Growing up, I'd always been a daddy's girl. I spent as much time with him as I possibly could, whether that was going to a store, fishing and hunting trips, hikes, sports practices, cooking, or simply watching TV with him. My dad was the center of my world. I wanted to do everything he did. I became a mini version of him, and still am today. My dad was a very hardworking man who valued family, dedication, and honesty; I follow those values to this day. September 3rd, 2021, my second day of 8th grade, I lost my dad to COVID-19. I thought my life was over, that without him, there was no point anymore. For a while after, I was numb, angry. My whole house fell apart when he died; he kept everything running. He was the cook, the handyman, the main provider, the mechanic, and the one who kept us active. With him gone, my mom working overtime every day, that left me to take care of the house and my younger sister, so that’s what I did. Doing everything with my dad kind of prepared me to do it all, although nothing would ever prepare me for actually having to do it. For a year, my daily routine consisted of making my sister breakfast, school, softball practice, cleaning the house, making dinner, doing homework, repeat. We were renovating the house when my dad passed, so I worked around the house on the weekends, too. My Freshman year of high school, I decided that I needed to get out of the house, do something for myself. So I joined the high school Fastpitch team, the Girls Wrestling team, FFA, and became an assistant softball coach for the middle school. That didn't mean my responsibilities at home lessened; my schedule just got busier. But it didn't stress me as much as it seemed like it would; they became my lifeline. Through FFA, I made some of my best friends, found a love for agriculture, and helped me decide what career I want to go into. In wrestling, I made new connections, got in shape, found something I was good at, but most importantly, found my outlet. I worked out all my pain, anger, and sorrow on the mat. It was a passion, giving me something to be proud of, something my dad would be proud of. The memory of my dad and the need to make him proud have driven me through the struggles I have faced along the way. I have faced countless injuries from wrestling, including breaking my ankle in my senior year, which ended my season and career early. Despite numerous setbacks and mental breakdowns, I persevered, was ranked 4th in the state, and served as team captain for two consecutive years. As I got older, I also got jobs that I have to balance with running my house, school, sports, FFA, National Honor Society, and many volunteer activities that I participate in. My dad was the strongest, bravest, most protective, loving man I have ever known, and looking back, the most paranoid. Almost like he knew something would happen, he took every chance to teach me a lesson, whether that was how to fix a roof, skin a deer, gut a fish, cook a steak, or simply just sit me down and talk about how family is the #1 thing in your life and to put them first, how to perform under pressure, and how to love. I will always carry my dad in my heart and those lessons he taught me in my mind.

Sports have had a huge impact on my life, from playing to umpiring and coaching. I have played softball since t-ball, and I'm still playing my senior year of high school. As you grow up, your life changes. The things you do and the people you see, but one thing that's been a constant in my whole life is softball. It's taught me teamwork, persistence, time management, and hard work. It's been the joy of my life, but just like everything, it's not always good, it's also been the thing I dread in my day. Whether that's because of drama with teammates, injuries, or not great coaches, it's taught me how to handle these situations and keep my cool. I started umpiring when I was in 8th grade. I've umpired softball and baseball teams ages 8- 14, even select team scrimmages, sometimes for free. I've also helped coach the Slide Into Summer softball camp for 2 years, running drills and even teaching girls who have never touched a softball in their life. I am also an assistant coach for a middle school softball team for 4 years, being a base coach, running drills, picking teams, and helping girls improve their skills. My freshman year of high school, I joined the girls wrestling team. Girls wreslting, especially in Enumclaw Washignton, is a very small sport, often judged and discriminated against. I quickly moved my way up the ranks becoming co-captain my sophomore year, and captain my junior year. Even though girls wrestling recieves a lot of hate, it means a lot me, and I know it does to many other girls as well. It's been there for me through my ups and downs, giving me something to focus on, to drown out my problems off the mat. Which is why my wrestling team helps out at youth wrestling programs, not just to show younger girls that women are capable of wrestling, but to show them that they can be incredible and if they stick with it they can excel in it. Growing up I've done more sports than I do now, including soccer, ballet, jazz and tap dance. I believe growing up doing sports is a crucial part of character development, even if you only do one sport for a year or two. It shows kids that hardwork and dedication pays off, it teaches life lessons like sportsmanship and kindness that applies to more than sports. It gives kids a place to succeed and fail in a safe environment and allows kids to be surrounded by people who have had expiriences they can teach from and know they're not alone; a place where it might be the only thing they feel confident in and give that boost of confidence kids need while also remaining humble. Sports have been a huge part in my life and given me a place to leave behind my problems, I plan to encourage and give kids a place to find the sport that gives them the same feeling, whether it's the same sports I have grown up on or something totally new to me.

Wrestling is more than a sport to me—it is the force that reshaped my life during one of its hardest chapters. I joined the wrestling team my freshman year searching for a way to cope after losing my dad. At first, I just needed somewhere to put the emotions I didn’t know how to handle: the anger, the confusion, the empty feeling of trying to live a normal life when mine had been shattered. What I didn’t expect was that wrestling would become my lifeline, the thing that grounded me, challenged me, and ultimately helped rebuild who I was. Freshman year was overwhelming. I carried grief into every practice, but wrestling pushed me physically and mentally in ways that forced me to grow. Slowly, the mat became a place where I could release everything I had bottled up. Through long practices, tough drills, and early losses, I learned how to fight for progress even on my hardest days. That season ended with a 4th place finish at Regionals and an alternate spot to State—my first glimpse of hope that I was capable of more than I believed. The people I wrestled with became just as meaningful as the sport itself. My coach played a huge role in shaping my experience. He understood struggle, and because of that, he always knew how to show support—whether through a story from his own childhood, a joke that lightened the tension, or the team bonfires and taco nights he hosted that made us feel like family. My teammates were just as important. We laughed until we cried during practice, made up goofy moves, cheered each other through matches, and supported one another through injuries. They gave me a sense of belonging I didn’t realize I was missing. My sophomore and junior years tested me even more. As I grew into leadership roles—first as Co-Captain, then as Varsity Captain—my pride in the sport grew with me. But injuries and health setbacks followed me each season. From wrestling through pain to dealing with pneumonia, muscle spasms, and eventually a concussion at State, I faced moments that shook my confidence. Yet every time I felt discouraged, my team and coach stood beside me. They reminded me that setbacks didn’t define me—my resilience did. Wrestling taught me discipline, time management, emotional control, and work ethic. It showed me how to turn anger into strength and how to lead with empathy. Most of all, it gave me a second family at a time when I needed one most. To me, wrestling means growth, resilience, and the belief that hardship can shape you into someone stronger. It is more than a sport—it is the reason I learned I can overcome anything.

My wrestling career began in my freshman year of high school. I joined the wrestling team as a way to cope with the loss of my dad, who passed away just a year earlier. What started as an escape soon became my passion and my lifeline. Despite facing injuries and losses, wrestling transformed into a source of incredible support, offering me a second family that wholeheartedly backed me through thick and thin. My coach played a vital role in this journey. He shared his own challenges from childhood, empathized when I needed comfort, and always knew how to lighten the mood with a joke. He hosted team bonfires, cooked his famous tacos, creating lasting memories, and ultimately, created a sense of belonging. His tough love pushed me to strive for excellence on the mat. Not only my coach, but my teammates too, made my experience. Having fun during practice playing games, making up moves, laughing till we cried, cheering loudly from the sidelines, and maintaining an atmosphere of family that made me feel at home. Freshman year was particularly challenging. I was still processing my father's passing while adjusting to the physically demanding world of wrestling. After a rocky start, I gradually improved my skills and secured a 4th place finish at Regionals, earning an alternate spot for State—an accomplishment that filled me with hope. As a sophomore, I continued to develop my abilities, gaining placements in more competitions and became Co-Captain of the team. However, just a week before Regionals, I faced a significant setback with an injury. Despite wrestling through the pain, my performance suffered, and I didn't qualify for State. Despite this setback, I found pride in my resilience, pushing through even when my odds weren’t great. My junior year, I took on the role of Varsity Captain. After a strong season with numerous tournament placements, I won 1st place at Regionals and entered the State tournament ranked 5th. Unfortunately, I struggled with lingering issues from pneumonia and a pulled sternum, and in my third match, I sustained a concussion that affected my later matches. Those health issues, combined with previous injuries, impacted me deeply, both physically and mentally. Throughout these trials, my teammates and coach remained steadfast in their support. All three years of wrestling, during every injury and setback, they helped me navigate the challenges. Whether dealing with pneumonia, muscle spasms, or my first panic attack, their presence provided comfort and strength. Wrestling has taught me invaluable lessons about anger, time management, and the importance of hard work. After losing my dad, I was left empty and angry, often lashing out or shutting down. Wrestling became my outlet, channeling that anger into determination and drive. I learned to balance schoolwork, practice, and my involvement in FFA, developing essential skills that shaped who I am today. The relationships I've built and the qualities I've acquired will always be a part of me. Wrestling instilled in me leadership, dedication, resilience, respect, and strength. With my experience, I aspire to pass on these values to the next generation, whether on the mat or in life. My goal is to serve as an example that even in the face of hardship, with hard work and determination, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

September 3, 2021— the second day of eighth grade—my world collapsed. My dad contracted COVID-19 at a job site. After a month of illness at home, he was hospitalized and placed in the ICU. For two agonizing weeks, he fought for his life. I had to say goodbye to my dad while he was in a medically induced coma, surrounded by machines and tubes. In that moment, he didn’t look like himself. That day, I lost my dad—my best friend, my biggest supporter, my role model, and part of myself. I couldn’t fully fall apart, I had to be strong for my mom and little sister. I held my grandma as she sobbed and took my sister away from the hospital when she wouldn’t leave. Every night for a month, my sister came into my room crying, and I held her until she fell asleep. There was no time to mourn or process my grief. I bottled everything up until it spilled over—in anger, tears, or silence. By freshman year, I found myself in a dark place, keeping to myself. Initially, I joined to escape. But wrestling quickly became more than a distraction, it became a lifeline. Through wrestling, I got in physical shape. But more importantly, I found a second family in my teammates and coaches. They witnessed me at my strongest and most broken moments yet never gave up on me. Wrestling rebuilt my confidence and gave me a reason to keep pushing. It gave me something my dad would have been proud of—and something I could take pride in. During my freshman year, I placed 4th at Regionals and became an alternate for State. As a sophomore, I placed in the top five in multiple tournaments and served as Team Co-Captain despite an injury that kept me from competing at State. This year, as Team Captain, I won first place at Regionals and qualified for State, ranking 5th entering the competition, even while recovering from a pulled sternum and pneumonia. Unfortunately, a concussion in my third match prevented me from placing, but I kept fighting—because that’s what my dad and coach taught me. There are things I’ll never get back. My dad won’t see me graduate, walk me down the aisle, or dance with me in the kitchen. He won’t send me off to prom, buy me my first car, or meet my first boyfriend. I’ll never be that little daddy’s girl who woke up at 4 a.m. with him to pack his lunch or tie his boots again. We won’t share hunting trips, watch movies, cook together, or have heart-to-hearts around a fire. Yet, even without him physically here, my dad remains a huge part of who I am. His memory pushes me forward every day. His values live on in me—in my work ethic, resilience, and strength. Wrestling gave me space to heal and grow into the person I’m becoming. While wrestling didn’t erase the pain, it taught me to carry it and lift others with it. Whether mentoring other wrestlers, supporting teammates, or simply showing up with strength and loyalty, I aim to transform my tragedy into someone else’s triumph. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned, it’s that we don’t choose what breaks us, but we can choose how to build from the pieces.

Since I could walk, I've played softball. It wasn't something I was truly passionate about or wanted to pursue past playing on my high school team. I've also grown up on rage. Rage when a teammate misses a ball, when someone struck out, when our pitcher didn't throw a strike, or when the other team cheered obnoxiously. My freshman year of high school, I decided to try something new, so I joined my school's Girls Wrestling team. Joining wrestling was a lot harder than I thought it would be, from endless conditioning until I was about to pass out, to being 1 out of 4 girls on the team and battling all the insults and allegations that come with being a girl wrestler. But along with the hardships, came great benefits. I got in better physical shape and I found something to occupy my time outside of school. However, the three most important things I found were sportsmanship, anger management, and relationships, which greatly impacted my life. I used to take out my anger on everyone around me, but wrestling gives me something to focus it on and use to better myself. Wrestling is my outlet, I channel all my pent-up rage into pushing myself to my very limit at practice. Wrestling is also a solo sport, which means that when I underperform, I have no one to blame but myself. Pushing me harder and giving me motivation for everything I do. Sportsmanship is a crucial part of all sports, but mostly wrestling. When you are on that mat, it's just you, and the person standing in front of you and your goals and dreams. But it is also the same view for your opponent. Either they crush your goal, or you crush theirs. And the beautiful thing about that is knowing that you both put everything you have into that match, and whether they beat you or not, you have to respect all the hours of hard work and dedication they put in. I have found that when you step onto that mat, the other girl is your opponent and worst enemy, but off the mat, they are the same as you, a girl with a passion and a love for the sport. Oftentimes I even become friends with my opponent off the mat. On my 2nd day of 8th grade, my dad passed away from covid, leaving me feeling empty, alone, angry, and clueless. Ever since my first day of wrestling practice my coach has been by my side pushing me through all my injuries, sicknesses, self-doubt, losses, and wins. He has become a father figure to me and gave me a purpose. He also gave me teammates to support and be supported by, and he made me the Varsity Girls Wrestling Captain. When I injured myself and couldn't run or wrestle, it extremely lowered my self-esteem. He sat me down and told me that I needed to push through for myself and my team because I set the mood for the whole team. He said he chose me to be captain because he and everyone else on the team believes in me and looks up to me, and that everyone around me sees my potential but me, even teachers who don't know me very well. Without the coach and teammates I have, I would still be that angry, empty, and lonely kid I was 3 years ago. Wrestling isn’t just a sport to me; it’s a foundation upon which I’ve built my strength, leadership, and relationships.