Blair Harrison Meek Rising Star Wrestling Scholarship

Before wrestling, I was on a destructive path. I hung out with the wrong crowd, did things I was told not to, and engaged in self-harm. I didn’t love myself or know my self-worth. It was not until my first year wrestling that I began to change my mindset. When I initially approached this challenge, I had already developed a losing mindset. Since I was new to wrestling and the first girl to join the wrestling team. Being female in a male-dominated sport is hard. Proving that I belonged was even harder, and it has taken me four years to prove myself to the wrestling community. At the beginning of wrestling season, it was challenging, especially when I was losing every match. My teammates made fun of me, which didn’t help my self-esteem. After repeatedly being bashed for losing and weak, I was committed to improving. I refused to keep losing, especially when my brother also wrestled. I couldn’t quit. Rather than view my failures as setbacks, I used them as motivating stepping stones. Changing my mindset from negative to positive helped me become more motivated. I change my bad habits and stop self-harming. I also decided to let go of friends who were not uplifting. Creating new habits, such as going to practice daily and giving 100%, helped me to become more resilient. I viewed my failures as learning opportunities, which helped me grow as an athlete and a person. This new perspective allowed me to train harder to overcome any obstacle. My coaches pushed me, and I reached a whole other level of wrestling. After practice, whether easy or hard, I always asked my coaches how I could improve. Coach West and Coach Doetsch often didn’t recommend changes, but Coach Meek always identified a way that I could improve. Whether it was my foot placement or the way I looked at my opponent, he taught me that it’s the little things that matter. Coach Meek is the reason that I smile during matches, that I don’t put my hands on my hips when I'm tired, and that I always do 5 sprints after I wrestle. In a brief period, he has taught me how to be a disciplined and passionate wrestler, being able to grind and push past the hard practices for my dreams of being not only an Olympic and World champion but also someone who perseveres when life gets difficult. When you’re faced with adversity, adopting a growth mindset, having a positive relationship with failure, developing resilience, and using challenges as stepping stones for growth are essential for success and accomplishing your targeted goal. Switching to a growth mindset has allowed me to become a decorated, well-rounded, and successful student athlete. This has enabled me to face and overcome my personal problems and with teammates during the season. I am now a two time state champion, three time All-American, and a Folkstyle national finalist. With the support of my coaches, I overcame a big obstacle—the need to belong —which will help me on the road to greater accomplishments, but most importantly, has helped me create a positive, life-long habit. “Dust or Diamonds.” These words by Coach Meek will always stick with me. The meaning of this quote was to be good or to give up and be nothing. The only way a diamond is formed is under intense pressure. The only way one becomes great is by responding to setbacks with grace and learning how to rebound without crumbling.