Sling, Fubo, Xumo Play, HP TV+, Plex, and more.
Substance produces scripted and documentary features and series. The company states, “Our approach includes co-production, project support, soundstages, IP and momentum.” Substance has debuted films this year at Sundance, Tribeca, and the Cleveland International Film Festival; it executive produced the feature Buddy, which will hit theatres on Aug. 28.
Allez! Sports is a premier global media destination for women’s athletics, “dedicated to sharing impactful narratives from the field that educate and unite. Offering everything from exclusive athlete access and competitive highlights to in-depth cultural analysis, we provide a vibrant space where storytelling meets a supportive global community.”
Watch the trailer for WrestleHer here: