Senior Camrin Watkins patiently waits on the sidelines at the FHC girls wrestling team’s meet against Troy. Wrestlers would say Watkins is ‘on deck,’ a term the wrestlers used to describe who is next up to wrestle. Watkins takes deep breaths as adrenaline pulses through her. While wrestling is a team sport, individuals compete on the mat separate from their teammates, and Watkins is feeling the intense pressure to perform. Watkins thankfully did not let the pressure get to her and was able to pin her opponent quite quickly.
There is no doubt that the girls wrestling team performs well on the mat, despite the nerves the wrestlers may feel. In fact, the girls wrestling team is ranked first out of all the girls wrestling teams in Missouri. Senior Stevie Lupo, who has been wrestling for four years, shares the effect of the girls wrestling team’s success on the team’s mindset.
“It’s pretty exciting [being ranked first in Missouri]. A lot of the girls are feeling the pressure [or feeling] like we have to meet these high standards. I’m more excited because I feel like [our team was] being downplayed for so long. So now we can go out and prove to the state who we are, how big our program has gotten, and finally [get the recognition we deserve],” Lupo said.
The girls wrestling team has certainly made waves at all of the meets they have attended so far. Watkins shares her feelings about this amazing accomplishment.
“It’s a great accomplishment [ranking first in girls wrestling out of all of Missouri]. Me and the team have worked really hard to get where we are. I know so many girls who work outside the wrestling room. We put in those extra hours that we don’t need to because we want to be the best,” Watkins said.
Since many people have never attended a wrestling meet, Lupo breaks down in simple terms what a wrestling meet looks like.
“We weigh in around five o’clock. They give all the wrestlers about an hour to eat, drink, and just fuel your body back up. Then the lower levels like freshman and JV wrestle, then around seven o’clock varsity will wrestle. And when we are done we leave, or if we are at home we roll up the mats,” Lupo said.
Clearly, wrestling demands a lot of physical work and effort. However, the sport also has a huge impact on a wrestler’s mental health. Lupo dives into how wrestling for four years has pushed her mentally to become a better athlete.
“Wrestling is a team sport, but whenever you’re out on the mat, it feels like it’s more individual. You’re wrestling for the team, but the team isn’t out on the mat with you fighting for points or wins.” Lupo said, “I like it because I’m super competitive so whenever I’m out [wrestling] I can’t fall back and blame [my mistakes] on a teammate. And it also feels really good when you win because it’s like wow, I just did that all by myself.”
Finally, Lupo explains how wrestling not only has mentally strengthened and toughened her, but also has taught her how to become more resilient and less negative toward herself.
“Mental [toughness has been the biggest benefit I’ve experienced from wrestling]. Even in the day-to-day [aspect of learning how] to push yourself even if you’re having a bad day. It’s taught me not to beat myself up mentally and to [instead] grow and learn. A loss isn’t a loss because you can learn from it,” Lupo said.