Looking Back at Wrestling Season...

    Around this time last year, I decided to join the wrestling team.  Of course, as a female, this caused much controversy at school.  I had a huge variety of responses.  Some positive, most negative.  Kids I didn't even know came up to me asking "Are you really wrestling?" or "I bet you won't last two weeks.".  I even had some teachers tell me that "Wrestling isn't for girls."  The only thing that type of attitude does is motivate me.  
    The coaches were hesitant, and I completely understand why.  But I was determined to show them that I was serious and I could hang with the guys.  Come the first day of try outs and I found out that I wasn't the only girl interested in being on the team.  Here comes this blonde bimbo making her way to the wrestling room in tight, short, Soffe shorts, a too-snug T-shirt, and obviously still wearing a Victoria's Secret push up bra, and NOT a sports bra.  Good lord.  This was not about to help my cause at all.  She had no experience with wrestling, nor did she even play a single sport.  She was in it for the attention, and she expressed this vividly.  These are the kind of girls that do not belong in male dominated sports.  I knew that we were going to partnered together, and sure enough, we were.  I had to get her out of there.  I've never scooped someone up and slammed them on the mat as hard as I did her.  I did this for two weeks until she quit.  It may sound cruel, but I was doing her, and everyone else, a huge favor.  And the coaches were very proud haha.

My first match -and first win- wresting a Lakeshore wrestler

    I thought that my MMA background would help me out with wrestling, but it was quite the contrary.  I had to drop a ton of my habits- such as going to my back, attempting submissions, and resisting the urge to punch people square in the face.  Even though I lacked the experience that most of my teammates had, I tried not to show it.  I went "balls to the wall" -as we would say in practice- with everything we did.  New moves, buddy carries, trilogies, monkey in the middle, knee ball.  I couldn't have asked for better teammates.  They knew I was there for the right reasons and they treated me just like one of the guys.  I definitely had some unforgettable times with some unforgettable people.  Wrestling is hands down the hardest sport, both physically and mentally.  It teaches you hard work ethic and discipline.  I also learned that you are your biggest enemy, your mind gives up way before you body will, and you can always push a little harder.  I also learned that there's no greater feeling than when you make weight and don't have to go run laps in sweats after an exhausting two hour practice.

The season was a great experience and I'm glad I did it, but my heart belongs to MMA.

Coach Culver and Coach Radenbaugh