tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91630358966820525112024-03-13T14:42:13.091-07:00Girls High School WrestlingGirls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-67005217196853304622013-11-24T17:44:00.002-08:002013-11-24T17:49:46.995-08:0013 Second Victory<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-LEIotk-dU/UpKnZIh2-8I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/7nToVSMTb_w/s1600/Erin+feature.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A-LEIotk-dU/UpKnZIh2-8I/AAAAAAAAAJ8/7nToVSMTb_w/s1600/Erin+feature.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption">"When your match is short enough
to be put on insta"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption">-Erin Brito</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span id="goog_1273313613"></span><span id="goog_1273313614"></span><br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption">This story is going to be a lot
longer than the match I'm writing about. Erin Brito put her video on Instagram
and to the surprise of her, her friends and probably her opponent, the whole
match was able to fit. That's what happens when you pin your opponent in 13
seconds. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="hascaption"><br /></span>
<span class="hascaption">Erin is a junior at Gaither High
School in Florida. She's been wrestling for three years, and while she loves
wrestling, her confidence level isn't that high. "</span><span class="null">I've
honestly never been quite good at wrestling, I am much better at MMA (mixed
martial arts)." For Erin, the losses piled up, "My coaches usually
just put me in whatever weight they need me. For example my freshman year I
weighed 106 but they put me at 120 for districts. I got my ass handed to me a
lot because of this."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">This is actually my favorite part about
writing this book/blog. Unfortunately, girls records their first year tend to
be filled with L's and not a lot of W's. Often times, they quit. The ones that
come back a second year are hopeful for better results, but many times, they
add a few W's, but they still lose a lot more than they win. Often times, they
quit. So when a girl comes back a third season for wrestling...even after all
the losses, its those type of girls I love to write about. And Erin is that
girl. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">Despite the losses, she kept her enthusiasm
for the sport because Erin says, she doesn't have a choice. "I just have way
to much pride for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I beat myself
up a lot when I lose but quitting is not an option. I can't do that when I've
come so far. I know I'd regret it. I just keep trudging on cause every day is a
new opportunity to flourish."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">Which brings us to her big match. I say
big, because it was. There were 11 teams competing and Erin was a little in
awe. "I was nervous and excited since it was the first official meet of
the season but there was so much competition! I don't think I've ever been to
an 11 way."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">Erin lost the first match of the meet, but
true to her personality, she was not sulking. "I was just determined to
leave with more victories than losses, and I knew I had to step up my game in
order to do that. Go hard or go home." When Erin saw her opponent from
Plant High School, she was excited. "He seemed like a good opponent to
face. They're usually bigger despite being the same weight. But he looked
closer to my height lol. It wasn't that it was unintimidating, it was just
interesting to see someone looking more like they weigh what I weigh."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">When I interview girls many of them have
told me the boy was either too cocky, or too nervous before the match. Some
even said they knew at the handshake to start the match that they would win,
because their opponent gives a limp handshake. But Erin said, this wasn't the
case here. "He shook hands firm and promptly like me; he carried himself
like he was prepared for a match." </span><br />
<span class="null"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cSqdBzbzvzA/UpKnvvuybmI/AAAAAAAAAKA/E3H0U-34KG0/s1600/Erin+Start.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cSqdBzbzvzA/UpKnvvuybmI/AAAAAAAAAKA/E3H0U-34KG0/s1600/Erin+Start.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="null"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null"><br /></span>
<span class="null">He wasn't the only one prepared. Typically
a coach tells their wrestlers what to do before a match, but this time, Erin
told her coach. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">"I told my coach I was going to go
straight for a head and arm as soon as the match starts." And that's
exactly what she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I attacked
first and hit the top of his head and looked like I was setting something up,
he opened his arms and I went for my head and arm hold and sat out to take him
down with me ." </span><br />
<span class="null"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mah9sJJ-oBo/UpKoo6PcKYI/AAAAAAAAAKM/KpDwjtIBptw/s1600/Erin+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Mah9sJJ-oBo/UpKoo6PcKYI/AAAAAAAAAKM/KpDwjtIBptw/s1600/Erin+2.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="null"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">The turning point of the match came at the
4 second mark. Yes, the 4 second mark. Erin tried to pull her opponent down,
and her opponent fought it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Erin says,
"He didn't come all the way down and still tried to get on my back."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">If you stop the video at the four second
mark, things aren't looking good for Erin, as it appears, her opponent has
leverage and has her back. But looks can be deceiving, and Erin realized she
had the upper hand. "I knew I had enough of his arm and head to pull him
back over and finish it." </span><br />
<span class="null"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6_WNvDiYgk/UpKo2MjcUHI/AAAAAAAAAKU/1A8ZyroIc0A/s1600/Erin+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-b6_WNvDiYgk/UpKo2MjcUHI/AAAAAAAAAKU/1A8ZyroIc0A/s1600/Erin+1.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<span class="null"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">And that's exactly what she did. Erin
outmuscled her opponent and by the 5 second mark, the boys head hit the mat and
he was on his back after only six seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There was no escaping, and Erin knew it. "I saw I had it, and I
knew I was going to finish it. I had to. I pulled and got my pin in and just
settled back onto him with my feet on the ground and squeezed till the ref
called it."</span><br />
<span class="null"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8QPRQ80nua0/UpKo938dAjI/AAAAAAAAAKc/QmPUPHDJLCc/s1600/Erin+pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8QPRQ80nua0/UpKo938dAjI/AAAAAAAAAKc/QmPUPHDJLCc/s1600/Erin+pin.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<span class="null"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">After the ref slapped the mat, Erin
couldn't help but slap it just a little bit harder. " I slapped the mat
cause I got excited lol and was proud of myself." While other wrestlers
try to be stoic after a victory, Erin couldn't hold off on her joy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"I was honestly just blatantly happy.
Seeing hard work pay off is such an amazing feeling and that was the quickest
pin I've ever gotten. We got up and got back to the center and the ref raised
my hand and I was just smiling all big. I told my opponent good match and shook
his coaches hand before going back to my team.</span>"<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yAFcF7AEKP0/UpKpEOTIpPI/AAAAAAAAAKk/jtZOVg8w05A/s1600/Erin+hand+raise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yAFcF7AEKP0/UpKpEOTIpPI/AAAAAAAAAKk/jtZOVg8w05A/s1600/Erin+hand+raise.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">For Erin, she's hoping the win propels her
to bigger and better things. " It boosted my self esteem. That win started
me on a pretty good note ya know? I like knowing I'm getting somewhere. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">And if you think 13 seconds is fast, Erin
says, she could do better. " If we rematched, I think we'd both try our
best to win, but rematches are always sort of stressful and enticing . My goal
would be to get a quicker pin then before</span>."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null">As for her Instagram status..."When
your match is short enough to be put on insta"...that wasn't meant to demean
her opponent. "It was very cool to be able to get a match done so quick, I
thought it was funny that it fit on Instagram so that was mainly just me
entertaining myself lol." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As for
her opponent, she wishes him luck going forward. "For me there isn't a
difference in pinning boys or girls, a pin is a pin and a pin is a win... So
I'm grateful regardless. Wrestling is a tough sport and I respect my opponents
because we give it our all.</span>"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="null"><span id="goog_2112786815"></span><span id="goog_2112786816"></span>The longest video you could put on
Instagram is 15 seconds. Maybe for the next story with Erin, she could put the
whole match on the website Vine, which has a match length of 7 seconds. After
all, as Erin says, " One thing I can't stand is not making progress</span>."One
thing I can't stand is not making progress."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=327054294104211&set=vb.100003989305411&type=3&theater">Erin's Quick Pin</a></div>
</div>
Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-46374910201358684612012-12-17T15:40:00.001-08:002012-12-17T15:41:50.931-08:00No purse? No makeup? No problem!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Uz_XcNbbQ/UM-ttd_FPWI/AAAAAAAAAI8/ffh_wPozVBs/s1600/Kenedi+Eddings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-D3Uz_XcNbbQ/UM-ttd_FPWI/AAAAAAAAAI8/ffh_wPozVBs/s320/Kenedi+Eddings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2012-13 wrestling season has seen a lot of victories for
girls. My facebook newsfeed and wrestling group has blown up with victory
stories and pictures. And though its not all that unusual anymore for a girl to
be on a boys wrestling team, many boys still cannot handle losing to a girl.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This story is one that I found rather unique. It’s not your
usual boy loses to girl, gets pissed forever, or boy loses to girl and is immediately
OK with it. Despite both Keneddi and myself asking for an interview with
Robert, he did not respond.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Keneddi Eddings has been wrestling for six years. While
there are many wrestlers who embrace that they are a girl on the mat, Keneddi
is one of those girls that says a wrestler is a wrestler, and while she admits
to enjoying facing boys more than girls because of the challenge, she says, “In
wrestling, a win is a win.” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
Last season, she had four matches vs. a boy named
Robert. Before their first match, Keneddi was nervous, which she says, is
natural. “<span style="color: #333333;">I’m always nervous before a match, I'm
very doubtful. I think about what the boy will do and what I can do to stop it.
He was bigger than me so I thought he would have more strength than me. And I
thought that he was thinking he would have an easy match because I was a girl,
all guys think that. He probably thought he'd go out there and pin me.”</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
The match started and Keneddi tried to get a feel
of Robert, before going into attack mode. “<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I played defense more than
being aggressive. He got the first take down and was dominating top. “ But the
lead would be very quick for Robert, as right after they got into referees
position, Keneddi let Robert throw a half, and she countered with a quick roll,
stuck him on his back, and got the pin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Robert 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">As you would expect, the two wrestlers had vastly different
emotions. Keneddi says, “I felt great! It was a win on my record! I got up and
walked to the middle of the circle to get my hand raised and to shake hands
with him. He laid there and threw his headgear and walked off the mat, without
shaking hands.” Keneddi had mixed feelings about Robert’s reaction. “I enjoyed
it, because it made me look good hah. But I got mad because he thought of it as
losing to a girl. He wouldn’t have done it if he were wrestling another boy. It
was disrespectful and it just shows how he felt losing to a “girl.” And I hate
being called a girl. I’m a wrestler. I want to be seen as equal to the boys.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">While Keneddi wanted to be seen as an equal, Robert wanted to
get equal. But Keneddi was fired up for the rematch. “I was thinking about how
bad I wanted the win, how much I deserved it, how bad I wanted to show him that
I wasn't just a girl, I was a wrestler just like him.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Unlike their previous match, Keneddi was going to try to take
control early. “I started very aggressive because I was angry. And he was
aggressive too. I got the take down and he reversed it. We went to the second
period and I chose down. I always choose down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hit a roll again and stuck him and his back and got the pin.” Keneddi
says she was thinking, “I did it, I got it again.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Same move, same result. It’s my “go to” move. You have to use it
when they're not expecting it because it's simple to stop if they are.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi 2<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Robert 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi says anyone who watched both matches, knew who the
better wrestler is. “It felt good because he couldn't make the excuse that I
won out of luck. He couldn't say that he had a bad day or he was tired. I won a
second time so it showed I was a better wrestler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">And much to Keneddi’s disappointment, Robert’s reaction did not
change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The same as the first time. Though
this time, his coach made him shake my hand, but he didn't look at me and he
stomped off the mat.” Keneddi refused to sink down to his level. “I composed
myself like any wrestler should. I shook his hand had the ref raise my hand,
then I shook his coaches hand and ran off the mats.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi though was, “kinda surprised” when Robert contacted her
on Facebook. He didn’t mention the wrestling match but apologized for being
rude. Keneddi was very pleased. “He said he'd see me at the next tournament, and
that he wanted a rematch so he could finally beat me. I said I hope we get a
match and that was about it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi actually surprised me by what she said next. I asked her
if she had “stuff to prove or not that much?” It was a bad question, because it
led her to an answer. The answer I was expecting was she already proved she
could beat him, the match wouldn’t mean that much to her. But she said, “Of
course I had stuff to prove, he still wanted to beat me and he still thought he
could.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Turns out, he was sorta right. Robert wanted the match a lot
more than Keneddi, and his performance showed it. At the end of the 2<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>nd</sup>
period, Robert had a staggering 10-0 lead. Only five more points and he would
tech the girl that pinned him twice. Keneddi realized this, and decided she
would show Robert moves he hadn’t seen before. “I thought I had nothing to
lose, so take some shots. Try some new moves that I could score with, and give
it my all and nothing less. The worst that could happen was he would get a
tech.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Robert didn’t get a tech. As a matter of fact, Keneddi smoked
Robert and picked up 10 unanswered points to tie the match. It was now going to
head into overtime! Keneddi’s plan had worked, but there was no time to
celebrate. “I was very nervous heading into overtime. It was like a "fight
to the death" hah. It was all or nothing. I knew he wanted it bad and he
knew how bad I wanted it. I'm a very nervous wrestler and I over think, but
this time all I was thinking is what my coach said to me, "you have more heart."
And it stuck with me during OT. The kid was stronger and faster but I had more
in me to win it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Losing, was not an option Keneddi wanted to face. “It would have
been a tough loss. Just to know I worked my hardest and let the win slip away
in OT. It would have been pointless to come back in the first place.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">The overtime started, Robert went for a takedown, and Keneddi
says she did a “funky flip thing,” put Robert on his back and pinned him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi 3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Robert 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">While most wrestlers would have forgotten the first two rounds
and focused on the glorious ending, Keneddi says her emotions were conflicted.
“I was mad at myself because I went in cocky and not confident, and I almost
lost because of it.” But she couldn’t deny herself the feeling of glee for the
epic comeback. “It was the best feeling ever! My coach called me Tebow (for Tim
Tebow who at the time generated many 4<span style="font-size: small;"><sup>th</sup> quarter comebacks for the
Denver Broncos) because of my great comeback.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">With more time to reflect, Keneddi knew she should have done
better. “I was happy because I got another win, it was good for me. I proved to
myself I have what it takes to become a great wrestler and I showed my coach
that I won't give up, he can trust me in a tight situation to deliver my best .
But I was upset because it was nothing new. Like I was happy I beat him but I
did it before so I wasn't shocked that it happened. I was mad that I let it go
to OT because I beat him so easily before.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Much like the first match, Robert stormed off the match without
shaking Keneddi’s hand. Despite the new found friendship that was forming, the
loss seemed too hard to take. “I didn’t think he was a sore loser, he was just
very frustrated.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Going into their fourth match, Keneddi didn’t want to stay
undefeated verse Robert. “It was very important to keep a clean record! I was
undefeated in the league. And this match I was nervous because I knew how bad
he wanted this one too.” But it was more than that for Keneddi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The matches became personal. “Knowing that he
wanted it so badly, does motivate me,, because they think they want it more
than I do, and I know they don't. He's going nowhere with wrestling and I'm
making it into my career. I have to prove myself to my team my coach, scouts
and other team. Everyone saw me beat him 3 times and losing to him the last
time would be the worst.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">“The worst” looked like a certainty. Just like the last match,
Robert had Keneddi in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He was
dominating the whole match. He got back points consistently and kept getting
take downs. He had me on my back the 3rd period and got a 5 count and was about
to pin me. I was thinking basically "oh crap!" How did I get in this
position! And I just fought to get off my back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi fought hard and eventually turned the tables, and now
had Robert in trouble. “My thoughts before were if I don't stick it I'm done, I
lose, that's it. I have less than 30 seconds to pin this kid. And when the ref
hit the mat a rush of relief went through me.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Keneddi 4<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Robert 0<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jBq9uuOxVg/UM-tMCg2IcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/TnWou7Uhabk/s1600/Kenedi+Eddings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--jBq9uuOxVg/UM-tMCg2IcI/AAAAAAAAAI0/TnWou7Uhabk/s320/Kenedi+Eddings.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Relief, not elation. “I felt kinda ‘blah.” I pinned him again. I
didn’t feel it was an accomplishment, even though in retrospect it was.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">But with the perspective of time, Keneddi has come to appreciate
this fourth match. “It was really important to me. Like I said if I
consistently beat him he couldn't say it was out of luck or that he had a bad
day or something. I wanted everyone to know that I could beat him over and over
again. I wanted everyone to know, including Robert, that I am the better
wrestler.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">But don’t take this attitude as cockiness. I’ve seen a lot of
girls be cocky, and Keneddi isn’t that girl. Though he stormed off the mat and
cried every time he lost, she wishes he didn’t, whereas many girls would love
to rub that in. “I do feel I was in his head that season, and I’m glad.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">But she’s not glad because she wants him to feel “owned” as many
girl wrestlers would. She said, “I’m glad I’m in his head because I hope that
motivates him to become a better wrestler.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">And though they are friends now, Keneddi wants him to feel OK
with the losses. “I never have trash talked him. Guys do that to me all the
time, so I would never to it to him.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">But she still wants him to know she’s the better wrestler.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-21269819676090640532012-11-02T12:10:00.000-07:002013-07-10T05:24:37.183-07:00I Got Your Back<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CuSdYAvaM2s/UJQapyZJEsI/AAAAAAAAAIc/Y6A86hCrYW8/s1600/Amanda+Leve+12+victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CuSdYAvaM2s/UJQapyZJEsI/AAAAAAAAAIc/Y6A86hCrYW8/s320/Amanda+Leve+12+victory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">While
most of the stories I write are dedicated to wrestling, there have been a few
grappling matches that I’ve written about. While the sports have many similarities,
the biggest difference I see, is you don’t just beat your opponent in
grappling, you make them submit. They decide when the pain is too much, and the
only way to stop the pain, is to tap out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Amanda
Leve is 15-years-old, and has been training in BJJ (Brazilian Jiu Jitsu) for
four years. She often has to compete in boys divisions, because there aren’t
that many girls, or women to compete with. Amanda enjoys battling either, but
she says, “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Personally, I like fighting the boys
because a ton of more people watches it and I get noticed.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">That’s the other big difference
between the sports, when a boy faces a girl. In wrestling, the results are
typically confined to whoever was at the match, and word of mouth. But when the
genders clash in grappling, there often is a video and said video gets
thousands of views. And both competitors would rather thousands of people see
their hands raised, then their opponents. The video of this match can be seen
here. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBL7YUTRlpk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBL7YUTRlpk</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBL7YUTRlpk">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBL7YUTRlpk</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Amanda traveled a long way to fight.
She’s from Philadelphia, and has traveled all over the east coast, but this
tournament was in Vegas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the UFC
Fan Exop, and Grappler’s Quest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was
both excited and nervous.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RlwkBCOUHYo/UJPV_Bf-opI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/TsK9MDgSz38/s1600/Amanda+Leve+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RlwkBCOUHYo/UJPV_Bf-opI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/TsK9MDgSz38/s320/Amanda+Leve+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">And she had reason to be. Her name was
called and she saw her opponent. She was not facing a scrawny boy, but a young
man. His name was Wyatt, and he was two years older, bigger, and didn’t have an
ounce of fat on him. Amanda noticed, “The boy I was going to grapple in my
opinion was huge and muscular. I thought, ‘Oh great, this might not end
well.’”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Wyatt did not lack for confidence.
Amanda says, “He had an arrogant smile on his face. It wasn’t the first time I
have seen a smile like that. They (boys) usually all have that smile.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Amanda says Wyatt’s cockiness did not
end there. “We shook hands and he came at me rather aggressively. I was pretty
mad how fast and aggressive he was.” Amanda did not travel all this way to get
run over. “He didn’t come at me aggressively with technique, he came at me
wildly, and I strongly dislike that when it comes to a sport where using
technique is key.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">If it was just inexperience, Amanda
wouldn’t be upset, but she thought it was something else. “I think he did that
because he was going against a girl, and his friends were there.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">For wrestling fans, it would appear
Wyatt was dominating. He got Amanda down to the ground in only 5 seconds. But
Amanda was “pulling guard.” For those that don’t know what pulling guard means,
Wyatt was on top but Amanda had her legs crossed, around his midsection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So though Wyatt was on top, he wasn’t in
control. However Amanda was still nervous. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I’d be lying if I said
I wasn’t, but that’s because I’m always nervous. I felt his strength, and I did
get a little nervous, but I reassured myself that I have gone against stronger
guys where I train everyday.”</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">After around 20 seconds in that
position, the ref called time and moved the grapplers back to the middle of the
mat. They both re-started from the position they were in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo-02hLBFBU/UJPWQAXWXDI/AAAAAAAAAGg/GTEIM9n6O0w/s1600/Amanda+Leve+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zo-02hLBFBU/UJPWQAXWXDI/AAAAAAAAAGg/GTEIM9n6O0w/s320/Amanda+Leve+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MIeCh3WC3aQ/UJPc2yg1ulI/AAAAAAAAAII/d8XIvRiaadY/s1600/Amanda+side.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MIeCh3WC3aQ/UJPc2yg1ulI/AAAAAAAAAII/d8XIvRiaadY/s320/Amanda+side.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">“In jiu jitsu being fast is as good as
being strong. I knew I had to move quickly, so I ended up pulling his posture
down, and getting an arm triangle and moving around to his back.” It only took
Amanda three seconds to get the triangle, and if you listen closely, you can
hear him gargle for breath. Amanda did not notice, “I was too in the zone.”<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Wyatt was no longer the aggressor, as
he tried to get Amanda off of him. Amanda was in very good position now. She
had him on his side, squeezing his neck. But she knew she couldn’t make him tap
from this position. “When I had him on his side with the arm triangle I knew that
I wouldn’t finish it from there.” She also was not overconfident. “I did not
think the match was mine because I never like to assume things especially in
jiu jitsu. People can escape things as fast as you put them in it.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6cT98WUfXkY/UJPWjDDff3I/AAAAAAAAAGw/mNw9QxsPI9E/s1600/Amanda+Leve+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6cT98WUfXkY/UJPWjDDff3I/AAAAAAAAAGw/mNw9QxsPI9E/s320/Amanda+Leve+4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">So Amanda decided she wanted to be
more in control, and gave up the neck, and scooted behind him to get on his
back. “The back take is my best position in jiu jitsu. Many people have trouble
escaping my back control.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGhcTpzfrxo/UJPW1Mv9bZI/AAAAAAAAAHA/Cbs8SlwfxXE/s1600/Amanda+Leve+9+gritting+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fGhcTpzfrxo/UJPW1Mv9bZI/AAAAAAAAAHA/Cbs8SlwfxXE/s320/Amanda+Leve+9+gritting+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Wyatt would prove to be no different.
And though he must have been happy to be able to breathe, it didn’t last long.
“Once I got his back, I snuck in the rear naked choke which cuts off the blood
going to his head. I started squeezing as hard as I could.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">At the 1:09 mark of the video, Amanda
had the RNC locked in. Wyatt didn’t give up, and began to try to twist Amanda’s
foot. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Amanda capitalized on his mistake. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I thought his defense
was ok until I got onto his back. His back defense was extremely bad. When you
are getting choked the first thing you want to do is protect your neck. He was
gabbing at my feet while I was choking him. That is the last thing you want to
do when somebody has a choke on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Though Amanda doesn’t like to assume
victory, she knew what everyone else knew, the end was imminent. “Yes at that
point I knew it was over and that I just had to stay strong with the choke. The
choke was in so tight because he was not defending right and the back position
is second nature to me from drilling it so many times. I was just thinking
squeeze, squeeze, squeeze.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A-zHlxBOArc/UJPXL8EC6kI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/7oXIagJ4seo/s1600/Amanda+Leve+8+tap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A-zHlxBOArc/UJPXL8EC6kI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/7oXIagJ4seo/s320/Amanda+Leve+8+tap.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">At the 1:16 mark, you can see Amanda
gritting her teeth and digging in the choke. Wyatt stayed tough for 10 more
seconds, but eventually tapped Amanda’s arm 7-8 times to signify his
submission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xgEOfzgyUJI/UJPXR1c1iOI/AAAAAAAAAHY/vUp71rthevU/s1600/Amanda+Leve+10+pointing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xgEOfzgyUJI/UJPXR1c1iOI/AAAAAAAAAHY/vUp71rthevU/s320/Amanda+Leve+10+pointing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJybAmr5fWM/UJPXWi3wrBI/AAAAAAAAAHg/qgEPxahXay4/s1600/Amanda+Leve+11+arm+almost+raised.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hJybAmr5fWM/UJPXWi3wrBI/AAAAAAAAAHg/qgEPxahXay4/s320/Amanda+Leve+11+arm+almost+raised.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It was an amazing moment for Amanda.
“I was feeling excited and happy. I was thinking, "HA! YES! Did this just
happen?! Wow, there are so many people watching!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The two went to the middle of the ring
for Amanda to get her hand raised. She couldn’t help but show off. “Hahaha I
love being in front of the camera. I always put the thumbs up and make a weird
smile. It is just me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Amanda was ecstatic with the
result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I couldn't believe how fast I
beat him. I didn't expect to beat him so quickly because of how he was built. I
was super proud that I beat him so quickly. No disrespect to him, his
instructor or school, but I feel as if he was easier than most.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7coqSV6SYC0/UJPXbhWfyaI/AAAAAAAAAHo/sfMYe4QkTUM/s1600/Amanda+Leve+12+victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7coqSV6SYC0/UJPXbhWfyaI/AAAAAAAAAHo/sfMYe4QkTUM/s320/Amanda+Leve+12+victory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">After the ref put up Amanda’s hand,
they competitors shook hands and Wyatt said, “You are stronger than I thought.”
Amanda laughed and said, “Good match.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Amanda still smiles when thinking of
the match. “Looking back it feels awesome that I can prove my strength to a
boy. I know he was stronger than me so I realized I had to use my strength and
speed.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">But she’s not the only one who has
“looked back” on that match. To date, it has 46,322 views. When I started
writing this story, it had 45,940. So in a couple hours it still has gained
almost 400 new views. Amanda loves it. “It is extremely cool to see all the
views. It is way more than I could have even imagined and I am still shocked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Amanda hopes to be a role model for
young girls. “I want little girls to want to start jiu jitsu too! I want
everybody to respect girls in jiu jitsu.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3m4JDi9Dek/UJPaR1mfFbI/AAAAAAAAAH4/c_zEQmffIso/s1600/Amanda+Leve+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-R3m4JDi9Dek/UJPaR1mfFbI/AAAAAAAAAH4/c_zEQmffIso/s320/Amanda+Leve+5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">And she has a message to anyone that
may go against her in the future; bring your best, because she will. “I will
NEVER back down from anybody no matter how big, strong or scary.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">As Wyatt learned the hard way, Amanda “has
your back.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-58646444796653216352012-08-08T21:26:00.001-07:002012-08-08T21:26:09.442-07:00Senior Night Upset!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSm_9FFd_Mc/UCM7OJ6VoMI/AAAAAAAAAEw/lf5ZbdPARXc/s1600/Brooke+Bunch+Hagerstown+Ryan+Houghton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eSm_9FFd_Mc/UCM7OJ6VoMI/AAAAAAAAAEw/lf5ZbdPARXc/s320/Brooke+Bunch+Hagerstown+Ryan+Houghton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You can’t get more David vs. Goliath than this story. If a
high school senior is going against a high school freshman, 100 out of 100
times, you would go with the senior if you didn’t know the history of the two
athletes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now make the high school
senior a boy wrestler and the high school freshman a girl wrestler. Now you may
take the boy senior 101 out of 100 times?</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But before you go to Vegas, you better make sure that girl
isn’t Brooke Bunch. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Brooke and her Connesville High School team were pissed.
They had gotten slaughtered the weekend before, and were ready to extract some
revenge. Hagerstown was a welcome sight to Brooke’s teammates. As Brooke said,
“This was going to be one of the easiest teams for us to beat.” Just not for
Brooke.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">You see, Brooke, a 9th grade freshman, wasn’t just going up
against a senior, she was going up against the boy on his night…Senior Night.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But Brooke didn’t realize she would be going up against a
senior, at least not at first. She was still mad about the weekend prior, but
happy that they would be going up against a team not as talented.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Well, this was a dual meet against one of
the easiest teams for us to beat, and it was just after we had gotten beaten
pretty bad at a rough tournament the weekend before. It was the Hagerstown
Senior Night. The junior varsity kids went first, then our heavyweight and then
me. I had gotten beaten an insane amount the weekend before.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So Brooke decided to try and scope out who her opponent
would be. “The seniors were walking with their parents and by the time the
heavyweight match was going on, which was right before mine, I realized I was
going against a senior. I was really nervous because I never went against one
before.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Brooke didn’t want to believe her bad luck. “Oh no. Please
say they're kidding. Come on guys! He's going to kick my butt and go as hard as
possible especially since it's his senior night."</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But this was no time for a pity party, and Brooke knew it. Once
she got on the mat, Brooke’s confidence grew. “The kid had huge leg muscles,
but overall he looked pretty weak. Though I can’t underestimate him.” </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So despite being 3-4 years younger, Brooke went from being
incredibly nervous, to fighting back cockiness. And then the two wrestlers
shook hands, something odd happened, both wrestlers thought victory was in the
bag. Brooke says, “When we shook hands, I knew for sure I had the match. My
hand shake was a lot firmer.” But the Hagerstown boy, named Ryan, didn’t lack
for confidence against Brooke. “He had this look in his eyes like he knew he
was gonna win. That look drove me harder.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She was really mad that he had so much confidence? “Yeah it
set me off. I knew that if I didn't beat him, he'd brag to all of his friends
and everything so I knew I had to put him in his place.”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the match started and it was time for both wrestlers to
put up or shut up. Her opponent, Ryan, went for the victory early. “He went for
a quick shot and got a takedown. I tried to sprawl but couldn’t get out in
time.” </span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The period ended with the boy being up 2-0. Many freshman
wrestlers would be freaking out, but not Brooke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It was 2-0 him and I knew
I had to get a reversal and I wasn't nervous. I'm typically good at getting my
reversals. It was a deferral and went to his decision and he chose top so I
knew for sure that I had to try my hardest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">While I wasn’t able to contact her
opponent, Brooke says, “He probably felt pretty confident. He most likely felt
stronger than me as well. Otherwise he wouldn't have chosen top. My coach knows
how good I am on bottom and figured my opponent would chose top which is why we
deferred.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Girls often think their opponent is
stronger too, but not this time.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Brooke says, “Not really. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could turn him easily. That usually takes
all of my strength. But he had very strong leg muscles.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Period started and Brooke immediately
turned the tables. “I reversed with my sit out switch. I quickly broke him down
just enough to slide my legs in and ride him out and eventually got a power
half in and got him in a near pinning situation.” She had now taken the lead,
4-2.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ1ko9MjLy0/UCM7gdtaXvI/AAAAAAAAAE4/dhKyTVaQDvY/s1600/Brooke+Bunch+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQ1ko9MjLy0/UCM7gdtaXvI/AAAAAAAAAE4/dhKyTVaQDvY/s320/Brooke+Bunch+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That’s when her opponent and teammates started realizing, he
was in for a match. “Don't let her beat you on your night!!!" "You
can't get beat by a girl!!" and many more remarks.” Brooke heard them all,
but felt she was going to do exactly what his teammates didn’t want. Ruin his
night. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I got pretty confident because I had been riding legs with a
power half pretty much the whole period and he could hardly move.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">And once again, most freshman wrestlers
would over exert themselves because of their emotions, and most seniors would
have the experience to stay the course. But the roles were reversed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I knew I had to keep my emotions under
control and stay composed.” Brooke says, her opponent was anything but
composed, “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
had infuriated him. He was raging. He kept bucking trying to get me off of him.”
This spurred on Brooke even more. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Yeah, I
understood that if I could just ride him out a little longer he would be
mentally broke.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">With the match still very close, Brooke
realized how important this was. “Well normally when an opponent is mentally
broke they're upset they're losing, getting angry at themselves or the person
they're wrestling, or they just give up. And yes, he was mentally broke by the
end of the period. I felt pretty confident and excited.”</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ryan <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>made a critical
mistake by choosing bottom for the 3<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">rd</span></sup> Period. He couldn’t escape
Brooke’s legs the 2<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">nd</span></sup> Period, and things didn’t change for the
third. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">I was completely baffled. He had been rode out all of last
period but still went for it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">“It” didn’t work. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Brooke was able
to hold him down<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and ride legs until
there were 30 seconds left. This was a big match for Brooke and she knew it. “I
was extremely worried, but I tried to stay calm and focused.”</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Brooke wanted
to win, her opponent <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">needed </i>to win.
And to his credit, he did not give up. “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">There was
thirty seconds left, he knocked me off of him (I was riding legs) and went for
my leg. With 10 seconds left, I staggered on foot while he's holding on to the
other. I had a 1/4 Nelson in trying to keep him down. 5 seconds left and I'm
getting extremely nervous, he takes my legs and starts to lift me but doesn't
get a takedown before the buzzer went off.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">The match was over, Brooke had won. But
the boy wasn’t ready to accept defeat. He wouldn’t let go, until he finally
took Brooke down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I kept telling him
the whistle blew, to let go. But he didn't until I was on the ground. My
seniors got mad, but it was actually kind of funny.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Brooke has a theory on why he wouldn’t let
go. “I don't think he let go because he wanted to show he was still dominant.”
But after losing to her 4-2, Brooke doesn’t see it. When I asked if she felt he
succeeded in being dominant she said, “No, not at all.” As a matter of fact,
Brooke felt it was the other way around. She was the one who felt dominant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">“I had just beaten him on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">his</i> senior night and left him scoreless
for two periods. When we went to shake hands I was pretty calm about it, just
the normal firm handshake I always have. But his handshake changed from weak to
an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">extremely<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>weak </i>handshake. You could tell he was
about to burst into tears.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Brooke couldn’t help but feel for her
opponent. “I actually felt bad. I know what it feels like to lose and he had
just lost in front of his hometown with everyone rooting him on. I put him in
his place and accomplished what I had wanted but at the same time I know how
bad that sucks. ”</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Though she feels badly for her opponent, she cant help but
enjoy her win. I asked her if this was one of her favorite matches, “</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Yeah, I suppose it is. I liked the satisfaction that came along
with the win. Just being able to beat a senior on his senior night felt pretty
darn great.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">It’s a match, that Brooke cant help but
feel conflicted. “Exactly!! I loved the fact that I had a guy older than me
mentally broke and crying but at the same time feel bad because that was
probably extremely embarrassing. Haha.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">And while some girls like, but don’t admit
they like when the boy cries, Brooke tells it straight. She enjoyed it. “I was
glad. That's what he got for underestimating me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 8.5pt; line-height: 115%;">Brooke’s last words for her opponent and
future opponents, “Never underestimate an opponent, they might just surprise
you with a win.”</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3r6Cg5JgDms/UCM7odTFQEI/AAAAAAAAAFA/3hZd0e5p5VA/s1600/Brooke+Bunch+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3r6Cg5JgDms/UCM7odTFQEI/AAAAAAAAAFA/3hZd0e5p5VA/s320/Brooke+Bunch+3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-88104583981704116192012-06-11T17:29:00.000-07:002012-06-11T17:29:42.947-07:00Kayla<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PfCzt9tJdxs/T9Z7vlCZPKI/AAAAAAAAADk/Bo5VAOFRct4/s1600/girl+Kayla+over+Chirs+Beast+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PfCzt9tJdxs/T9Z7vlCZPKI/AAAAAAAAADk/Bo5VAOFRct4/s320/girl+Kayla+over+Chirs+Beast+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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For girl wrestling on boys teams, there are many hurdles to
overcome. A pleasant personality and strong work ethic and wrestling for the
“right reasons” help. But do you know what’s better? Winning. And in wrestling,
style points count. Wrestlers may not admit it, but enough have talked about
what pin they’ve used or how much their armbar hurt their opponent, to know
that if you kick ass, your teammates will notice. And Kayla McRorie knows how
to kick ass. But that wasn’t always the case for Kayla.</div>
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Kayla goes to Sault Area High School in Michigan. I first
interviewed her on August 4, 2010. I asked her if she would be interested in
doing a story with me and she responded, “Well, I really don’t have any good
wrestling stories.” The 2009-2010 season was not a great one for Kayla. She had
a losing record and said she, “Hardly won any matches.” </div>
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Typically I will write to them a few months later and see
how their next season is going, and they often tell me they quit the sport. I
do understand but I always find it sad, that one losing season can get to them
that easily. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Kayla started the
2010-2011 season 2-0. On December 26, 2010, I inquired how she was doing and
she told me she was 12-3, with “only 3 wins being against girls.” Kayla had
obvious pride with having a 9-3 record vs. boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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When you think about it, wrestling is the most intimate and
personal sport there is. Tennis can play mind games, boxing can break you, but
wrestling challenges you in ways that are hard to describe. The competitors are
constantly touching and you can feel your opponents will against yours. And in
the end, the loser is helpless as he or she cant get up when someone else is
holding them down. Then the loser has to go to the middle of the ring, and
watch the winners hand get raised.</div>
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For the loser, it can be a very humbling experience. And
though I often complain about many girls not having a killer attitude, this is
my favorite part about girls wrestling. If a girl loses to a boy and has to
face them again, they look forward to the challenge. </div>
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I’ve asked almost every girl I’ve interviewed their favorite
match. And many will say the third match against a certain boy, because they
got teched the first time, pinned the second, and almost beat him the third.
They glow with pride that this once vastly superior wrestler, is *now* just a
little better than them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many girls who
were beaten by other girls have told me, “Yeah I want to win first place, but I
want the match to be against xxxxx, because she beat me last year and I want
revenge.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And most of the girls I’ve
spoken to, get significantly better and surprise the wrestler that has beaten
them multiple times before.</div>
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But for boys, I’ve found its not that way, at least when
they have to face a girl that has beaten them before. Caitlyn McCracken beat a
boy named Ronnie three times and said, ““And I would like to say it got easier
with each match.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which means I just
wanted to beat him more eagerly each time.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Morgan Belanger beat a boy named James three times and said, “James will
always be the person who took the best and worst of me at the same time I
guess. He portrayed me to be greater than him, to my team, and thus created me
in a greater light. Like I was the greater wrestler, always, when compared
against him.” Darby Newman beat the same boy twice, and she said, ““I felt like
I had accomplished something great. It was great doing it twice. The feeling of
beating this kid again was amazing.”</div>
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As you can see, the girls felt invigorated with their
multiple victories. And their teammates noticed.</div>
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Enter Kayla. It was her first match of her junior year. She
was coming off two seasons that she wasn’t proud of. And for the first match,
she was facing a boy from Cheboygan High School. Much like Kayla, he too was
about to impress me, but in a much different way. Though he gave me permission
to use his name, I’m going to call him Chris in case he changes his mind and
doesn’t want this story to show up in a google search. </div>
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Kayla was coming off an injury and a concussion and she
wasn’t planning on wrestling that day, but her new coach asked her if she
wanted to give it a go and Kayla said yes. Though Kayla hadn’t been practicing
and was coming off what she considered a subpar year, Chris was a welcome site.
“Well last year he was like 95ish pounds. So I thought he is smaller than me
and I have more experience and he’s a freshman, so I told myself I could beat
him. “ She also saw herself in Chris. “As a freshman I was that little 95 pound
kid. So I knew what it was like. But I gained a few pounds over the summer and
I had been lifting weights so I was stronger. So that’s another reason I was
more confident, because I was a little bit bigger and had been going to
off-season tourneys all summer. My coach had a lot of confidence in me and I
didn’t want to let him down.”</div>
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As soon as the match started, she knew she wouldn’t. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Once he took a shot, I sprawled and I knew I
could beat him. He wasn’t very strong. He shot, I sprawled, got behind him and
got the takedown. From there he was easy to breakdown. He didn’t have a good
stand up and the first time I got a near-fall. I told myself I was doing fine
and to just keep doing that the rest of the match.”</div>
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Kayla worked hard to try and get the pin but Chris fought
her attempts off each time and when the match finally ended, Kayla didn’t know
why. “At first when the ref blew the whistle to signal the match was over I was
confused because I didn’t notice what the score was. But then I looked over and
realized I had teched him, but I really just wanted to pin him.”</div>
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Though a tad disappointed with getting the tech, Kayla had a
lot to be proud of. She was not 100% for the match, “I was just getting over a
concussion, and I was just happy the match was over. I started to feel dizzy.” </div>
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It wouldn’t be a good sign of things to come for Chris, as
he got teched by a wrestler who was still suffering the effects of a
concussion. Imagine what would happen when she was healthy?</div>
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Chris was to find out exactly what would happen two more
times last season. He went against Kayla twice, and was pinned both times. “I
was happy that I pinned him. I like pinning people better because at our school
we get pin-pins when we pin a kid. The team manager makes them. We wear them on
our varsity jacket, the colors are the school colors from whatever school the
kid is from.”</div>
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Her teammates began to notice, Kayla was collecting a lot of
pin-pins. “My team wasn’t very good, we lost a lot of duals, but my teammates
were always happy when I’d wrestle because it was pretty much a sure thing I’d
get us team points. Most of my losses from last season were from individual
meets. “</div>
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Unlike the previous two seasons, Kayla was very happy her junior
year, as she finished 32-12, a big improvement over 15-15. “Its dedication. I
was wrestling all year long, off-season tourneys, wrestling camps…the victories
helped me gain confidence in myself, especially the first time I wrestled
Chris. Its nice to beat someone over and over because it shows that you’re
actually better than that person, and you didn’t just get lucky.”</div>
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But as Kayla proved, things change quickly in wrestling.
Especially for boys who have growth spurts. And Chris had one. Kayla went from
outweighing him, to being outweighed. They once again met to start the 2011-12
season and just from the looks of things, last years dominance may not
continue. “He was my first match and I was a little nervous because he was
bigger than me.” But her nervousness was short-lived.</div>
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Chris was 112, and Kayla 103 pounds. Chris made the mistake
of asking Kayla’s coach what weight Kayla was wrestling at, and when he found
out she was smaller than him and not in his weight class, he was relieved. According
to Kayla, Chris didn’t want to wrestle her, even though she was smaller and he
had an advantage. “I thought it was kinda weird because he was bigger than me
now, and I didn’t see why he wouldn’t want to wrestle me, considering I thought
he’d just out muscle me. But it didn’t surprise me all that much, because he
did bump away from me last year also. It did kind of bug me, but at the same
time I just kind of laughed about it.”</div>
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Kayla understands that losing to the same person sucks,
she’s lost to the same state qualifier a bunch of times, but she says, “I liked
wrestling him because I knew the only way to get better, is to wrestle someone
better than you.” Once she even pinned the state qualifier, but you have to be
willing to get pinned to pin someone.</div>
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But it was soon clear why Chris didn’t want to wrestle
Kayla. “We shook hands, the whistle blew, Chris took a shot, a really bad one.
I realized his technique wasn’t any better from last year. I got an under-hook
or a tomahawk, and threw him to his back and pinned him. It wasn’t a very long
match.” As it turns out, Kayla didn’t have to worry about being out-muscled.
“Not really, as it turns out, he was just taller.”</div>
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Kayla was a bit surprised Chris didn’t follow her career
path. “Well last year I was just kind of whatever, he’s a freshman, he’ll get
better. He was under 100 pounds just like I was. But this year it was just like
the same thing, other than he was bigger. I was surprised he didn’t get any
better or that he didn’t out-muscle me.” Kayla wanted to know why.</div>
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“His teammate told me he just messes around at practice. But
I still give him props for sticking with it. I respect most of the wrestlers as
long as they don’t throw fits when they lose (to a boy or a girl).”</div>
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The next time they wrestled it was more of the same, except
the according to Kayla, the ref wasn’t very good. “I had him pinned a few times
and the ref never called it. So I ended up teching him 17-0. I was a little
annoyed the ref didn’t call it but our team was beating theirs so bad it really
didn’t matter.”</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PfCzt9tJdxs/T9Z7vlCZPKI/AAAAAAAAADk/Bo5VAOFRct4/s1600/girl+Kayla+over+Chirs+Beast+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PfCzt9tJdxs/T9Z7vlCZPKI/AAAAAAAAADk/Bo5VAOFRct4/s1600/girl+Kayla+over+Chirs+Beast+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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While a pin can be quick, a tech is not. You spend a long
time out on that mat, where one person is controlling the whole match. “I made
him work. I made him shoot, I’d sprawl, get behind, get a near-fall, and he’d
end up getting to his stomach. Then we would just repeat the process.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The third time they wrestled this season Kayla was already
being interviewed for the series of matches she had. It was the first time they
wrestled since the interview started. A lot was on the line, considering a
loss, would change the story dramatically for Kayla. “I was pretty nervous to
go wrestle him, because I was like, what if he gets lucky and beats me?” But
once the match started, there was nothing to be nervous about. “I calmed down
and acted like it was just another match, and that I could do it.”</div>
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The video clearly shows the frustration of Chris, and the
confidence of Kayla. Chris tries several times to shoot but Kayla easily just
backs away. One of his teammates or coaches implores Chris, “Look at what
you’re shooting at.” But then the coach is heard saying, “You’re not looking!!”
He was right, his head was on the floor when he shot. Kayla quickly capitalized
putting him in a front headlock, then grabbing his leg and riding him to the
mat. Chris was on his stomach and Kayla ran a chickenwing and pinned him with a
little bit left in the first period.”</div>
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If you watch the video, it appears Kayla was barely trying.
And she and her coach agrees. “ (laughs) I wasn’t really trying, I was being
lazy. The next day at practice coach was teasing me and told me I can’t always
be so lazy.” </div>
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Though she may have been lazy for a match, you don’t go from
a pretty bad losing record, to 15-15, to 32-12, to her senior year record of
39-10 by being lazy. You do it through hard work, believing in yourself, and
positive reinforcement. And Kayla was able to get that in the form of Chris,
who she defeated “six or seven times” by pin or tech without ever losing.</div>
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And to Chris’ credit, he agreed to an interview and realizes
how good Kayla is. “She is most definitely the best person I've ever wrestled.
No doubt. Out of the multiple times I've wrestled her, I have yet to beat her
once. She is really flexible, and really strong. My matches with her have been some
of my favorite matches.”</div>
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His <i>favorite</i>??? I was floored when he said that. He
explained, “They've always been the toughest matches. I've had some pretty hard
matches before, but none as hard as her.” Kayla had a similar reaction “(laughs)
I’m not going to lie, that surprised me.”</div>
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Chris was mature beyond his years, and a class act. But he
also was too self aware for his own good. “I really want to beat her, but
honestly, she has alot more skill than I do, and I dont plan on beating her.”
Kayla says she hopes Chris loses that attitude, because he will never get
better. “No wrestler should think like that because anything is possible if you
work hard enough for it. Because if you think you can’t do something then you won’t
be able to. I used to be just like that having a negative attitude towards my
opponents that were better than me.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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And then Kayla told me about a time she lost to a girl,
wanted a rematch, got it and beat her with a four point move with 30 seconds
left to beat her by 1, at the finals of a tournament.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s what I loved about writing this story. Kayla want
from a girl who wrestled that had little confidence and didn’t believe in
herself, to someone who doesn’t back away from a challenge, and became a wrestler.
I’m hoping I can say the same thing about Chris next season. My advice would be
work as hard as Kayla did.</div>Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-38490005879682437622012-01-04T09:51:00.000-08:002012-01-04T09:55:12.594-08:00Confidence is Key: The Story of Rebecca Myers<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TukXrMJ6Ng8/TwSSXq9B4zI/AAAAAAAAADc/wVy6oZrTYZg/s1600/Rebecca%2BMyers.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 155px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TukXrMJ6Ng8/TwSSXq9B4zI/AAAAAAAAADc/wVy6oZrTYZg/s320/Rebecca%2BMyers.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693836764268061490" /></a><br />One of the first girls to help me with this project was Rebecca Myers. Rebecca was one of my favorites from the start. She was very into judo and wrestling and was one of the biggest contributors to my first wrestling group. <br /><br />Rebecca was no superstar on the mats, her size made her an underdog in most of her matches against boys. She was only 4’9. However she made varsity her junior year at the 103 pound weight class. She ended up winning only two non forfeit victories vs. boys, but there are plenty of girls who win zero matches. <br /><br />Rebeccca was so into girls wrestling, that in 2008 she started to write a short fictional story on it. This is all important information because it shows just how much passion Rebecca had during her high school years for the sport. But passion isn’t always a good thing. Sometimes passion brings intelligence, and intelligence isn’t always a good thing. In wrestling, ignorance can be bliss.<br /><br />Many of the frustrating moments writing this book is the girls attitude and thoughts when going against male opponents. When I was their age and had to face a boy in tennis, I didn’t have his stats readily available, and we normally never met each other beforehand. Now with facebook, many wrestlers know of other wrestlers in their weight class, and know who the “beasts” are. I never wanted to know my opponent, unless I knew I was better than them. Because I didn’t want to be intimidated before a match.<br /><br />Many girls are naturally intimidated by any boy simply because boys are “the stronger sex.” Yes, boys are typically stronger but that doesn’t have to be the case, and quite often, its not. But even when a girl dominates boy, the girl think its all technique, when sometimes its strength. I’ve seen lots of videos and pictures of well defined girls beating lanky boys. But the girls get it in their head they are weaker.<br /><br />Rebecca was one of the girls, which in my opinion knew too much. In the group she’d debate about which male college wrestling programs are the best. Her love for the sport was both a positive and negative. But before her senior year her coach told her something that she needed to hear. "I think you've got the strength and technique to start turning some guys. If you go crazy, you should start winning. No one from beginner to decent should beat you." Before Rebecca’s senior year she told me, “So many people drill into our heads that girls cant wrestle, that soon we believe them.”<br /><br />Fast forward to 2012, and Rebecca messaged me about a match she wanted me to write about. Rebecca beat the boy, months before she actually wrestled him. This is the story, of how if you just believe in yourself, you will prevail.<br /><br />Rebecca competed in a local wrestling club run by athletes and coaches from one of the best collegiate teams in the country, Cornell. She says, “During one practice, a coach from Newark Valley, a local high school team was attending to help out and to coach a few of his wrestlers. He came over to speak with me, asked me how my season was going, and told me about his team’s 103-pounder who “didn’t stand a chance.” <br /><br />A little while later, Rebecca was at a dual meet tournament, when she was scheduled to face the boy from Newark Valley, and her eyes lit up. “When I began warming up for my match, I remember thinking, ‘This kid’s coach doesn’t even believe he can win. I won’t let him win.” The 4’9 girl was no longer the picked on, she was the bully.<br /><br />The wrestlers went in for the handshake, and Rebecca’s confidence only grew. “As soon as I felt his weak handshake, I knew he was scared. I was thinking I had to win this match. It was mine already.” Rebecca loved being the hunter instead of the hunted.<br /><br />“Honestly, I was pumped. Usually when I wrestled, I hesitated off the whistle and waited for my opponent to make a move. But this time I didn’t hesitate. I knew I could plow through this guy. I tied him up as fast as I could and went to work.” <br /><br />While the boy did a decent job sprawling, it was Rebecca who was taking all the shots. She took him down “quite a few times” and rode tough on top. Rebecca says, “It felt amazing to be dominating my opponent. It was easy for me to break him down and keep him from escaping. I’ve always had problems being aggressive, but this match I didn’t.”<br /><br />But it wasn’t all glory for Rebecca. “I was frustrated I didn’t pin him in the first period. I wanted to pin him as fast as I could. But I was determined to dominate the second period as I had the first.” And she did. This time, the boy would not escape Rebecca’s pinning attempts, as she ended up on top of him, and the ref slapped the mat for the pin. Rebecca felt satisfied. “I set out to pin him and I was really proud I did. I proved to myself that my attitude mattered a lot.”<br /><br />Rebecca ads “Don’t get me wrong, the boy was very strong. But I set the tempo, I controlled the positions, I dominated the match.”<br /><br />Rebecca says that she wished she could go through all her competitions with this mind set. “Of course I wish I had this attitude before. After this match, when I wrestled guys I had never seen before, thinking of this match helped. And as cheesy as it sounds, confidence is key. And that confidence can come from almost anywhere, even the opposing team’s coach!”<br /><br />It’s a lesson, I hope future girls listen to. Because if more girls believed they could compete, and beat boys, they would.Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-85250240539925464332011-12-30T20:26:00.000-08:002011-12-30T20:56:11.158-08:00One for the Books!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KagdLuEjQ_w/Tv6Spa_KSsI/AAAAAAAAADQ/-k8GKYqMVxQ/s1600/girl%2BSamantha%2BRebentisch%2Bvs.%2BBrookfield.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KagdLuEjQ_w/Tv6Spa_KSsI/AAAAAAAAADQ/-k8GKYqMVxQ/s320/girl%2BSamantha%2BRebentisch%2Bvs.%2BBrookfield.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692148219359414978" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g1Bw7GtJmW4/Tv6P2JReCMI/AAAAAAAAADE/ILr6veAqtWk/s1600/girl%2BSamantha%2BRebentisch%2Bvs.%2BBrookfield%2B2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px; height: 213px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692145139407784130" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g1Bw7GtJmW4/Tv6P2JReCMI/AAAAAAAAADE/ILr6veAqtWk/s320/girl%2BSamantha%2BRebentisch%2Bvs.%2BBrookfield%2B2.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9G3W1U9HN50/Tv6PZCSfk4I/AAAAAAAAAC4/nTyMBILa1ag/s1600/girl%2BSamantha%2BRebentisch%2Bvs.%2BBrookfield.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px; height: 213px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692144639316824962" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9G3W1U9HN50/Tv6PZCSfk4I/AAAAAAAAAC4/nTyMBILa1ag/s320/girl%2BSamantha%2BRebentisch%2Bvs.%2BBrookfield.jpg" /></a><br />Her match was one of the last ones of the night and she was standing with her teammates. Samantha Rebentisch had her warm up gear on, and was jogging in place, getting ready for her match. Her teammates, at Jonathan Law High School in Connecticut would occasionally come over to say a few words, but pretty much, they left her alone to concentrate.<br /><br />Across the gym, the Brookfield wrestling team were all huddled around one wrestler. It was Samantha's opponent. Samantha noticed. “They were looking at me and just laughing.” But this isn't anything new for Samantha, “ I wasn't thinking much of it when they were laughing at me I've had boys laugh at me before matches all the time even parents would make rude comments and laugh at me but I would shake it off.” But what she couldn't shake off was the importance of this match. “ “I was freaking out because it was one of the last matches of the day and Brookfield was the team that won their side of the bracket, while we won ours. This was it, we were going for first.”<br /><br />Samantha is 15, a sophomore and wrestles in the 103 pound class. Her opponent for the night was a little smaller, at around 98 pounds. But Samantha wasn't about to judge a book by its cover, “It gave me a little confidence, but I've wrestled guys his size before and sometimes they were my hardest matches.”<br /><br />The wrestlers stepped onto the middle of the match and Samantha's nerves were jumping. “I was so excited and nervous because the gym was packed and everyone was watching us, because I am a girl.”<br /><br />What made her even more nervous, was who was watching. “My parents, teammates parents were all cheering me on and my team was lined up against the wall cheering.”<br /><br />Finally the match started as both wrestlers started to circle. Immediately, the Brookfield wrestler made a mistake. “He took a lousy shot and I defended it by sprawling on his back. I put in underhooks and tried to turn him.” Though the match was in its infancy, Samantha was getting pumped. “I could hear my team cheering, and I knew I had to win this.”<br /><br />The match was only in its infancy, yet already Samantha was going for the kill, while her opponent tried to avoid the inevitable. “I got to his back and he kinda just scrunched up in a ball. I laced one of my arms through his leg, and one around his shoulder and rolled him into a cradle. My team got louder, my coach got louder, and the whole gym was cheering and standing up.”<br /><br />Things couldn't be going better for Samantha, “In my mind I was going crazy. All I could think was that I was actually going to win this match! I was doing so well. When I caught my leg around his and stretched him out to where he couldn't move I felt over the moon! I was so happy.” The early domination surprised her opponent, “You could tell that he was caught off guard and he was shocked,” Samantha said.<br /><br />But to his credit, her opponent didn't give up. “He started to kick from under me, so I took my free leg and hooked it with his free leg and straightened him out so he couldn't move.” The end was near, and Samantha knew it. “I was thinking that I was actually going to win this.”<br /><br />“I heard the ref slam his hand on the mat and blow his whistle, and the whole gym was going crazy! My team was jumping up and down, all the parents in the stands were jumping. I let him go and rolled onto my back. I jumped up and sprinted to the middle of the mat. We shook hands and the ref raised my hand...I was so happy. The guys that I always joke around with hugged me and threw me in the air. I think they were more happy than I was!”<br /><br />It was also the first time a girl had ever pinned a boy at her school. “I felt amazing, there had been one other girl on varsity a couple years back but she never won a varsity match, so it was one for the books!”<br /><br />It was a different reaction from her opponent. “The kid walked back over to his team and hid behind them. I could see him crying. I didn't feel bad at all, it made me feel accomplished and I knew I showed there team that you shouldn't take girl wrestlers lightly. We ended up beating their team, and winning the whole meet.”<br /><br />A season later, Samantha hopes she changed his opinion on girl wrestlers. “I hope I did, I hope that if he ever has to wrestle another girl again he will take it seriously and not like a joke. If I saw him this season I would probably just ask him straight out how he feels about it now and what did he go through from his team.”</div><div><br /><br /> </div></div>Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-66588697226317083282011-03-12T12:43:00.000-08:002011-03-12T12:49:37.522-08:00No "Luck" This Time<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KabIdIcXwao/TXvcL_Q8jPI/AAAAAAAAAB0/VrV84pNIWXs/s1600/Darby%2Bpin.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KabIdIcXwao/TXvcL_Q8jPI/AAAAAAAAAB0/VrV84pNIWXs/s320/Darby%2Bpin.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583298261575044338" /></a><br />Darby Newman wrestles at 125 pounds for Bellefontaine High School. Darby was all set to wrestle her opponent from Stivers High School, when she overheard the boy, Danny, tell one of his teammates that he didn't want to wrestle her because she was a girl. Darby was surprised, because she has two female friends on Stivers, Brandi Boo, and Clarice Mueller-Johnson. <br /><br />While some girls get intimidated by boys because of their strength, Darby felt very confident before the match. “My coach and I talked before my match about what I needed to do to win my match and going into the match, and I was pretty stoked because he didn't look that strong.” She also wasn't happy that he didn't want to face her. “I was ready to show him I could hold my own even though I was a girl.”<br /><br />But the match didn't start out well for Darby. The boy took a shot and scored. However his lead was very short lived, as he left his head hang over and Darby flipped him. “ It surprised both of us. But it felt amazing, like no one could beat me!” Darby scored the reversal and started to get back points, but the buzzer beat her. Still, she was up 5-2 after the first period. “I knew I had a nice lead but I still needed more points to win.”<br /><br />Her opponent chose to be on top to start the second period. “His first move was to try to ride me but again he left his head high, and I flipped him again. I was very excited to throw him again, but very mad when I didn't get the points since we were out of bounds.”<br /><br />The second period ended with no scoring and Darby still had the three point lead. It was Darby's decision where she wanted to start the third period from, and she chose the top. “I took the top knowing I could ride him, and he wouldn't be able to score off me.” Darby's first move was to slide her legs in, but she got too high and they rolled. However it turned out to be a great move, because, “Somewhere in the middle of rolling, I found a pinning spot and stopped.” The whistle blew and the ref slapped the mat...is what should have happened. “We sat there for more than a minute and the ref didn't call the pin. Finally I let him belly out and I scored three more points. Now I was up 8-2. I put him in a half and threw it again. He tried to fight out of it but couldn't, so we just sat there waiting for the ref to call the pin.” But once again...he didn't.<br /><br /><br />“It did bother me that the ref didn't call it. It felt like he was not calling it cause I was a girl.” Darby wasn't the only one who thought it was a pin. Danny's teammate Brandi also thought he was covered, “She had him down for a good while. I was surprised the ref didn't call a pin.”<br /><br />While Darby was disappointed with the refs decision, she was elated with her victory. “Winning 11-2, showed him I could fight. I was pretty stoked with a 11-2 victory.” Darby also thought she wanted it more, “The third period was pretty easy; he was pretty tired after the second.” <br /><br />The ref then brought both competitors to the middle, and raised Darby's hand. “I felt like I was on top of the world when the ref raised my hand. I was truly glad because I showed a lot of people I could hold my own even after people thought I couldn't win.”<br /><br />Besides the victory, Darby was also happy she could win in front of Danny's two female teammates. “ Both girls were very happy because they really didn't like that he was talking crap about another female wrestler.” <br /><br />Even though their team lost, Darby was right, both Brandi and Clarice were thrilled. Brandi said, “Yes, I was rooting for Darby! As a female wrestler, It makes me happy to see another female beat a boy in a match. Especially because I know how hard it is. So it's always great to see a girl do well in this sport because a lot of people say "oh, that's a boy's sport! You can't do that!" As much as I love my teammates, it's pretty cool watching a girl beat their butt.” Clarice added, “It's so uncommon to meet another girl wrestler that every time I do there's a sense of mutual support. In such a challenging and male dominated sport I think us girls need to stick together. I was really happy for her. Even though she'd beaten one of my team mates I was still excited. I'm pretty sure Brandi and I were smiling ear to ear when Darby won.”<br /><br />As you might expect, one person who wasn't smiling was Darby's opponent Danny. Darby says Danny just sulked the rest of the day, and Darby was not happy about it. “I thought it was very unsportsmanlike like and it kinda made me mad. So what if you lose? Everyone loses at least one time.” <br /><br />Darby thought that was the end of it, but the next weekend they had to wrestle again. What Darby didn't know was what Danny said after the match. According to Brandi, Danny made several excuses why he lost and said, “If I wrestle her again I'm not going to lose.”<br /><br />He would get his chance, but Danny was not the only one who was confident. After her semi-easy victory, Darby was bordering on being too cocky. “I laughed and felt ready to take him on again; to show him that I wasn't just lucky the first time.” <br /><br />The match started and Darby let her emotions get the best of her. “I went into the match way too hot-headed. I thought I was going to beat him pretty badly, and it was going to be easy.”<br /><br />It wasn't. The first period ended 4-4. “Both my coach and I were surprised that the match was so close,” Darby said. If Darby was surprised how Danny was taking it to her the first period, she was shocked at what happened during the 2nd round. “He took the bottom, got a reversal and two back points to take a 7-4 lead. I was really surprised and very mad about how the match was going.”<br /><br />After the 2nd period ended, Darby did not think she had a comeback in her. “I was thinking I'm going to lose this. After all this work I was about to give up.”<br /><br />But a great part about wrestling is the coaching. Darby needed love, but she needed the tough variety. And she thought back to an old coach, whose voice popped into her head and said, “"Newman, work your hardest no matter the fight!" <br /><br />Right then she got head back in the match. “I started thinking about all the ways I could win the match. I also wasn't about to let my opponent get redemption from last week.” <br /><br />Unlike last week, Darby realized she couldn't just ride out the period. She needed the points so she chose the bottom. Danny rode her and put her in a full-nelson. The move is illegal and cost her opponent a point. There was one minute left and Darby was still down two. Darby got free to gain another point, but she was still one point behind. <br /><br />There was 30 seconds left, and Darby screamed to herself, “I need a take down now!” While some wrestlers might panic, Darby was in full control. “We had practiced this scenario in the gym. I had done this before in practice, now it was time to do it for real.” And boom! She shot, and put him on his back to take an 8-7 lead with only 10 seconds left.<br /><br />Darby thought to herself, “Did I just really win this match?” The refs whistle blew and it was official. Yes she did. Darby won 8-7. <br /><br />As the wrestlers got up, Danny said something to Darby. The ref heard it and took away a team point from his school. Brandi said that got many of her teammates upset. But Brandi wasn't too upset, because she was proud of Darby. “Danny was furious, but I honestly laughed about it when Darby won a second time against him. I think it was a humbling experience for him. The second time really proved that there was no way she won the first one by an accident or any other stupid excuse Danny used. She won fair and square, twice. I think that was a BIG ego bruiser to him.“<br /><br />While it was a big ego bruiser to Danny, it was a big ego BOOSTER to Darby. “I felt like I had accomplished something great. Even though it was only one match it was great coming back and doing it twice. The feeling of beating this kid again was amazing. The crowd was cheering and everyone was watching. They knew I didn't get lucky, I showed them I wasn't a female wrestler, I was just a wrestler.”<br /><br />As for Danny's multiple excuses and comment that he wouldn't lose to her again? “I believe any excuse is just a way to blame someone else for your mistakes. Yes it makes my victory so much sweeter! I will see him again next year and hope to wrestle him again!”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-91052059496741915832011-02-20T12:37:00.000-08:002011-02-20T12:57:48.014-08:00The Start of a Victorious Career<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_kfDdy9XDw/TWF_8ttlmcI/AAAAAAAAABs/mRU1LFNogdk/s1600/Megan%2BHeather%2Bemail.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 75px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k_kfDdy9XDw/TWF_8ttlmcI/AAAAAAAAABs/mRU1LFNogdk/s320/Megan%2BHeather%2Bemail.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575878494701066690" /></a><br />It was Megan Moroney's first varsity tournament, and there was one word that described her feelings. Intimidated. Megan had been wrestling for two years, so making it to varsity was a big deal. However she lost her first match and was moved to the consolation bracket. The nerves got worse when she realized that if she lost the next match, she was out. And she didn't want to start her varsity career like that. Megan says, “It was extremely important to me to win my next match. At that point in time it was the most important match in the world. There was a massive amount of people watching considering I was on the closest mat to the them. It was more than just winning any match, I wanted to prove something. I got it set in my mind girls are just as good as boys and i was going to win.”<br /><br />She kept looking around to see who her opponent was, and then she spotted him, an older taller boy. Megan is a 9th grader and 5'1. Her opponent was a 5'5 junior. She was concerned, but then thought she had better get some confidence. “I got it into my mind I was going to win. I wanted it more.”<br /><br />Before the match the traditional handshake took place, and Megan wanted to turn the intimidation tables. “I like to intimidate my opponent, so I grabbed his hand hard. His facial expression was priceless. His face went from an, “I'm gonna pin her look, to she's gonna pin me.”<br /><br />After the ref blew the whistle the wrestlers circled and locked up, “When we first tied up I was still very nervous because if I lost that match I would have been out. But my nerves stopped when he shot because for some reason they go away when the match truly begins and I get focused on my moves.”<br /><br />The boy shot and went for a double leg, but Megan was too quick. “ I sprawled too fast and ripped a hard cross face until I circled behind and got my takedown. I was persistent with my cross face and when i circled and got my takedown I relaxed and knew it was me who was going to dictate this match.”<br /><br />Megan got her two points but just as she was going for the pin, the buzzer went off. The rounds were only 1 minute and 30 seconds due to it being the consolation round, and Megan felt she was jipped of her first period pin. “I did want a first period pin for two main reasons. One, wrestling all three periods gets very tiring and you're at your best when you have energy to do the moves. Secondly, it would make me appear as a very good wrestler which I'm striving to be.”<br /><br />But she was still up 2-0 and now had to focus on the 2nd round. Her opponent chose the down position and Megan broke him down with a chop arm. Megan says, “He got really cocky and tried to explode up. He tried to explode up and while I was still tight wasting him. He he thrashed his arms and I think he was trying to elbow me so he would get his escape. I just said to myself just because I'm a girl doesn't mean that is going to work for him. He was most likely stereotyping me, thinking I would be weak. He was very wrong.”<br /><br />Megan countered the older boys move by applying more pressure and throwing in a half. “He buckled under the slightest bit of pressure, but couldn't flatten himself out. I drove the hardest i could and got him to his back. I probably should have broke him down first but my momentum and adrenaline was to strong to stop myself.”<br /><br />Megan now was in full control and she was seconds away from victory. Megan says, “I was thinking to myself I can't let him roll through. If I had I would never forgive myself.”<br /><br />She wouldn't have to, as the ref blew his whistle, and slapped the mat, signifying Megan's victory.<br />“When you pin someone that sound is almost like being told you've won a million dollars. But it gives you more than that. It brings you great dignity, especially if your a girl.”<br /><br />One of the great aspects of baseball and hockey is, when you win you can go nuts. But in wrestling there is a code, and excessive celebration is heavily frowned upon. That was not lost on Megan. “When I got up I was a good sport in helping my opponent up. If there's anything I hate it's being a bad sport so i always try not to be. It reflects bad on the team. Even though its very individual wrestling is still a team effort. I was stopping myself from jumping up and down and screaming because if I did I'm sure he would have started balling.”<br /><br />The wrestlers moved to the center of the ring and then the ref flew Megan's hand in the air. “When the ref raised my hand it made the whole experience worth it. I know everyone was watching since I'm a girl, so it felt amazing for them to see that a girl beat a boy. My opponent's face was red and it was the pre-crying red too. He tried to get off the mat as soon as possible and didn't look me straight in the eyes. I laughed a little inside. He should have focused more on wrestling than trying to focus on not losing to a girl.”<br /><br />But unfortunately for her opponent, Megan was able to see what happened next. “He hid behind his team. As I was putting my warm ups back on I did notice him crying and it gave me even more of a feeling of accomplishment. Sort of a take that and girls can wrestle and will continue to so get used to it.”<br /><br />While some critics may fault Megan for enjoying her opponent crying, Megan feels no guilt. “It gave me a feeling of accomplishment because I put a boy in his place and it stood for so much more than wrestling. It stood for the fact that women can't let them do what they do and we need to fight back and stand up for ourselves. Also, personally I just found it funny.”<br /><br />Megan said this victory propelled her to a solid season. “This match got me used to being around a big crowd with more with one wrestling mat. I was more comfortable after that tournament and it also showed my I could win at them.”<br /><br />Megan went on to win six more varsity matches after this one, and qualified for the WPIAL tournament, which is a county tournament. Next year, she has even bigger aspirations. “I not only want to qualify for the WPIAL's, I want to place. And regionals also.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-31447793201377705092010-12-20T19:32:00.001-08:002010-12-20T19:38:18.407-08:00Sara Slays the Giant<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TRAgzEq8zuI/AAAAAAAAABQ/xbYWiV299nk/s1600/Sara%2BRuggerio.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 214px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552974402347126498" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TRAgzEq8zuI/AAAAAAAAABQ/xbYWiV299nk/s320/Sara%2BRuggerio.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Sara Ruggiero was having a bad day. Heck, lets be honest, a very rough season. It was the 2006/07 season, and Sara was a junior wrestling in the 135 pound weight class. Very few girls at that weight can be truly successful wrestling boys, and if they are, they need to make wrestling their life. And Sara didn't do that. “I have always been a well rounded person so I never I guess fully "dove" into just one outlet,: Sarah says. “I wrestled, played soccer, and softball. I was big into choir and singing, but spent alot of my focus on academics which was probably my greatest passion.”<br /><br />But while wrestling may not have been her greatest passion, she took it quite seriously. Her father was a Hall of Fame wrestling coach from New York, and one of her best friends was Toni Copleland. Toni is a name you learn quickly when talking about women's wrestling. She was a superstar in the making, and almost every girl that came in contact with her has talked glowingly of her. Unfortunately, she died tragically in a swimming accident. Sara says she thought about “throwing in the towel” and quitting wrestling after Toni died, but decided that would be dishonoring Toni's memory. So she stuck with it.<br /><br />But it was days like these that made wrestling so hard. Sara was wrestling at the Onondoga dual meet. She says, “I liked the dual meet style because all my teammates and coaches got to be at my match.” But Sara wishes her teammates and coaches skipped her first match. “The boy was cranking on my arm so badly, that the ref actually had to stop the match twice because it looked like my arm was about to pop off of it's socket.” Even though her opponent had a point taken away from him, he was still able to beat Sara on points. She says, “It was pretty discouraging for me, yet sadly typical.”<br /><br />Anna Cummings was a wrestler from Onondoga. Anna would later become a very accomplished wrestler, winning more than 100 varsity matches at her school. But on this day, she too was having a rough go. It made for a very depressing afternoon. Sara says, “It was a rough day all around. I remember in the waiting period before my second match talking to Anna and my sister about how discouraging that first match was and how this season had been going so rough. I felt like I just sucked at wrestling & I was just fighting a losing battle.”<br /><br />It went from bad, skipped worse and went to unthinkable. Sara was now facing a boy from Cazenovia High School. Sara is 5'1. Her opponent was approximately 6'2-6'3 inches tall and very muscular. Sara says, “I could tell he was one of those kids who really weighs about 160 and had sucked down to 135. I figured with that height difference I was screwed, he would just sprawl on me and that would be the end of it.”<br /><br />Sara knew she needed a miracle, so she decided to use a football term and, “throw a hail mary.” Sara admits it wasn't a smart move, “In wrestling, I would have to say it's the worst thing you can do, but I just kept thinking "oh what the hell, I'm going to set it up and throw a lateral drop & probably end up flopped right onto my own back, but at least it would be over quick.”<br /><br />It gets worse. “As soon as I got out there I figured oh great here we go. He was one of those head slappers, cocky, smiling. That smile that says "she's just a girl, this is entertaining, let me see what I can do to embarrass her."<br /><br />Unfortunately, her read was exactly right. “He took me down and let me up really quickly. I could tell he was trying to tech fall me-- humiliating.”<br /><br />As she got up, she had dread in her head, "I assumed I didn't stand a chance. I got a lump in my throat and felt like I was going to cry. I really was not in the mood to be embarrassed."<br /><br />So Sara took matters into her own hands, “I figured that if I was probably going to lose anyways, I might as well do something risky even though I didn't think it would work. The lateral drop was the coolest move, but pretty risky to try in a match. I didn't feel like I had much to lose, so if I landed on my own back & ended up pinning myself, it would at least be better than being teched.”<br /><br />Sara tied up with him and then did something she doesn't normally do. Not listen to her coach. Her coach was telling her not to tie up but she wasn't listening. “ I pushed really hard into him and he pushed hard back-- the fatal mistake on his part. I was surprised he fell for it actually. I thought it was obvious I was setting that move up, but I was waiting for that exact moment-- a good hard push into me. I used his momentum and tripped him with my left foot and brought him down to his back.”<br /><br />As it was happening, Sara finally was gaining the confidence she would need to win this match. “I remember thinking as I was tripping him, "Oh my god. I am actually doing it. This isn't practice and he isn't letting me." That was the turning point because I really saw myself maybe, possibly beating this kid who was at least a whole foot taller than me. I was in shock and I felt adrenaline coursing through me. I HAD to win this!”<br /><br />But the match wasn't close to being won. Her opponent was a giant compared to Sara, and he did not want to lose to a girl. “He was fighting like hell and I was so nervous because I couldn't hold him tight enough with the hooks when my coach yelled to headlock him. I was afraid that he would be able to bridge out easily since he was so much taller than me, but I just squeezed as tightly as I could. It felt like the longest 15-20 seconds of my life. I was just waiting for the ref to slap the mat and I was running so high on adrenaline that I felt like I was going to pop his head off if I had to.”<br /><br />While Sara was fighting for her life, she feels her opponent still didn't realize what was happening. “I think he was in shock and he still thought that he was going to beat me.” And Sara didn't necessarily disagree, “Even with him flat on his back I didn't feel like I had him because anything can happen in a match. I have come off my back plenty of times and I had come close to pinning guys before and they had gotten away.”<br /><br />But she also knew her cocky opponent was desperate. He couldn't lose to this 5'1 girl. “I knew that's why he was fighting so hard. He was terrified of what everyone would think. He was probably panicking realizing that a short little girl was pinning him down to the ground and there wasn't much he could do about it.”<br /><br />And then SLAP! The ref slaps the mat, and the match is over. Sara pinned him. “At first I felt shock. I was like, "I won? But then it was , I won!! haha. I sprung up so quick to my feet and offered my opponent a hand, he accepted. I looked at our little section and smiled.”<br /><br />Many times after a girl beats a boy the boy cries, but this time, it was Sara. “My eyes were welled up with tears of joy and I was shaking. I am not sure what came over me, but I threw up a number 1 with my hand to the crowd. I ran to the center and the ref raised my arm after I shook my opponent's hand. I never felt so proud of myself.”<br /><br />Her opponent who tried to humiliate Sara had the opposite reaction. “He just sat there with his head down and he kept his head down. I was surprised he accepted me helping him up. He was mopey and sulked off to his team's bench as quickly as possible and his team shielded around him. I was so caught up in my own victory, but I remember looking over and seeing that he was crying. I was surprised he didn't leave, but he just sulked after his brief cry on his bench.”<br /><br />While Sara is typicially a great sport, she didn't mind the boys reaction. “I am a compassionate person and my gut reaction was that I felt bad for making someone cry, but then I was kind of satisfied. I felt like I had taught him some humility. Maybe he would go on being an arrogant person, but for at least that whole day he would be thinking about how he was cocky and then ended up pinned by a girl. I knew it didn't change the way guys would think of girl wrestlers, but I had a good feeling I may have changed one guy's opinion and that felt bigger than me. It felt like more than a match. It felt societal.”<br /><br />Sara also says the immense size and weight difference made her feel proud, “It just goes to show that it's not always about the size of the dog in the fight, but about the size of the fight in the dog. It was mind boggling to me to know that I beat someone so much bigger than me.”<br /><br />Though Sara is no longer wrestling, that match is never far from her mind, “It does still mean alot years later. When I think about my wrestling career, I always think of that match. It has given me confidence in myself that I know effects me in what I am doing today.”<br /><br />And she feels somewhere in heaven, her friend Toni was watching the match. “I do. I felt a hint of sadness because I would have loved to tell her about that match, but I felt her presence I suppose you could say in my win. Sometimes I wonder if she was wishing me well and that could have had something to do with it. She would have been proud and happy for me I think.”</div>Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-60817420023744527852010-09-14T17:53:00.001-07:002010-09-14T17:54:57.101-07:00Kari Krushes<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TJAZQAFMAXI/AAAAAAAAABI/YEr3A4-Q1f4/s1600/Kari+tech+pins.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TJAZQAFMAXI/AAAAAAAAABI/YEr3A4-Q1f4/s320/Kari+tech+pins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516937306219217266" /></a><br />When Junior Kari Sickles arrived at the Call Out Tournament (COT) at, Ft. Lauderdale High School she wasn't happy, "I was kind of frustrated. It's hard to get a match at call-out tournaments when you're a girl." The COT is where you ask an opponent if he will wrestle you. Its not an important school tournament, and even the periods are shorter than normal.<br /><br />In order for Kari to get a match, her coach was going to have to do some hard work, “"My coach ended up having to talk to the other school's coaches in order to get me a match.” Her first match was against a boy from University High. Kari says the boys parents were very happy that their son would face her, "They were sitting between my mom and another rival team. When the coach told them who he was wrestling, they said 'Oh, an easy win to begin the season.' " However their son didn't seem to happy to be facing Kari, “He looked pretty nervous to be wrestling me haha.”<br /><br />It turns out, he had reason to as Kari cruised, "Almost immediately after the whistle blew I snapped him down and got 2 points. I kept trying to pin him, but he was really squirmy and I couldn't quite get it, hahaha. He ended up getting one point for an escape in the second period because when he stood up he elbowed me in the nose and I let go out of pain. It wasn't too hard to take him back down though, so I kinda dominated him the entire match." Kari ended up winning the match, 11-1. “I felt pretty good afterwords because I'd wrestled well and won.”<br /><br />Kari then wrestled another boy and lost by one point. “I just made a stupid mistake and underestimated him, and that's what happens."<br /><br />While Kari was successful in getting the first two boys to say yes, the third boy proved to be more tricky. The boy she wanted to face didn't seem to want to face her. But luckily for Kari, his teammates started riding him. Kari says, “They said the usual taunts, things like "Are you really that scared of a girl? Is she really that much better than you? How much of a chicken can you be?"<br /><br />But it was the boy's response that upset Kari. "One of my teammates was warming up for a match right next to them. My teammate told me the boy tried to act tough and say, “Of course I'm not afraid, she's just a girl, winning will be easy.” Kari did not fully believe her teammate.<br /><br />“When he told me I thought he was exaggerating, but when I walked by them to get to the mat they were still talking about it. Also, we were on the mat right next to them - so I could see them talking and laughing and looking at me.<br /><br />Kari was not pleased, “I was pretty mad - he was actually one of the first boys to really talk crap about me.” It wasn't just going to be a match now, now it was personal. “Winning became really important to me. I didn't want to lose to someone like that.”<br /><br />But while Kari was confident based on her 11-1 route in her first match, she didn't really know how this match would go, “"I wasn't 100% sure I could crush him, because I hadn't really seen him wrestle, and didn't really know anything about him. All I initially thought of was winning."<br /><br />Kari stepped on the mat and another thought came to her, “I'm not gonna lie, I wanted him to be embarrassed.” They shook hands and Kari gave him a firm hand shake, “I wanted him to be a bit intimidated.” Kari was met with a wet noodle, “That's when I thought 'I can definitely crush this kid.' "<br /><br />While many times the girl is at a strength disadvantage, this time she felt her gender gave her an edge, "I think he was intimidated before we even shook hands. He was psyching himself out over the probability that he could lose to a girl haha."<br /><br /><br />The match started and Kari felt his disrespect grew. “The only time I've ever seen a wrestler just stand there at the start, it's been out of disrespect. And that's what he did. When the whistle blew, he kinda stood up a bit - like he was expecting me to just stand there and not know what to do while he took me down.”<br /><br />That isn't what happened. “Well, I've never been very good at taking shots, so I lunged at him and attacked his head, trying to snap him down while showing him that I knew exactly what I was doing. Her opponent put a lot of effort into trying to get her down. But he was unsuccessful, "He wasn't really in a good position to get the take down, it was really easy for me to flatten him out.” But Kari still had work to do to get the two points, “It wasn't so easy getting his arms off and spinning behind. I put all of my effort into spinning behind him, but my team does a lot of conditioning and I didn't exhaust myself. After I sprawled, I had to get all the way behind him to get the two points."<br /><br />It was extremely early in the match, and it was only 2-0, but Kari could feel her opponent had nothing left. “Once I had him down I knew I had him. He gave up on trying to base up after about 10 seconds. His coach was yelling at him but I just kept tilting him for back points.<br /><br />"I was pretty excited that I'd gotten the 2 points, and when he kinda gave up it made me feel pretty confident that I would be winning the match - especially since he gave up so early in the match."<br /><br />Then her opponent's coach started getting frustrated, "At that point, his coach started getting really mad at him. No coach wants to see their wrestler give up a minute into the match."<br />The first period ended and it was a romp, 10-0. While Kari was unsuccessful in getting the pin, she wasn't upset. “Where I live I actually never got too much disrespect from guys, so usually I'm not going into a match with the goal to embarrass someone lol, I just want to win.”<br />But this was a different case, Kari had been disrespected, and now she was going to return the favor, “At the end of the first, I was just thinking of a way to embarrass him - as mean as that may sound haha - so being in the lead by 10 points was fine by me, even if didn't have the pin."<br /><br />Kari was not worried about her opponent making a comeback, “"When we stood back up he took his time and kept looking at the ground instead of at his coach or me. He did try harder for a take down in the second period, but it went a lot like the first period and he gave up a bit quicker. I knew he couldn't beat me at that point because he was mentally broken."<br />It was now 12-0, and it was getting dire for her opponent, “I was trying to turn him over, but since it was a call out tournament the 2nd period was shortened to a minute and I didn't really have a lot of time left. I got another near-fall for 2 points, and then with 10 seconds left I turned him again." Kari was having the time of her life, "I was enjoying myself, and I was enjoying beating him so badly hahaha. I was in my own world."<br /><br />But there were still 10 seconds left in the 2nd period, and the score was 14-0. One more point for Kari, and it would be a tech fall. "When I turned him over, I knew that I would be getting the win because he wasn't really even trying to bridge off his back at that point. Unfortunately, I had lost track of the time towards the end so I didn't realize that there was almost none left. When the ref slapped the mat at the same time as the end of period buzzer, I just thought 'man, now I have to go into the third period because that probably didn't count.' But it turned out that it didn't matter, because I got enough points from the near-fall to give me a technical fall. The ref wanted to give me the pin, but wasn't really sure if he could give it to me, so he asked my opponents coach what he thought. The coach looked at the score and then looked at me and said 'I don't care, ask her what she wants.' " "So I chose the tech because that would be a more embarrassing way to lose, in my opinion.”<br /><br />Kari had accomplished her goal, "I was smiling, because I was pretty happy with the outcome of the match. He just kinda stood there though - I'm sure he was embarrassed, because he'd talked crap and then lost 16 - 0."<br />It was time for the winners arm to be raised, and Kari couldn't wait. "It felt as good as it did the first time I ever got my hand raised. I don't really remember if I said anything to him, but I don't think I did, he just walked off to go sit with his teammates."<br /><br />They would see each other again, but this time, her opponent had nothing to say, "I didn't see him again until counties, and when I walked by him his teammates said 'Hey, isn't that the girl that destroyed you?' and whenever he saw me after that he would turn and walk away from me. I guess his teammates made fun of him for losing."<br /><br />Kari to this day doesn't understand the big deal about why it was such a big deal to lose to her, "It just seemed kind of stupid to me, honestly, because counties was a month later and he was still embarrassed about losing." She also thinks if they meet again, the goal will be different, “I've proven my point the first time , so if we ever wrestle each other again my goal won't be to embarrass him, just win."<br /><br />Asked if she ever sees him again what would she want him to think, Kari says, "I guess I'd want him (and his team) to know that, just because I'm a girl, it doesn't mean I'm going to be a bad wrestler. Being a girl has nothing to do with my ability as a wrestler."<br /><br />Does she think he knows that now? “I think he does.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-37263429217557223362010-09-09T04:57:00.000-07:002010-09-09T05:04:31.386-07:00Molly Helsel Win Match, and Respect<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TIjNPNi0QZI/AAAAAAAAABA/4sYvt3sRBGA/s1600/Molly+Helsel.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 180px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514883404932596114" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TIjNPNi0QZI/AAAAAAAAABA/4sYvt3sRBGA/s320/Molly+Helsel.jpg" /></a><br /><div>While this is a book about girls who wrestle in high school, there is a match that has to be told, about a woman going against a man, in a grappling tournament. If you type Molly Helsel in Youtube, you will surely find the match. It lasts 3:19 and it shows that heart, brains, and determination sometimes can slay brawn.<br /><br />Molly Helsel was just looking for a sword. Had the organizers of the NAGA Hawaii grappling tournament just awarded a samurai sword to the winners of the Woman's division, perhaps this story would never have happened.<br /><br />Molly had entered the tournament the previous two years. But she was left unsatisfied as she only participated in one match. Molly won the second year and while she was happy with her victory, she was upset that the winner of each Mens division was awarded a samurai sword. Molly paid the same price the men paid, and felt the women winners should be awarded a sword. “After watching all the men get on the podium and the champions received their sword I was excited because I thought I would receive one too. When I found out there was none it did make me upset because I felt like the powers that be viewed a woman's accomplishments as less than a mans.”<br /><br />Not one to just complain to her friends, Molly wrote a letter to the tournament directors. Molly did not get the response she was expecting, “They told me they weren't going to award the woman's winner a sword. So they said if I wanted that prize, I could enter the mens division and try to win one.”<br /><br />However it wasn't going to be that easy. The tournament director also told Molly that she couldn't enter the novice division, but had to enter the beginners division. So not only was Molly now forced to grapple a man, she had to grappled experienced men. Molly was satisfied with the decision. “I thought it was more than fair and I was just grateful for the opportunity to compete in the mens division. Not for one second would I have expected any special treatment whatsoever. My experience level fell into the bracket I was placed in and it was not the organizers fault that the smallest weight division was 15 pounds heavier than my walking weight. I did this for the challenge, not for an easy win so I thought the organizers were fair, especially because they didn't have to let me enter the mens.”<br /><br />However there was one more obstacle Molly was going to have to face, an obstacle many girls in high school wrestling face. She could grapple the guys, as long as no man had a problem with grappling a woman.<br /><br />Many girls have to do nothing but walk to the center of the mat and get their arms raised when they are scheduled to wrestle a boy. That's because many boys would rather forfeit to the girl, rather than risk losing to her in a real match. Luckily for Molly, she had friends in the beginners division, and no one said they had an issue with grappling with her, “there were a few of them that I had trained with before that had seemed supportive.”<br /><br />But before Molly could grapple the guys, she had to go against the one other girl in the woman's division. This proved no problem, as she quickly disposed of her opposition, and won the title. Molly was excited that she won the match because the girl was ranked higher than her and much heavier. But she still had her mind somewhere else. “My eye was really on the men's division, that's what I had really been training for because I did not expect any women to enter that year.”<br /><br />Now it was time to go against the boys. Perhaps the two words that best described Molly's feelings heading into the match would be, “Uh-oh.” To put it bluntly, Molly was up against it.<br /><br />Not only was Molly going against a man, but she was giving away at least 15 pounds. “the lowest weight class they had in that division was 145. I weighed about 130 pounds at the time.” And though this was the beginners division, Molly had heard her opponent was not new to grappling. “I knew he would be stronger than me. I had also heard beforehand that he had some wrestling experience so I knew I probably wouldn’t be able to take him down.”<br /><br />There is a saying in sports that many times isn't accurately used. A team full of underdogs will say “Nobody thought we can do it.” But in reality, many times the underdog team will have faith that they can win. So technically, its inaccurate because the players thought they could win.<br /><br />But for this match, not even Molly thought she could do it. “When I first stepped on the mat and in mentally preparing myself for the match beforehand, I really did not expect to win. I just wanted to test myself and make a point to the organizers.”<br /><br />While most wrestlers will try to psyche themselves up before a match, Molly's opponent seemed to be cursing his misfortune, of having to grapple a girl. “ I could tell the guy was not exactly excited about going against me, but I didn’t really care because he had an opportunity to speak up if he had any objections.”<br /><br />While her opponent seemed less than enthused, Molly didn't have many pre-match jitters, “I wasn’t too nervous because I didn’t really have very high expectations from myself.”<br /><br />The match started and Molly realized she had to be aggressive, “I immediately tried to pull guard. He passed to side control, but I recovered guard again.” However her opponent was just too strong for her. He put Molly in a Ezekiel choke.<br /><br />A choke in grappling is normally the death nail. This match could have been over before it started, but Molly's opponent's technique didn't match his strength. “He didn't have the choke in the right place. It was across my jaw and was very painful, but not choking.”<br /><br />However it appeared Molly wasn't very much competition either. The whole match Molly was on her back, and while she wasn't ready to tap, she knew she was in trouble. “He was very strong and I just couldn’t improve my position.”<br /><br />Many girl wrestlers will say strength doesn't matter, its all about technique. But that's simply not true. Strength does matter, and Molly was finding out the hard way. If you look at the video, Molly was in pain. But though she wasn't as strong as her opponent, what she lacked in muscles, she made up in heart. “I was frustrated because I knew he wasn't trying to improve his position and that he really didn't know the finer details of the submission he was trying to put on. I knew he wasn't taking me seriously and if I could just be patient, let him wear himself out with his bull(expletive) submission maneuver I could find a way to win.”<br /><br />Molly felt she was being disrespected. She felt the man wasn't taking her serious, and that made her more competitive. “Going into the division I didn't really think I would actually win, but there was a small part of me that did believe it was possible. So I just wanted to have fun and test myself out. But his attitude during the match not taking me seriously did make me angry though. What particularly got me mad was that he didn't have the choke, and he knew he didn't have it. So he grinded his forearm into my jaw instead. That mad me mad! You can ask any of my training partners - I have a switch. it's very hard to push but when it is FTW!”<br /><br />Unfortunately, talent can usurp heart, and after approximately 2 minutes into the match, Molly's opponent was finally about to get the choke that would undoubtedly lead to a submission. Molly needed to act fast, and at the 2:16 mark of the video, Molly finally started creating some space between her neck and his arms, “I stretched my legs out to relieve the pressure. That allowed me to create just enough space to start slipping out the back.”<br /><br />But her opponent never lost control. He readjusted and seemed to be back where they started...however that wasn't exactly true. Molly's opponent didn't realize the girl had some wiggle in her, “ I’m not sure if he just didn’t know what I was doing or probably just wasn’t thinking I was a threat as there was a short time left in the match.”<br /><br />Slowly but surely, Molly was escaping, and when she finally escaped his hold, she had a surprise for him, “It took me awhile to work my way out, but as soon as I had position on him, I slapped on the choke!”<br /><br />But time was running out and Molly knew this was it. “I knew this was my last chance to win - there was no way I would win on points by that time - and just had to put everything I had into it. I didn't have it locked in perfectly, but no matter how tired I was, I just stretched the (expletive) out of him and hoped he would tap or go out.”<br /><br />So would her opponent tap?? Much like her opponent, Molly's technique was not flawless. He did not have to tap. It turned into who wanted it more. Molly spent approximately 2:30 seconds on her back, and she didn't come close to tapping. “I am an extremely stubborn person. As a child it used to get me in lots of trouble, but as a fighter it helps me preserver. In competition in my mind - even if I am being dominated - I always think in my head "I'm fine, I've been here before, he / she can't hurt me, I can still win this. I never give up until the bell has rung. Some people fight not to lose, me - I fight to win, always.”<br /><br />But while her opponent couldn't put her away, the clock could. “Knowing I was almost out of time I just used every ounce of my body in putting pressure on the choke.” And at the 3:09 mark, her opponent tapped!! Molly had won! Molly was euphoric.<br /><br />She immediately let go of the choke and raised her arm with the widest smile a person can have. She jumped in the air and started celebrating like a champion. “When he tapped I think I was more shocked than the crowd was. I was so ecstatic that I actually won I just jumped up and celebrated.”<br /><br />Her opponent, seemed crushed. He stayed on one knee as Molly came over to him and performed the most awkward hug in the history of hugs. She slapped his back twice and then jumped up again and did another yelp.<br /><br />In sports there is no bigger contrast than the winner and loser, and certainly this was the case here. Molly was jumping for joy, while her opponent looked like he was distraught.<br /><br />“While I was receiving congratulations, he immediately walked off the mat, packed his bag and left the gym – even though he still had more matches left.”<br /><br />Molly may have had some sympathy for her opponent, but that quickly vanished when she found out who she beat. “While I was waiting for my second match, many people came up to me and said how happy they were that it was him that had been defeated. Apparently he had been making his way through all the local gyms, and was just a jerk and a know-it-all in training. They said it was karma.”<br /><br />Molly went on to lose her next match, but that didn't matter to her. She performed well and lost on points and once again, refused to tap.<br /><br />But in the end, only one match mattered. Molly says, “I will never forget how I felt that day. I just had a constant adrenaline buzz for hours afterward and could not remove the smile from my face. I wore my medal from that match for weeks after.”<br /><br />It was a great day for Molly, as there was more good news, “Oh and another thing... they did have samurai swords for the female division that year... I still have mine :)”<br /><br />But the sword she still has is no match for the memory and youtube clip of Molly's triumph. She calls it the proudest moment of her life. While Molly believes her opponent had a slight physical advantage, she knows mentally, it wasn't even close. “I think that was the difference between us that day. I do believe there was also a technical difference. Men become so dependent on their strength, women are forced to work smarter and not necessarily harder. We are patient and more flexible generally and I think my patience and great training partners that refuse to take it easy on me won that match for me that day.”<br /><br />Molly says, she wanted to prove a point. “I believe I was stronger mentally than my opponent. I wanted it more. I was very very hungry and wanted to prove a point, that a women of basically equal strength / technique / weight (give or take some) CAN beat a man. I wanted to prove it to the guy, the organizers, my peers and training partners in Hawaii, but mostly myself.”<br /><br />Editors note: The video can be found here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRPD7bOoSpc</div>Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-22730241871395617352010-08-06T22:07:00.000-07:002010-08-06T22:09:54.921-07:00Brianna Gedeon- Dedication at its Finest<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TFzqeqoX2qI/AAAAAAAAAAw/7psDLcPtKTw/s1600/Briana.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TFzqeqoX2qI/AAAAAAAAAAw/7psDLcPtKTw/s320/Briana.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502530657300503202" /></a><br />In a country that is infested with political correctness, its nice to talk to a girl like Brianna Gedeon . Many kids get medals for participating to show that its not whether you win or lose, its how you play the game. And while there is honor in defeat if you truly give your all, Brianna set out to show, if you give your all, you should start winning. <br /><br />Brianna started her wrestling career very late. She was curious about the sport, considered it for awhile but finally in her junior year of high school, she decided to go out for the team at Division 1 school Charles F. Brush in northeast Ohio. “Our high school isn't very good at many sports to be quite honest, but one thing we do have is a solid wrestling team. Its by far one of the toughest wrestling areas in the nation.” <br /><br />So despite being a girl, and being late to the sport, Brianna decided to give it a go. “My first day of practice I was a 98 pound scrawny little girl, not knowing what to expect.” 2 ½ hours later, she found out. “By the end of practice I was puking in the trash can all bruised and bloodied up. This was the most intense 2 ½ hours imaginable.” Many thought, maybe the scrawny little girl should find another sport. And that's exactly why she didn't. “I came back because everyone expected me to quit. I am no quitter, I was not about to prove people right.”<br /><br />So she came back. But the practices didn't get easier. “Over time the entire football team that joined quit and our team lost about half its members.” Which is exactly what the coach at Brush High School wanted. Brianna says, “Coach weeded out the ones that couldn't cut it, that didn't have what it takes to be a wrestler.” While many boys were dropping like flies, Brianna stayed. “To everone's surprise, I was still there, coming back everyday.”<br /><br />But despite the dedication, she was Brianna was still scrawny, and still new. The losses were piling up faster than the sweat. “Despite sticking out practices I was still honestly a completely terrible wrestler. That season I didn't win a single match on JV. I went 0-11. I was the only person on the team to get defeated every time I wrestled.”<br /><br />It was a very difficult season. “I wanted to quit but I couldn't let myself quit without knowing what it felt like to win once. I used to go to the bathroom after losing all these matches and I'd cry because I felt like such a failure. But that gave me motivation to work even harder.” <br /><br />Though she didn't win a match, her teammates had her back. “My team has always been very supportive of me. They always have tried to help me get better because they saw how hard I work. Even when I would lose they would always be there to help me, and show me what I did wrong.”<br /><br />It was a nice consolation prize for Brianna. But still she hated losing. And so did her coach. “At the end of the season the coach pulled me aside and had a talk with me. He told me that he admired how I didn't quit, but honestly if I don't get beat out for varsity next year by some freshman, he doubted I would win more then 5 matches if that. In his words I would just be filling a spot.”<br /><br />And that wouldn't be any spot. It would be the spot of Brian Hauser. Who is Hauser? “Hauser is our stud 103 pounder who placed placed second in both Ohio Division I states and senior nationals.”<br /><br />Coach's words resonated with her. In other words, it is whether you win or lose. And Brianna was going for a win. “That conversation stuck with me. Something in me changed that day. I decided to push myself and prove everyone wrong. I was sick of being a loser. I made a promise to myself that no one would outwork me. No longer would I just go through practices but I'd push myself the entire time.”<br />That summer while some girls went to the beach and tanned, Brianna trained. “I got much bigger from all the serious lifting I was doing, and for 5 days a week 2 hours a day I was practicing.”<br /><br />She went to weekly tournaments and something happened. Brianna actually won a few matches. Finally, Brianna had won! “It was the greatest feeling finally getting my hand raised. It was the first time that I felt like my hard work was paying off. Once I knew what it felt like to get my hand raised I started working even harder because I wanted to keep on winning.”<br /><br />So she continued to work. “People knew I was working hard, but I don't think they realized just how much of an effort I was putting in.” After all that work, finally the wrestling season started. Gone was the 98 pound scrawny little girl. “I got much bigger and was much stronger than last season. I was still nothing compared to my stronger male competitors, but I was a lot stronger than I used to be.”<br /><br />Her first test would be what is called the previews. The previews don't count in the standings, and aren't official matches, but a lot of people would be watching, “Its a way for our coaches to get an idea of how their team would do this season. A lot of people were watching. We had several area teams come to our Brush preview and the stands were packed with students, teachers, parents and coaches.” <br /><br />So while the matches had no significance in the standings, they couldn't be more important to Brianna. “Although the matches didn't really count for anything, they meant a lot to me. Every coach who helped me in the off season was there watching and everyone who remembered me losing was there watching. I was finally able to show everyone how hard I had been working.”<br /><br />It was time for Brianna to step on the match. And though she had the jitters, there was a different feeling to her first match. “It was the weirdest feeling because it felt natural to me.” <br /><br />The match started and the boy shot on her right off the whistle. Instinctively, Brianna hit a hard sprawl, smashing him with her hips and got “two easy points.” <br /><br />After a season of losing, Brianna knew that things were going to be drastically different this season. “At that point I started getting confident, and I knew I was going to win it. I turned him to his back several times throughout the match and I saw him just giving up after a while.” Brianna couldn't buy a win last season, and in her first match at previews, she was dominating. “He was just frustrated. Every shot he tried to shoot I scored off of. I did not shoot once the entire match.” <br /><br />Brianna was having the time of her life. “I just had such an adrenaline rush the entire match. I could hear everyone cheering me on in the stands and all my teammates were watching me for the first time win a match.”<br /><br />And when she finally got her arm raised in front of everyone, Brianna felt amazing. “It just felt good to for once be the superior wrestler and have everyone know it. Not only was it a great feeling that I won, but I surprised so many people. I proved everyone wrong.”<br /><br />Brianna now had to prepare for her 2nd match that day. And she wasn't satisfied with just winning once. “I felt confident going into the second match. It just gave me an opportunity to surprise people even more, I don't think they expected me to win again.”<br /><br />But anyone that doubted Brianna now were going to be proved wrong. Again. “My second match was just like my first. He shot on me once again I sprawled and scored 2. I kept turning him the rest of the match to get back points. It was much like the first match, I worked my same stuff on top and it was working.” And once again, she knew the match was over while it was still going on. “Yep, I knew I had it. He couldn't score on me in neutral position and he couldn't escape when I was on top and I could tell he was giving up.” Brianna ended up winning the match 9-0. “ Winning the second match felt even better because I was 2-0!”<br /><br />But her day wasn't over yet. Even though she had a combined 20 points to her opponent's 0, her toughest competitor was waiting for her. He was a varsity 112 pounder. Brianna was giving away 9 pounds. This was not going to be as easy as the first two matches.<br /><br />“This match I got a little nervous. I wasn't as confident. He was way bigger, but I was determined to go 3-0 that day.” <br /><br />But she wasn't the only one nervous. Her opponent didn't want to face her. “He was super nervous to wrestle me. His teammates told me he didn't want to wrestle a girl, and he tried to get out of the match. Even though I was slightly intimidated by his size, I knew I had a shot at winning. I was determined to go undefeated.” <br /><br />But Brianna wouldn't let him get out of it. “Yea, I wanted to get my third match! I already beat their 103, I wanted to challenge myself and wrestle their varsity 112.”<br /><br /><br />The match was intense. Her opponent had noticed Brianna scored on her opponent's shots, so he stalled the entire match. He also kept backing up so she couldn't get a shot in. At the end of two periods, the score was 0-0. Brianna was getting frustrated, but confident. “I knew I could beat him. But I didn't think I could beat him on my feet because he was stalling so bad and the ref would not call him for it. But I was pretty confident I could get the escape.” <br /><br />Brianna was right, she got the escape, the she knew it was over. “There was only like 30 seconds left, he is not shooting, I'm going to win this.” The ref awarded her another point for an illegal hold, and when the match was over, it was Brianna's whose arm was going to be raised!<br /><br />“I was very happy. I felt extremely accomplished because there was only a select few of us on the team who went undefeated that day. And I was the only one who didn't give up a single point. It was such a turn around from losing every match last season. It felt even better saying I beat a varsity 112.”<br /><br />After three matches, none of the boys could muster a point on her. “Haha, I was so proud of that! Everyone was so suprised and a lot of people came up to me to tell me how great I did. It was a great way to start off the season, and thats when I knew I would be getting some wins this season.”<br /><br />Brianna gave what she thought was her all her junior season. But it wasn't. She gave a lot, but not her all. When she gave a lot, she never won a match. When she gave her all, she found out she can not only hang with the competition, but beat them. And sometimes easily. Brianna went on to have 15 varsity wins. From 0 to 15. <br /><br />And while none of her preview wins count as any of the 15, they counted for her. “For the first time I felt like I could call myself a wrestler.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-71868766689490347552010-08-04T10:05:00.000-07:002010-08-04T10:07:23.208-07:00C C Wins Championship for Goodrich<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TFmeGhYRmOI/AAAAAAAAAAo/t0A4t98UH2c/s1600/CC+2+again.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TFmeGhYRmOI/AAAAAAAAAAo/t0A4t98UH2c/s320/CC+2+again.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501602254686361826" /></a><p style="margin-bottom: 0in">The Biggest Match of My Career</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">The girl is undoubtedly cute. She weighs 103 pounds and has long blond hair. She's 5' ¾, but she says, “Actually you should just say I'm 5'1 because it's close enough (laughs). But its your call.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Her Facebook and Myspace pictures are filled with pictures of her posing very girly. If you saw her in a dress, wrestling is the last sport you'd think she participated in.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">But then you see some pictures exposing her lean and very fit body. There is not an ounce of fat on her. But still, I've seen the pictures where she's wearing a dress. This girl can't possibly be a wrestler can she?</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">She's not only a wrestler. She's one of the most successful high school wrestlers in the history of girl wrestling. She's CC Weber of Goodrich high school in Michigan. One of the toughest wrestling states there is in the country.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">While most girls high school lives would be ruined if they were called a “Beast,” that's one of the biggest compliments you can give a wrestler. And make no mistake about it, this lil' blond beauty is a beast. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">CC has won numerous tournaments, both against girls and boys. She has won a National Championship during her junior season against girls at the 105 weight class. But perhaps her biggest individual accomplishment is finishing 4<sup>th</sup> in the state against boys in Michigan her senior year at the 103 weight class. Or maybe it's the fact she made it to states her sophomore, and junior years as well. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">So which of these accomplishments is her personal favorite? None of the above. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">During her junior year, the team accomplished a long awaited goal when it won the team state championship. CC and fellow girl teammate Kristi Garr were featured on ESPN's Outside The Lines. The story showed how much the team championship meant to not only CC, but the rest of the wrestlers as well.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">CC's senior season was downright amazing. As a captain, CC compiled approximately 50 wins while only suffering 5 losses (3 to the same boy) her senior year. But there's one match in particular, that CC will never forget. It's the match her teammates asked her to defend the state championship.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">It was the semi-finals and Goodrich was taking on Swan Valley High School. CC says, “When we started that dual everyone knew it was gonna be a battle. But we also knew that we were the tougher team, and if we all wrestled tough we'd beat them.” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">After all her accomplishments, confidence is not something that CC is lacking. But even CC gave a little gulp, when she found out her match at 103, was going to be the last match of the dual. “When they pulled 112 as the starting weight, let me tell you my stomach dropped!!! I knew that no matter what, it was going to come down to me, because our teams were so evenly matched.” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">But that stomach has done countless amount of crunches. You can see everyone of CC's abdomen muscles in that stomach. All of her training, prepared her physically for this match. But what about mentally? CC says, “Honestly I couldn't watch any of my teammates because I was too busy pacing the whole time.” The Goodrich captain was nervous. Nervous, but confident. She says, “I was convincing myself that losing was absolutely not an option. I didn't care if God was gonna come out and wrestle me. I was not about to let my team down especially being a captain.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">But God sat this match out. Her opponent, was a boy named Jared Flores. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Flores was no slouch himself. But he was a freshman. He didn't have the experience that CC had. If CC wanted to search her soul for confidence, all she had to do was think back to last season when she beat Shane Dutton in the regionals 5-3, to advance to individual states. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">But pressure is a weird element, and you never know how you're going to respond. When CC beat Dutton, it was a big match for <i>her, </i><span style="font-style: normal">but not the team. This was different. And her teammates let her know it. She said, “Once we knew it was for sure gonna come down to me, all my teammates were like CC, you have to win. CC it's coming down to you.” But if that's not pressure enough, her coach made sure she knew the magnitude of the match. CC says, “But the moment that really hit me is when my coach said CC its coming down to you, and I wouldn't want it any other way.”</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">How did CC take all of this pressure? “That fired me up,” she said. If CC was feeling all this pressure, imagine how Flores felt. Before the match, CC knew she was in for a battle, “He only had two losses the whole year, so he was no pud. (wimp)” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">But once they walked on the mat, the confident CC knew the match was over. “Right when I stepped out on the mat, I knew I was going to win when I saw the kids face. He was mentally broke before the match even started.” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">Had this match occurred during the regular season, perhaps Flores would have stood a chance. But not this match, not today. CC says, “First I see his scared expression on his face, and then right after the whistle blew I got that first takedown so quick, and I wasn't nervous after that.” She may not have been nervous, but there was a long way to go until her hand was raised.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">This is where all the training, all the experience, all the confidence comes in. CC was up 2-0. Most wrestlers wouldn't want to give away a point, but CC knew she took Flores down once, she can take him down again. So she let him up, and literally gave him a point. She knew what she was doing, as she took Flores down again, and ended the period up 4-1.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">The second period started and Flores chose down. Once again CC let Flores up to make the score 4-2. CC took him down again and made the score 6-2. In the third period, CC chose down and got a point for escaping. She says before the final whistle she took him down again, but the referee never gave her credit for the points. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal">But CC didn't need the points. The whistle blew to signify the end of the match. CC Weber 7, Jared Flores 2. More importantly, Goodrich H.S. 30, Saginaw Swan Valley 26.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span style="font-style: normal">Normally in victory, CC is gracious and mindful of the losing wrestler, but she couldn't hide her emotions this time, “There's a </span>sweet picture of me smiling with my hand raised, and I <i>never </i>smile after I wrestle.” After the match, CC had enough energy to celebrate with her team, “After I won I ran to my coach and he lifted me up, and then everyone on the team pretty much tackled me. (Laughing) It was great!”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Goodrich went on to win their second straight title by defeating Dundee High School 33-25. The second championship felt even nicer than the first one for CC. She says, “It was<i> soooo </i>important to me. This was our teams goal right after we won our first state title, to get a second one. It was more important then the first one because this year our team for sure didn't have as much talent as it did the year before, but we were just so tough and worked so hard. A lot of people doubted us. But we were just so tough and winning on toughness is the best feeling ever.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">As for her semi-final win over Flores, CC says she is extremely proud that when her teammates needed her most, she responded. “I went out there and in my opinion had the best match of my season. I almost majored the kid. Call it the will to win I guess.” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">When asked what she meant by the will to win, and didn't she think her opponent also had that same will, she responded, “The only way I can explain it is, basically just believing in your ability to do what you have trained to do...win. And knowing that there is no other option. Flores may have had it, but I know I wanted that match more than he did.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">During the match, CC says she's very proud that she never put her team in danger of losing. While this next quote may seem cocky, it wasn't intended that way. It was more to show how proud she is that during the biggest moment of her high school career, the girl who is oh so close to 5'1, wrestled like a 7' giant, “I was in control the whole match. He didn't even come close to scoring on me. I dominated every period. I dominated the match. I was the better wrestler.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"> She proved she was the better wrestler again when the two met up again in individual states. This match was much closer, but CC still came out on top with a 3-1 win. “Well I knew it was going to be a good match because he knew how I wrestled. I still knew I was going to win though.” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Unfortunately for CC, she didn't accomplish her final high school goal, of winning the state individual championship. She had to settle for 4<sup>th</sup> place. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">And though you maybe reading this and saying, <i>“Settle?!?!?!?” </i> CC has the attitude of a winner, and 4<sup>th</sup> <i>is </i><span style="font-style: normal">settling,</span> “Yeah, I was really pissed I didn't win individual states. Everyone else thought getting fourth was good (laughs). That annoyed me but whatever.”</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Would she trade one of her team championships for a state championship? No way she says, “I'd rather win the team title. Hands down.” </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in">Thanks to her semi-final victory, she did.</p>Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-53236725934235593172010-08-04T10:00:00.001-07:002010-08-04T10:02:00.100-07:00C C Wins Championship....AgainThe Biggest Match of My Career<br /><br />The girl is undoubtedly cute. She weighs 103 pounds and has long blond hair. She's 5' ¾, but she says, “Actually you should just say I'm 5'1 because it's close enough (laughs). But its your call.”<br /><br />Her Facebook and Myspace pictures are filled with pictures of her posing very girly. If you saw her in a dress, wrestling is the last sport you'd think she participated in.<br /><br />But then you see some pictures exposing her lean and very fit body. There is not an ounce of fat on her. But still, I've seen the pictures where she's wearing a dress. This girl can't possibly be a wrestler can she?<br /><br />She's not only a wrestler. She's one of the most successful high school wrestlers in the history of girl wrestling. She's CC Weber of Goodrich high school in Michigan. One of the toughest wrestling states there is in the country.<br /><br />While most girls high school lives would be ruined if they were called a “Beast,” that's one of the biggest compliments you can give a wrestler. And make no mistake about it, this lil' blond beauty is a beast.<br /><br />CC has won numerous tournaments, both against girls and boys. She has won a National Championship during her junior season against girls at the 105 weight class. But perhaps her biggest individual accomplishment is finishing 4th in the state against boys in Michigan her senior year at the 103 weight class. Or maybe it's the fact she made it to states her sophomore, and junior years as well.<br /><br />So which of these accomplishments is her personal favorite? None of the above.<br /><br />During her junior year, the team accomplished a long awaited goal when it won the team state championship. CC and fellow girl teammate Kristi Garr were featured on ESPN's Outside The Lines. The story showed how much the team championship meant to not only CC, but the rest of the wrestlers as well.<br /><br />CC's senior season was downright amazing. As a captain, CC compiled approximately 50 wins while only suffering 5 losses (3 to the same boy) her senior year. But there's one match in particular, that CC will never forget. It's the match her teammates asked her to defend the state championship.<br /><br />It was the semi-finals and Goodrich was taking on Swan Valley High School. CC says, “When we started that dual everyone knew it was gonna be a battle. But we also knew that we were the tougher team, and if we all wrestled tough we'd beat them.”<br /><br />After all her accomplishments, confidence is not something that CC is lacking. But even CC gave a little gulp, when she found out her match at 103, was going to be the last match of the dual. “When they pulled 112 as the starting weight, let me tell you my stomach dropped!!! I knew that no matter what, it was going to come down to me, because our teams were so evenly matched.”<br /><br />But that stomach has done countless amount of crunches. You can see everyone of CC's abdomen muscles in that stomach. All of her training, prepared her physically for this match. But what about mentally? CC says, “Honestly I couldn't watch any of my teammates because I was too busy pacing the whole time.” The Goodrich captain was nervous. Nervous, but confident. She says, “I was convincing myself that losing was absolutely not an option. I didn't care if God was gonna come out and wrestle me. I was not about to let my team down especially being a captain.”<br /><br />But God sat this match out. Her opponent, was a boy named Jared Flores.<br /><br />Flores was no slouch himself. But he was a freshman. He didn't have the experience that CC had. If CC wanted to search her soul for confidence, all she had to do was think back to last season when she beat Shane Dutton in the regionals 5-3, to advance to individual states.<br /><br />But pressure is a weird element, and you never know how you're going to respond. When CC beat Dutton, it was a big match for her, but not the team. This was different. And her teammates let her know it. She said, “Once we knew it was for sure gonna come down to me, all my teammates were like CC, you have to win. CC it's coming down to you.” But if that's not pressure enough, her coach made sure she knew the magnitude of the match. CC says, “But the moment that really hit me is when my coach said CC its coming down to you, and I wouldn't want it any other way.”<br /><br />How did CC take all of this pressure? “That fired me up,” she said. If CC was feeling all this pressure, imagine how Flores felt. Before the match, CC knew she was in for a battle, “He only had two losses the whole year, so he was no pud. (wimp)”<br /><br />But once they walked on the mat, the confident CC knew the match was over. “Right when I stepped out on the mat, I knew I was going to win when I saw the kids face. He was mentally broke before the match even started.”<br /><br />Had this match occurred during the regular season, perhaps Flores would have stood a chance. But not this match, not today. CC says, “First I see his scared expression on his face, and then right after the whistle blew I got that first takedown so quick, and I wasn't nervous after that.” She may not have been nervous, but there was a long way to go until her hand was raised.<br /><br />This is where all the training, all the experience, all the confidence comes in. CC was up 2-0. Most wrestlers wouldn't want to give away a point, but CC knew she took Flores down once, she can take him down again. So she let him up, and literally gave him a point. She knew what she was doing, as she took Flores down again, and ended the period up 4-1.<br /><br />The second period started and Flores chose down. Once again CC let Flores up to make the score 4-2. CC took him down again and made the score 6-2. In the third period, CC chose down and got a point for escaping. She says before the final whistle she took him down again, but the referee never gave her credit for the points.<br /><br />But CC didn't need the points. The whistle blew to signify the end of the match. CC Weber 7, Jared Flores 2. More importantly, Goodrich H.S. 30, Saginaw Swan Valley 26.<br /><br />Normally in victory, CC is gracious and mindful of the losing wrestler, but she couldn't hide her emotions this time, “There's a sweet picture of me smiling with my hand raised, and I never smile after I wrestle.” After the match, CC had enough energy to celebrate with her team, “After I won I ran to my coach and he lifted me up, and then everyone on the team pretty much tackled me. (Laughing) It was great!”<br /><br />Goodrich went on to win their second straight title by defeating Dundee High School 33-25. The second championship felt even nicer than the first one for CC. She says, “It was soooo important to me. This was our teams goal right after we won our first state title, to get a second one. It was more important then the first one because this year our team for sure didn't have as much talent as it did the year before, but we were just so tough and worked so hard. A lot of people doubted us. But we were just so tough and winning on toughness is the best feeling ever.”<br /><br />As for her semi-final win over Flores, CC says she is extremely proud that when her teammates needed her most, she responded. “I went out there and in my opinion had the best match of my season. I almost majored the kid. Call it the will to win I guess.”<br /><br />When asked what she meant by the will to win, and didn't she think her opponent also had that same will, she responded, “The only way I can explain it is, basically just believing in your ability to do what you have trained to do...win. And knowing that there is no other option. Flores may have had it, but I know I wanted that match more than he did.”<br /><br />During the match, CC says she's very proud that she never put her team in danger of losing. While this next quote may seem cocky, it wasn't intended that way. It was more to show how proud she is that during the biggest moment of her high school career, the girl who is oh so close to 5'1, wrestled like a 7' giant, “I was in control the whole match. He didn't even come close to scoring on me. I dominated every period. I dominated the match. I was the better wrestler.”<br /><br />She proved she was the better wrestler again when the two met up again in individual states. This match was much closer, but CC still came out on top with a 3-1 win. “Well I knew it was going to be a good match because he knew how I wrestled. I still knew I was going to win though.”<br /><br />Unfortunately for CC, she didn't accomplish her final high school goal, of winning the state individual championship. She had to settle for 4th place.<br /><br />And though you maybe reading this and saying, “Settle?!?!?!?” CC has the attitude of a winner, and 4th is settling, “Yeah, I was really pissed I didn't win individual states. Everyone else thought getting fourth was good (laughs). That annoyed me but whatever.”<br /><br />Would she trade one of her team championships for a state championship? No way she says, “I'd rather win the team title. Hands down.”<br /><br />Thanks to her semi-final victory, she did.Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-26670090546273652652010-08-04T07:57:00.000-07:002010-08-04T08:13:17.605-07:00Alexis Lodge<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TFmDdlJJupI/AAAAAAAAAAg/-H3dgI6ZHnY/s1600/Alexis.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/TFmDdlJJupI/AAAAAAAAAAg/-H3dgI6ZHnY/s320/Alexis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501572964019714706" /></a><br />Alexis Lodge is not a big girl. If a high school boy that didn't know her walked by her, they may think she was a cheerleader or played soccer. <br /><br />According to Alexis, Josh Silva was a big guy. He looked strong and muscular. <br /><br />They both were at John Baptist High School for a wrestling meet. If you didn't know any better, you may think Alexis came to the match to cheer Josh on. But she didn't. She came to beat him.<br /><br />There were two problems though. <br />1)Josh's size.<br />2)Alexis was intimidated.<br /><br />Alexis says, “I remember seeing him and I was really worried because I didn't think I was going to win because he looked really buff.” Her coach didn't want to hear anything of it. Alexis says, “Coach kept telling me not to worry about how big he is and just keep my head in the match, and to be thinking about what moves I was gonna try.” <br /><br />But her positive thinking didn't last long. “So I go on the mat and before you wrestle you have to shake hands and he had a strong shake. Usually I can tell how strong a person is going to be by their handshake.” How strong was Josh's handshake? “I got a little worried,” Alexis says.<br /><br />This is actually quite common among girl wrestlers who have to wrestle boys. And though Alexis says Josh was bigger than most boys, she wasn't about to lose before the match started. She had a plan. She says, “I was gonna try to use my speed and technique, because he looked like he could definitely out muscle me.”<br /><br />The ref blew the whistle, and that's when the intimidation ended. She says, “Once the ref blew his whistle, Josh just stood there in his stance. I think he was waiting for me to do something. So I did.”<br /><br />Alexis quickly fire-manned Josh and got a quick take down. If Josh was surprised, Alexis was shocked, “I was thinking, holy cow, I cannot believe I just took him down!" <br /><br />After the takedown, her brain went into overload. “I didn't really have a plan. My brain was going crazy because I was so excited I was winning!” But without a plan, she wouldn't be winning much longer. <br /><br />Alexis quickly regained her inward composure, and went to work. “While we were on the ground I was trying to get wrist control so that he wouldn't flip me.” Josh tried to base up but that was a mistake, as Alexis snagged one of his arms and got him in a single chicken wing. She says, “I was thinking it was awesome but I probably wasn't going to be able to do anything with it, because he was so much stronger then me he was just going to muscle his way out of it.”<br /><br />But then Josh made a mistake he would not be able to recover from. And Alexis knew it. Josh put his other arm up, trying to retrieve the arm Alexis had control of. Alexis says, “Wow did he really just give that to me?” He did, and Alexis knew the match was over. <br /><br />She says, “After he gave me the arm I said, hmmmm OK I'll take it. Then with big smile on my face... I took it.”<br /><br />The single-chicken wing was now a double-chicken wing. And Alexis knew there was no way out. “Well with a chicken wing you get both arms behind their back and you have to walk over their head and sit on your butt, that way their back is on the mat.”<br /><br />At this point Alexis was in cruise control. “I wasn't really thinking I was more like laughing on the inside because he was so much more stronger then me and I beat him. I'm pretty sure we both knew it was over.” <br /><br /><br />And it was. “That's when I heard the ref slap the mat and call the pin. My mom was there too, and I looked up at her and gave her the biggest smile I think I've ever smiled before!” <br /><br />But Josh wasn't smiling. Alexis wanted to be a good sport. She says, “After I won I jumped right up and tried to help him up, but he didn't want any help, so I just went back to the middle of the circle and had the ref raise my hand. Then I went and shook the other coaches hand with a smile on my face and you could definitely tell, Josh was angry.” <br /><br />Alexis could understand why he was so upset, “I think he was pretty mad because, well, if you see me in person I'm not very big. I'm not muscular and I'm really tiny.”<br /><br />And at 5'2 117 pounds, she was pretty happy he was angry, “I felt wonderful. I kinda wanted to laugh but i knew it wouldn't be very sportsmen like. I enjoy it very much when I win against boys because it shows that girls can do anything that boys can.”<br /><br />Alexis is very glad she was able to face Josh, “This was a big meet to because all the seniors who wrestled last year were there to watch. Alexis was glad they saw her victory, “I felt a little show-offey, kinda like yeaaa!!!! That's how a girl does it!” <br /><br /><br />But could she do it again? Josh didn't think so, and he would get the chance. They had a another match at Hermon High School, at the Winter Tournament. <br /><br />This time, the intimidation was gone, “I wasn't really as scared seeing him the second time as much as I was the first time because I knew I had beat him before and if I went out and just kept my head in the match then I could beat him again.” But Alexis knew she wasn't guaranteed a victory, “ I didn't want to start getting cocky because I didn't want to end up losing.”<br /><br />She also knew that the match wasn't going to be as easy as the first time, “ I figured that since he knew what he did wrong last match I would have to think of something different to do, because he would never fall for the double chicken wing again.”<br /><br />But as Alexis was planning for the rematch, she overheard a conversation. “I was talking to my mom and she was sitting right behind all of the MDI team. We heard Josh's coach tell him that with all the stuff he was saying about me that he better go out and beat me.” That didn't sit well with Alexis. She says, “I was thinking I was gonna go out and pummel him again just to make him look like a fool, because I don't really like when boy wrestlers talk crap about girl wrestlers specially when a girl has already beaten them.”<br /><br />Because Alexis is tiny, she has to rely on her wits more than her muscles, and even though she wanted to prove her win was no fluke, she realized she was in Josh's head. “Well if he was talking about me on the bus, I must have made a good fist impression because he wouldn't be talking about me if not. And I think people only talk smack about someone else when they know that the other person is better then them.”<br /><br />And though she was facing pressure, she realized Josh had it far worse. I asked if she felt the tables had turned and now Josh was intimidated, and she replied, “Oh yeah for sure. He was scared I was going to beat him again, in front of all his "boys." And he was probably scared because if I was a guy wrestler I would definitely be embarrassed if I was beat by a girl.”<br /><br /><br />It was time for Josh to prove the first match was a fluke, and Alexis could tell, Josh was more prepared this match. However, so was Alexis. Gone was the intimidation of a much larger opponent. Alexis said, I kind of figured it was going to be easier to wrestle him because last time I beat him so fast. I knew I was gonna beat him, but I dont go into any match cocky because that messes with your mind. You have to be confident, not cocky.”<br /><br />The match started and Alexis immediately took a 2-0 lead. Josh tried tried shooting a double leg takedown, but Alexis sprawled on him, and took him down instead. Alexis says “I wasn't really surprised I took him down. I was happy that he went down so easy like last time.” <br /><br />From there, Alexis had control of the match, “After I took him down, we went back and fourth here and there, but mostly I was on top. I tried to throw in a power half, and he tried countering by attempting to base. But he left one of his arms open so I grabbed it and threw in a single chicken wing. he went to lift up his other arm and ended up hitting me in the eye with his elbow. I was irritated at him because my eye was blurry the rest of the match.”<br /><br />But even with a blurred eye, Alexis was able to catch the wayward arm and put him in a double chicken wing. However unlike last time, Josh was able to escape. “Somehow he got out, which surprised me a lot.” But even though he escaped Alexis' finishing maneuver, Josh was still in trouble. Alexis says, “He was still on the bottom, so I just kept working at getting that double chicken wing back. I was trying a lot of different maneuvers to get him on his back, but he was pretty rugged so it was hard trying moves on him. I was getting very frustrated. But right as I was going to let him up so I can take him down again and get more points, he lifted up his arm and I snagged it for another single chicken wing. I smiled because he falls for it every time. I knew he was going to try and base up from his position and leave his other arm wide open for a double chicken wing. And that's exactly what he did.”<br /><br />After I caught him again, I hung on really tight to both arms so no matter what, he couldn't get out. Once he was secure, I just had to walk over his head and sit on my but so that I could pin him. When the ref slapped the mat, I was wicked happy. I usually am right after I beat a boy. It makes me laugh when a girl wins a match against a guy.”<br /><br />But Alexis is a good sport and after she got up, she tried to help Josh up. However Josh didn't want her help. Alexis says, “Whatever. I walked back to the center of the mat so the ref could raise my hand and not Josh's. That made me wicked happy. A big smile broke out on my face!”<br /><br />After the match, Alexis watched Josh sit in his chair and sulk. She says, “It was funny. I got a chuckle out of it. I enjoy when boys throw hissy fits after I beat them, I just laughed and high-fived Airen (her twin sister who is also on the wrestling team). I was really happy, we were both cracking jokes about it and I went over and talked to my Mom and she was laughing. She's really into the whole wrestling thing.”<br /><br /><br />Airen was thrilled with her sisters triumph. “When I was watching this match, I thought Alexis was so bad ass. She's a spectacular wrestler.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-4540072990994208272010-03-01T15:24:00.000-08:002010-03-01T16:52:30.089-08:00Brittany Patrick: Getting Respect the Hard WayMost girl wrestlers want boy wrestlers to think of them in one regard. A wrestler. But they know, they are a girl stepping into a mans sport. And most of the girl wrestlers aren't automatically accepted or respected...until they earn it.<br /><br />Brittany Patrick earned it, the hard way. She was in 8th grade and wrestling in her first freestyle match. She had only been wrestling for four months, so to say she was inexperienced would be an understatement.<br /><br />But her inexperience wasn't her only disadvantage. She weighed in at 115 pounds. There was no one in her weight class, so she moved up to 120 pounds. “I was thinking, oh no!! (laughs) I was really nervous, and of course I wanted to impress my teammates.”<br /><br />The boy she was facing was appropriately named Tyler Kill. Brittany says, “I only remember his name because my mom jokes about how he “killed” me.”<br /><br />Freestyle is the best two out of three rounds, or pin. Though Brittany was lighter than Kill, she immediately took him down at the opening whistle. She let him roll to his belly and then completed three bull dogs for a first round tech.<br /><br />Brittany's coach was very pleased with her and told her to keep her aggression. Brittany says, “I remember my mom told me that my coach and her kept looking at me, and then at each other kind of in shock that I was actually wrestling, because when I first started out I was very timid on the mat.”<br /><br />After the first round tech Brittany was extremely confident. At the start of the second round she went to take Kill down, but he dodged out of the way. Brittany stood up from her shot and pushed him out of bounds, scoring her first point of the round. The whistle blew again and this time Kill became the aggressor. He charged forward as if to shove Brittany out of bounds, but she hit a duck under and then circled to the front and hit an alligator roll on the way out of bounds. Three more points for Brittany. It was 4-0 and this was turning into a romp. Brittany says, “Tyler was pretty frustrated at the way the match was going. And stupidly I was getting a little bit cocky so my stance was a little sloppy.”<br /><br />An animal is most dangerous when their injured, and Kill was angry. Brittany knowing the match was all but over, was standing up more with her head raised, instead of the usual wrestling position. Kill noticed, and lunged at her head for the head and arm. Brittany was ready for this however, and locked around his body, so she could throw him over. It was going to be a defining moment for Brittany. She was going to toss this boy to the mat and win the match.<br /><br />But that never happened. “I realized I was too weak to lift him up, so I let go and slipped my arm out. He started to hip me over with just my head, but I was trying to step around out front.” But as often is the case with boys and girls wrestling, the strength favors the boy. Brittany says, “Unfortunately, he was stronger than me and flipped me up and over. I landed on the upper side of my shoulder with a very loud crack.”<br /><br />Brittany's plan of flipping Kill over and winning the match was long gone now. Brittany was injured, lying on the mat. The move Kill hit was legal, so even though he was losing, he was now going to be the winner.<br /><br />Not so fast. Kill jumped off Brittany with concern on his face. Though the gesture was chivalrous, Brittany would have none of it. She says, “With my adrenaline pumping, I didn't hear the crack, though I did feel the pain. But my dad always told me to suck it up. You're weaker than the boys so you need to get used to being tossed around a hurt a little bit.”<br /><br />So instead of giving up, she spoke up. Brittany says, “I distinctly remember rolling over and saying, “Uhhhh, what are you doing? We're still wrestling!” Brittany says she taunted Kill until he started wrestling again, and he jumped on her and tried to run a half. “That's when I first really felt the pain,” Brittany says. “I kinda gasped because due to my fall, I had dislocated my shoulder slightly, and he popped it out of place.” The score was now 4-2, and time was running out. Brittany couldn't score any more points, so she had to make sure Kill didn't. Her coach yelled time was running out and she gritted out the final seconds, securing her 4-2 win.<br /><br />She says, “After the final whistle I rolled onto my back, but when I tried to sit up, the room was spinning. That's when I yelled for my coach.”<br /><br />The throw was so violent, an adult had already called for an ambulance. Ten minutes after winning her match, she was on a stretcher with an IV in her arm. Brittany says, “I pride myself that I didn't cry. I know it sounds dumb, but I didn't.”<br /><br />Brittany's grit, determination, and toughness did not go unnoticed by her teammates. “After the match it was kinda cool because my teammates actually stuck up for me and gave Tyler some crap about beating up a girl. All of the sudden I was cool with the guys and they respected me more.”<br /><br />Brittany realizes Tyler didn't intentionally try to hurt her, but her compassion for Tyler lasted only for a little while. She says, “Yes I felt bad for Tyler. I knew he didn't mean to hurt me. But when he took my gold medal when I was in the hospital, the feeling bad for him went away.”<br /><br />Though she was tough on the outside, inside the injury took its toll on Brittany. She says, “The first time I got on the mat after I was injured, I was incredibly nervous. I was timid and not nearly as aggressive and successful. Every little throw I flinched.”<br /><br />But those nerves, with help from her family eventually went away. “My Dad made me do some trust drills and I was back to wrestling confidently.”<br /><br />Now when things are going tough, Brittany sometimes looks back on that match and realizes she can overcome the obstacle standing before her. “It made me realize I could keep doing what I need to do when I get hurt. I think yeah it hurts now, but I've done it before and I can do it again.”<br /><br />And while some people would think they were a badass for winning the match, Brittany says that's not what was important. “Honestly, I'm more proud that I stuck it out and finished the match, even though it hurt. Even if i did somehow lose that match I don't think it would have mattered to me.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-78290676181272014472010-02-07T08:48:00.001-08:002010-02-07T08:57:54.973-08:00Morgan Belanger, The Rivalry<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/S27xDepGTUI/AAAAAAAAAAM/foAC_8xxq5w/s1600-h/Morgan2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jUzjaK4rzC8/S27xDepGTUI/AAAAAAAAAAM/foAC_8xxq5w/s320/Morgan2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435546842350112066" /></a><br />Wrestlers will often face off against certain wrestlers more than once. They build a certain rivalry with each other. Some rivalries are friendly, some are intense, some are even. However some are one-sided. One such rivalry pitted Morgan Belanger vs. a boy named James. If Morgan Belanger were a hockey player, fans would be littering the ice with their hats. It was a rivalry, that Morgan says helped make her senior season so much fun. The story of Morgan Belanger, vs. James.<br /><br /><br />Morgan Belanger, was a senior. But more than that, she was entrusted as the captain of her wrestling team. She knew, being a captain has a lot of responsibilities, but being a captain that's also a girl? She can't screw this up. Did she really deserve to be captain?<br /><br />She was nervous before her first match. Nothing new there, Morgan is always nervous. But this was different, “First, I didn't want to let my team down, especially on the first match of my captaincy! Second, it's a little problem I have in having total confidence in myself.” But while she was nervous, she was also confident. She saw her opponent, a boy named James. “ He was my height, and my weight. He was also my build, lanky with not a lot of muscle. I figured I could take this guy,” she said.<br /><br />As it turned out, Morgan had no reason to be nervous. She explains, “I stepped on the mat, shook his hand, and decided I'd give him the lead. I'm not an aggressive person by any means, I'm more the defensive type. Well, he instantly went to tie up with me, but did it horribly. Both his hands were on my biceps, mine on his. I could feel his balance going everywhere.”<br /><br />While Morgan often will have the skill advantage, she often gives up some strength to her opponent. But not this time. Morgan says, “His strength was no match for mine. In an instant as I processed this, he suddenly ducked to shoot in on my legs. Luckily, he was slow and sloppy. I countered by shooting my legs behind me and laying all my weight on him. Then I spun around him, and immediately secured my legs. By legging in (intertwining my left leg with his while I'm on top) I felt instant comfort/ease. I had been practicing riding legs all practices because that was the only part of my body I could depend on. My leg strength and ability to stay hooked was my only real advantage against bigger guys.”<br /><br />But James wasn't a bigger guy. And he wasn't very hard competition. Morgan now switched from wrestler, to captain. “I realized I needed to end this match quick, as I wanted to save my strength for the other match I would have after (it was a double meet, meaning she went against two teams). I dug my left elbow into his right side, lifted his right arm above my head and placed it in the crook of my neck. I then slowly worked my way down, and when he was more or less on his back, I locked my hands around his head, and squeezed like I never have before, while stretching his leg, still locked with mine, down. After about 30 seconds, the ref slapped the mat and I was brought to the center to shake hands and get my arm raised. I felt great!”<br /><br />The match ended at 1:39 of the first period. Morgan says, “This was one of my favorite matches because it was the first match I won as a varsity captain, so I felt as if I proved to the team (and myself) that I could do this.” She adds, “It was definitely one of my easiest matches, but also most gratifying. I love riding legs, and this was the quickest match where I won while using them. It really helped to develop my wrestling style throughout the season.”<br /><br />The next match was not as easy for Morgan, but she did beat her opponent 10-1. All in all a great day for her.<br /><br />She would go on to face James two more times that season. “I felt a lot more confident. I knew that I've beat him before, so there's no reason why i shouldn't beat him again.”<br /><br />Morgan had reason for her confidence, as she pinned James all three times she faced him. She says of beating the same opponent three times, “I felt awesome. I can say I'm very proud of them. I really didn't use to have a lot of confidence in myself as a wrestler, until i wrestled James. He was the one wrestler I could count on in my varsity days to build my strength back up, and help me realize that I was just as good a wrestler as the others out there.”<br /><br />And even though she was already the captain, it made her feel more part of the team than she already was. “Iwas super excited about that (beating someone three times to zero). I'm not the strongest wrestler out there, and most of my other teammates had somebody they beat a lot, so I was able to be included in their conversations,” she said.<br /><br />Her victories also gave her a missing ingredient in her wrestling game. A strut or swagger that she doesn't have in her everyday life, but wanted on the wrestling mats, “James will always be the person who took the best and worst of me at the same time I guess. He portrayed me to be greater then him, to my team, and thus created me in a greater light. Like I was the greater wrestler, always, when compared against him,” she said. Morgan adds she's not normally aggressive, but the thought of James brings that and other feelings out in her.<br /><br />Morgan says, “If he and I were in the same sentence together about wrestling, its automatically assumed I was the better one because he has never beaten me. And he also stirred that deep, intense feeling in me of my need to completely demolish him on the mat, so to speak. Seeing him always made me get the urge to be cocky and someone I'm not (off the mat).”<br /><br />Her rivalry and 3-0 record against James, helped her earn the nickname that her team gave her. “Captain Morgan.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9163035896682052511.post-19117879007487275662010-02-07T08:48:00.000-08:002010-02-07T08:52:53.129-08:00Morgan Belanger, The RivalryWrestlers will often face off against certain wrestlers more than once. They build a certain rivalry with each other. Some rivalries are friendly, some are intense, some are even. However some are one-sided. One such rivalry pitted Morgan Belanger vs. a boy named James. If Morgan Belanger were a hockey player, fans would be littering the ice with their hats. It was a rivalry, that Morgan says helped make her senior season so much fun. The story of Morgan Belanger, vs. James.<br /><br /><br />Morgan Belanger, was a senior. But more than that, she was entrusted as the captain of her wrestling team. She knew, being a captain has a lot of responsibilities, but being a captain that's also a girl? She can't screw this up. Did she really deserve to be captain?<br /><br />She was nervous before her first match. Nothing new there, Morgan is always nervous. But this was different, “First, I didn't want to let my team down, especially on the first match of my captaincy! Second, it's a little problem I have in having total confidence in myself.” But while she was nervous, she was also confident. She saw her opponent, a boy named James. “ He was my height, and my weight. He was also my build, lanky with not a lot of muscle. I figured I could take this guy,” she said.<br /><br />As it turned out, Morgan had no reason to be nervous. She explains, “I stepped on the mat, shook his hand, and decided I'd give him the lead. I'm not an aggressive person by any means, I'm more the defensive type. Well, he instantly went to tie up with me, but did it horribly. Both his hands were on my biceps, mine on his. I could feel his balance going everywhere.”<br /><br />While Morgan often will have the skill advantage, she often gives up some strength to her opponent. But not this time. Morgan says, “His strength was no match for mine. In an instant as I processed this, he suddenly ducked to shoot in on my legs. Luckily, he was slow and sloppy. I countered by shooting my legs behind me and laying all my weight on him. Then I spun around him, and immediately secured my legs. By legging in (intertwining my left leg with his while I'm on top) I felt instant comfort/ease. I had been practicing riding legs all practices because that was the only part of my body I could depend on. My leg strength and ability to stay hooked was my only real advantage against bigger guys.”<br /><br />But James wasn't a bigger guy. And he wasn't very hard competition. Morgan now switched from wrestler, to captain. “I realized I needed to end this match quick, as I wanted to save my strength for the other match I would have after (it was a double meet, meaning she went against two teams). I dug my left elbow into his right side, lifted his right arm above my head and placed it in the crook of my neck. I then slowly worked my way down, and when he was more or less on his back, I locked my hands around his head, and squeezed like I never have before, while stretching his leg, still locked with mine, down. After about 30 seconds, the ref slapped the mat and I was brought to the center to shake hands and get my arm raised. I felt great!”<br /><br />The match ended at 1:39 of the first period. Morgan says, “This was one of my favorite matches because it was the first match I won as a varsity captain, so I felt as if I proved to the team (and myself) that I could do this.” She adds, “It was definitely one of my easiest matches, but also most gratifying. I love riding legs, and this was the quickest match where I won while using them. It really helped to develop my wrestling style throughout the season.”<br /><br />The next match was not as easy for Morgan, but she did beat her opponent 10-1. All in all a great day for her.<br /><br />She would go on to face James two more times that season. “I felt a lot more confident. I knew that I've beat him before, so there's no reason why i shouldn't beat him again.”<br /><br />Morgan had reason for her confidence, as she pinned James all three times she faced him. She says of beating the same opponent three times, “I felt awesome. I can say I'm very proud of them. I really didn't use to have a lot of confidence in myself as a wrestler, until i wrestled James. He was the one wrestler I could count on in my varsity days to build my strength back up, and help me realize that I was just as good a wrestler as the others out there.”<br /><br />And even though she was already the captain, it made her feel more part of the team than she already was. “Iwas super excited about that (beating someone three times to zero). I'm not the strongest wrestler out there, and most of my other teammates had somebody they beat a lot, so I was able to be included in their conversations,” she said.<br /><br />Her victories also gave her a missing ingredient in her wrestling game. A strut or swagger that she doesn't have in her everyday life, but wanted on the wrestling mats, “James will always be the person who took the best and worst of me at the same time I guess. He portrayed me to be greater then him, to my team, and thus created me in a greater light. Like I was the greater wrestler, always, when compared against him,” she said. Morgan adds she's not normally aggressive, but the thought of James brings that and other feelings out in her.<br /><br />Morgan says, “If he and I were in the same sentence together about wrestling, its automatically assumed I was the better one because he has never beaten me. And he also stirred that deep, intense feeling in me of my need to completely demolish him on the mat, so to speak. Seeing him always made me get the urge to be cocky and someone I'm not (off the mat).”<br /><br />Her rivalry and 3-0 record against James, helped her earn the nickname that her team gave her. “Captain Morgan.”Girls Who Wrestle in High School Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15076558808619431038noreply@blogger.com2