Cecilia

What do they love most about playing their sport(s)?

Women wrestling is evolving, it is ever changing and always a learning platform. Everyday you challenge not only your body but your mind and the grind is what makes a Dimond shine! Every win is as much an individual success but a team success as well. You push each other like a family to be better than yesterday. The sweat and dedication you put into this will come back 10 fold.

Who inspires them—on or off the field—and why?

I have so many individuals in my corner! The coach’s for the teams and clubs I am honored to be apart of. The parents that will yell encouragement when I’m in a spot and see no way out but there a peek out or slip-by that appears. Yes I look up to Ava Baylass and Kylie Welker as a wrestler to strive for but it’s the ones in your corner, every week cheering and offering encouragement on a hard loss or hard day

What’s one moment in their athletic journey that makes you proudest?

Winning the match everyone doubted and the negative talk was all about. Tuning that out and grinding every practice in post and pre season paid off. The self assurance that you put everything on that mat and no matter who you face the medal or records they hold mean nothing. The time you put in the weight room and the techniques drilled and drilled again are what matter. I remember taking that deep breath stepping on the mat and doing what I worked hard for and the moves came naturally.