As a newer addition to the high-quality sports programs at OHS, the girls wrestling team exerts its effort into successfully wrapping up their third season. With the right coaching, hard training, and resolve, the girls are determined to build a better team each year.
This season especially, the varsity team’s efforts on the mats are finally paying off in their accomplishments at games and tournaments.
“Whenever they compare it with last year, the coaches praise them a lot. Last year, they said they weren’t really taking home any trophies, but this year they really are. Every tournament I have been to, we always have one or two people placing, whether it is first or fifth place,” said Allyson McCall, sophomore, team manager.
Reaching these successes, however, like any other sport, comes with a price; since wrestling primarily involves hand-to-hand combat, it can be associated with many injuries.
“I remember last year, I dislocated my shoulder which took me out for the season, and another girl on the team broke her collarbone three days later,” said Amelia Alexander, junior. “There are definitely a lot of injuries, physical injuries during wrestling tournaments. We see the ambulances come all the time.”
An aspect of wrestling that is distinctive to the sport in particular is the practice of cutting weight. As a result of duels being divided into weight classes, athletes stress over the need to cut or gain weight according to the weight class they are shifting to.
“Last year, when I was going down a weight class, I was cutting pretty much every practice. I would layer up on clothes, so I would have a few pants and a few tops on, which would help me sweat more. The more I sweat, the more I would lose and [I would] also be eating clean,” Alexander said.
Aside from the physical aspects, wrestling is one of the most mentally challenging sports; demanding extensive effort and determination when athletes are on the mats.
“You have to mentally push past all of that and you have to push your pain tolerance further and your willingness to do hard things,” Alexander said.
The reason for continuing wrestling despite all these obstacles is the gratifying emotion felt after a hard-won match. This alone is enough for the girls to know their sport is worthwhile as they continue pushing themselves to win.
“The reward you get, that satisfaction when you’re getting your hand raised on the mat. I can’t really explain how it feels, but just getting your hand raised and knowing that your hard work is paying off is probably one of the best things,” said Kaylee Coleman, junior.
The 15-member Girls Wrestling team has bonded and grown over the past three years, creating a close support system.
“They’re very supportive. I think the girls’ team is probably one of the closest sports at O’Connor, in my opinion. Because there’s just a very small group of us, we’re all super close,” said Cassidy Langford, sophomore.
OHS is also one of the few schools privileged enough to have female coaches for the wrestling team, which turns out to be a huge advantage for the girls.
“They [are] really good because not many other teams had female coaches coaching the women’s team. At tournaments and duels, [other teams] would be like, ‘It’s so nice that you guys have girls coaches, now I can tell the difference between your [team] and mine’ and ‘I wish I had a girls coach so they could understand me at some level.’ I just think that’s so cool, that there are women who have done this before,” Alexander said.
The girls wrestling team also has managers who fulfill secretarial duties for the team. Some of these students, however, end up finding a love for the sport and joining the team.
“I started out as a manager and kind of just being there at the meets and stuff, just watching them wrestle, it just seemed so much fun. It honestly seemed like I’d enjoy it so much as a sport. And the second I got into it, I realized how much I loved it,” said Peyton Holloway, sophomore.
The girls not only learn to wrestle and become exceptional athletes, but they also learn essential life skills that they can apply to their daily lives.
“It’s a lot of life skills: learning you are not always gonna get the things you want, but you have to keep pushing. It takes hard work to get to those goals you have in your life and you gotta keep pushing forward,” Coleman said.
