The 29/1
Official Podcast of the West Ottawa High School Athletic Program. 29 Sports, One Team. The show that brings you into the lives of student athletes, coaches and other faces in the Panther Sports Community. Bringing you the stories you might otherwise never hear. Join Rodney Vellinga and Athletic Director Bill Kennedy as they dive in with you to get to know each other a little bit better.
The 29/1
First of the First: Isabel Anaya, Le'Anna Zavala & Mathias Sarli with Girls Varsity Wrestling
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It's not very often that a pair of athletes get to be the first of the first. Come listen to our conversation with Isabel Anaya and Le'Anna Zavala, the two leaders of West Ottawa High School's Girls Varsity Wrestling. Alongside their coach, Mathias Sarli, these athletes are setting new standards and paving the way for future wrestlers at WO. Join us to hear how mental toughness, teamwork, and sheer determination have led them to numerous state placements and victories at major tournaments such as the Kent County Classic and the Montague Mat Cat Championship.
Isabel and Le"Anna share candid reflections on their unexpected journeys into wrestling, the challenges they faced, and building a wrestling family. From transitioning from different sports to mastering wrestling techniques, their stories are a testament to adaptability and resilience. Coach Sarli shares his profound pride in their accomplishments and highlights the evolution of girls' wrestling in West Michigan. This episode celebrates not just their personal victories, but also the camaraderie and community spirit that define their team and drive them forward.
Experience the rich tapestry of emotions that come with being the " First of the First," in girls' wrestling—from the thrill of nearing historic milestones to the bittersweet reality of nearing the end of a high school sports career. Discover the unique dynamics of wrestling practices, the powerful friendships formed, and the electric atmosphere of competitions. As these athletes prepare for upcoming challenges, including the state finals at Ford Field, we invite you to join us in applauding their incredible journey and the tight knit wrestling community that supports their dreams.
This episode was recorded on January 3, 2025.
First of the First, Accolades
Speaker 1Um , wrestling has definitely done a lot for me . It's like taught me how to like be mentally tough and how like there happens like some things I cannot control , like even if I put in my best , like it's okay that sometimes I will fail and I like it just keeps me going , like just keeps me encouraged pretty much .
Speaker 2Hey everybody , this is Rodney Valinga with the West Ottawa High School Athletic Program and you're listening to the 29.1 Podcast 29 sports , one team , the show that brings you into the lives of student-athletes , coaches and other faces in the Panther sports community , bringing you the stories you might otherwise never hear . Join myself and Athletic Director Bill Kennedy as we dive in with you to get to know each other a little bit better . It's not very often that an athlete gets to be the first of the first , but two West Ottawa wrestlers are doing just that , accomplishing things in wrestling that have never been done before in the black and white .
Speaker 3Today we're joined by senior Isabel Anaya , junior Liana Zavala and coach Matthias Sarli of West Ottawa Wrestling Girls . Wrestling may be one of the newest programs here at West Ottawa , but these girls are doing some big things on the mat .
Speaker 2They are setting the pace for one of the fastest growing high school sports across the country and inspiring future wrestlers throughout our community .
Speaker 3Isabella , anaya Leanna Zavala and coach Matthias Sarli next on the 29.1 podcast .
Speaker 2I'm your host , Rodney Valinga , and I'm here with Panthers Athletic Director Bill Kennedy . This is our first recording session for 2025 , so we're excited about that . We've actually made it to year two , kind of , so that's pretty exciting . Today's guests are some of the most successful athletes in their sport in West Ottawa history . Although the program is very young , they are performing at elite levels and putting their mark on girls varsity wrestling here at West Ottawa High school , really being the first to do the things they are doing in so many categories .
Speaker 3Yeah , we're joined by Isabella Naya , a four time Kent County classic winner , a recent winner of the Montague mat cat championship , a three time state placer , three time all state wrestler and academic all state , so getting it done in the classroom as well . And then Liana Zavala , a junior for us , who just won her third Kent County Classic , is a two-time state placer and has been two times all-state .
Speaker 2Yeah , they've been to the state finals at Ford Field multiple times throughout their high school careers and are putting together another successful season so far , always looking to have solid weekly success in duels and tournaments . As they build toward a hopeful return to the Motor City and as they push forward in both their senior and junior years , we are also joined by their coach
Welcoming Isabel Anaya, Le'Anna Zavala & Mathias Sarli, Montague Mat Cat Recap
Speaker 2and it's a privilege to ask who is it , coach ?
Speaker 4Sarli .
Speaker 5I'm Isabella Naya and I'm Liana Zavala .
Speaker 3Awesome . It's really awesome to have you all here coming in fresh off of a practice today yeah thanks um one thing that kind of stands out for both of you .
Speaker 3You guys go out on the mat and absolutely crush people , but when I see you in the hallways , you're always quick to give me a smile . You two seem to have a great joy , and my first question for both of you and maybe isabel , you'll start for us what is the ? What is the switch you go from this bubbly , smiley personality to I'm gonna go out and crush this person when I get out on the mat , like how does that happen ?
Speaker 1um , to be honest , I have no idea . I idea , I just don't like losing . I'd rather not lose and be embarrassed about that . Maybe I just got to be a little meaner .
Speaker 3All right , liana .
Speaker 5I feel not really like two different people on and off the mat , but that's what it is . It's like a switch On the mat you're like of . That's what it is Like . It's like a switch like on the mat you're like oh , I got to lock in , so like it's it's . It's different .
Speaker 3Well , you've both done an awesome job at it .
Speaker 2Well , it's great to have both of you on here .
Speaker 4I have to be honest .
Speaker 2I know I should . I've been watching it on YouTube and I'm like , hmm , this is pretty impressive . So I'm going to be a good example of the person in the community who doesn't know a lot about wrestling . So it happens we go to the sports that our kids do and I don't have anybody in wrestling . I've never gone , but watching the two of you wrestle is really , really exciting . So I'm very familiar with both your names because I heard lots about you . So I really consider it almost like it's a real privilege just to sit here with you , really excited about it , like a lot of sports . Uh , you're busy over the holiday break , coach , how far are you into the season right now and how has it been going ?
Speaker 4we're about halfway through . It's been going great . I mean I can't complain . These girls and boys are doing everything that we ask . They're working hard , hard , they're coming to practice , they're showing up , and I really appreciate that from everyone . So , yeah , we're excited to continue with the second half of the season and hopefully show that we can compete with the high level and get to , you know , to Ford Field .
Speaker 2Yeah , you just finished up that Montague Lady Mat Cat tournament . I thought you know when I talked to you on the phone it that Montague Lady Mad Cat tournament . I thought you know when I talked to you on the phone it's been a few weeks ago now because we had planned on doing this a lot earlier , but the Mad Cat was like a good example of what your team is like right now . Right , oh , absolutely , especially like with the number of people that place . Can we talk about that real briefly ? Yeah , for sure .
Speaker 4Like we had four girls compete at the Mad Cat tournament this past weekend and , um out of five , four placed and we ended up like just 0.5 points away from being in the top five out of let's see 58 teams that were there it's crazy it's amazing that these girls like just you know , go out there , do what they do every day and then like kill it , like that .
Speaker 4That's all I can really say is that they go out there and they do their job and they , they crush it isabel , because teams they are going to have .
Speaker 2What 14 ? How many weight classes are there ? 14 . There's , 14 . Do a lot of girls' teams now have that many ? No , not a lot , but there are some .
Speaker 4I know Grand Haven , I think , is pretty close to it , romeo Hastings definitely does . There was a lot of teams that had full lineups there that you know . We were just shy of . You know , catching Sure , I don't just five girls going , you know like yeah , it's quite something , Liana .
Speaker 2how did Isabel do it in the Montague ?
Speaker 5Isabel . Isabel did her thing . She just like she just doesn't need any like pointers , like all she needs to do is just like run her A game and then she goes out there and just kills it . Like Coach said , she just like I'll watch her Because our weight classes are kind of close together , so like , if I can watch her I will . But they were kind of close together so we were like wrestling at the same time .
Speaker 5So , but they were kind of close together , so we were like wrestling at the same time , so we had like coach here , coach here , so , but like when I can't , when I , when I did watch her in , like some of her videos , I was like , oh my gosh , I can't believe I practice with her .
Speaker 2Oh , I'm sure , yeah , and how about uh watching uh Liana wrestle Is ? You'll get a chance to see each other as much . But how did you know ?
Speaker 1I know you came back through the blood rounds , but you can talk about her a little bit um , usually when I see leona russell , it's I am so surprised every time because she's she hasn't been doing this as long , but like she's just so like freaking strong . And then I see her like throwing random moves we just learned in practice and I'm like , oh my gosh , like that's insane . Like I , I get so nervous trying new things . But when Liana does it , it looks like so effortless and like it looks so good . I'm like , oh my god yeah , we will .
Speaker 2Yeah , we will talk about some moves a little bit later , because I find that if you're really , really interesting about those types of things , so uh , that's cool that you're able to put that into practice . And I mean , you know you're surprising her , so you're doing something right ?
Speaker 4no , it's so it's so funny because I would be wrestling with liana and I'll be like going to coach montoya and practice like , oh my goodness , if liana hits this move , she's , she's gonna beat all of her opponents . She's so tough , she's so strong yeah she put in the legs on me . I was like and I pretended like I couldn't get out , but for real it was tough . I had to try every like as hard as I pretended .
Speaker 2That's what he said I had to .
Speaker 4I'm not gonna let her think that I that was gonna , she was doing it well , you got some new incentive for the next , next go around with him , huh yeah coach
Coach Sarli's Career, Community Appreciation, 119 lbs,
Speaker 4.
Speaker 3You're in your second year , um , as head coach . Also work at West Ottawa . Down at Harbor Lights is the lead security down there .
Speaker 2Uh , kind of a perfect combination , right , you get to kind of recruit the next absolutely yeah , oh , I thought it was a perfect combination , because he's a wrestling coach and I ain't messing with you , I'm not gonna get my shoulder blades on this hallway floor .
Speaker 3Um , you've been a part of the wrestling community at west ottawa .
Speaker 4Now for how long , oh my goodness , for so long um .
Speaker 3I can't even all the way back to your high school .
Speaker 4Yeah , I mean no , even before that it was a middle school . I started wrestling when I was in seventh grade , uh , here at west ottawa . So I mean I have deep roots through for west ottawa . I mean I believe black and white . So I love every bit of this community . I love you know , being a part of it all . You were a wrestler too back in your day , right yep tell us about what your wrestling career it wasn't as great as theirs .
Speaker 2I can tell you that it's okay , it doesn't have to be um it was good .
Speaker 4You know , I um freshman year I wrestled about 119 and then I moved up uh weight class uh .
Speaker 2Each year I finished little guy back in the day . Huh , now it's you got . If you , if you went age to age , if he could go back to his old self and you guys were able to go at it .
Speaker 4That's , that's something oh , yeah , yeah , no , uh , it's all those hot wings can't beat a buffalo wild wings . You know you go tuesdays get those lbs on there , that's right yeah , no , um no , my wrestling career was , like I said , it wasn't as great as theirs , but I love the competition , I love , oh , yeah , yeah .
Speaker 2For me , like , my mindset was like I had to be the best in the my wrestling career was like I said it wasn't as great as theirs , but I love the competition , I love competing .
Speaker 4Oh yeah , yeah . For me , like my mindset was like I had to be the best in the practice room , like I did not like getting taken down , I didn't like losing , like , just like them , I just was . You know , I had that switch . You know , once I was in the practice room , once I was wrestling , I just I had to turn it on . So let's see , my senior year , you know , fell short , I broke my ankle senior year going . It was at regionals , you know , match to go to state , broke it , yep . And then , uh , actually funny story like I worked my way back up and then I walked on mcc and started for them for two years .
Speaker 2so yeah , so a lot of perseverance there with your career , yeah A lot of hard work , liana . You started , you're a junior
Le'Anna Gets Her Start, Isabel & Others Take Her In, Becoming Family, Throwing Moves
Speaker 2and this is your third season . You were once a soccer player when you were little , though right , that was kind of your sport for a long time .
Speaker 5Yeah , I think I started playing soccer when I was like second third grade .
Speaker 2Oh yeah .
Speaker 5I don't , I don't know , I didn't know anything about wrestling , like nobody in my nobody in my family does wrestling or like any sport actually . So , uh , freshman year I had this like weightlifting class and we were like maxing out . One day and girl was like you know what ? I think you'd be good at wrestling or something Like you're , you're really strong . And I was like , oh okay , and she was like , yeah , there's an open mat and a meeting for the beginning of the season , so you should come . So I did , and then , um , I don't know , I just I just kept doing it , like it was kind of like a habit to just keep going so you had no plans on becoming a wrestler , but that was part of it .
Speaker 5Somebody just said hey , coming out , maybe try this yeah , I like I knew I knew nothing about wrestling , like I never watched wrestling or like anything , because you're making me feel better . Thanks , yeah , I know , I was listening to say that and I was like , I like , I feel I felt the same way like before freshman um , I still , I still did soccer . Um , after wrestling it was like a huge jump , just like very different , like cardio , very different movement . Oh yeah , very , very different sports .
Speaker 2Oh yeah , very , very different sports . Isabel , did you have any impact on Liana coming out for wrestling ?
Speaker 1It was kind of a little bit like after she already joined . It was almost like one of those things like me and another girl on the team , like we just took in Liana and we're like you're just going to start sparring with us and we're just going to teach you everything we know so that you can be really tough on us and we can be tough on you .
Speaker 2Did you guys know each other at all back then ?
Speaker 5No , we had a couple of classes together in middle school , I think . So I heard of her , I saw her , but we never really talked .
Speaker 2So that's interesting . So we got an older person taking you in , just got to be the way right .
Speaker 4I mean , we're family . It doesn't matter if you come out for one day . You're part of this wrestling community . You're with us for life . So it's awesome to see her take her on like that . It's great .
Speaker 2Did you like it right away ? Was it something that came natural to you ?
Speaker 5Yeah , really , I was just like this is so different from like soccer and like football and just like just everything else , and I was like there's just so much to like do and like learn , and I don't know , it was just intriguing to me so I just kept coming back yeah , she picked up really fast like it was , within an instant .
Speaker 4Like it was , we're like oh my goodness , who is this girl ?
Speaker 2isabel , talk about that . I you've had success . So when you see somebody jump in and have some immediate success and talent , you've got to get pretty excited about that .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , I was definitely excited . She's really coachable . There was things where we were just teaching her moves and we were telling her right before a match oh , we've seen you do this in practice .
Speaker 3Try doing this instead . And she did it right there in the middle of the match and I'm like , oh my gosh , like he's gonna be super good and I'm so glad that she joined wrestling . And there you have to . As a wrestler , you have to be very willing to give those things a try , right , not just in the practice space , but on a mat in a match . What is that ? Does that create some sort of anxiety as a wrestler , like , oh , I'm about to throw this new move . I hope that I land it correctly like we .
Speaker 4We have the saying you live by the throw , you die by the throw . So like if you hit a move like you're going to expose your back , it's risky but hey , high reward . You know , you just never know on these moves . So if you practice a lot , you get that muscle memory down . It's easy , no anxiety , like I can hit a move like it's . Like I said , it's muscle memory for me so and I'm sure it is for them as well isabel , you're
Isabel's Senior Season, Brotherly Influence, 2 Year Minimum, Making the Boys Cry
Speaker 4a senior .
Speaker 2Yeah , you're in your final season already . Yeah , it's . Whenever you have the seniors in here , it's always like I don't want to remind them that it's their final stretch , but it always is . You've been wrestling for quite some time . Uh , the beginning like for you . You , your brother's , wrestled right . Talk a little bit about you're getting you getting your start um , yeah , my older brother .
Speaker 1My older brother wrestled in college . My younger brother , um , he started wrestling like early elementary school and I I watched him do like one practice and I was like , okay , this looks really fun like everyone's just rolling on the mats Like doing around the house anyways , right . I was like , just sign me up , like I'm excited .
Speaker 4No , she was getting beat up by her little brother .
Speaker 1Okay , I was not getting beat up .
Speaker 4That's not what Abel told me , yeah .
Speaker 1So it was like one of those things like and then usually when I do a sport I always do it like two years to like make sure I like it , and so wrestling just became one of those things like I just started to do like every year after a little while . So , yeah , I just kind of grew on me and stuff .
Speaker 2I was able to talk to your mom a little bit . She told me a little story . She goes she might own up to this , she might not , so let's see if you do . But she said I think you were in either seventh or eighth grade and you were because you wrestled boys back then a lot right , yeah so she said you were at a gym and you were there . And little whatever 12 year old you says to your mom , mom , why are all these boys crying ? Did you remember the story ?
Speaker 1all right , go ahead , you tell it from now on um , it was like we were at one of the my way tournaments and I've just seen all of these boys crying and I was like it's not that bad like why ?
Speaker 1are you crying like you guys are just being little babies about it . And then I was like I just let me just wrestle a few tournaments because I want to make some boys cry , because I thought it was the funniest thing ever just to like see them crying to their dads . And they're like she's a girl , like I let her win .
Speaker 2No , you just didn't know what you were doing . I love it . That's so much fun . The legend is real . The story is true , it's amazing
Growth Of The Sport, First Of The First In Girls Wrestling at WO, Closing In On 100 Wins
Speaker 2.
Speaker 3One of the cool things that I've gotten to experience really over my time here at West Ottawa is the really the sea change . We don't see a lot of girls having wrestle boys anymore , right , because for the most part it's a girl's wrestling . Is wrestling other girls . What has that been like for both of you ? Maybe , liana , you can speak to this first to know , like , okay , I don't have to go and wrestle a boy just because that's the only person they have . Yeah , it's been cool to be a part of that . I mean , you guys are part of this , like movement , really .
Speaker 4Yeah , it's one of the fastest growing sports in the nation right now . So , like you just see a bunch of girls wanting to compete with the best . So I think that's it has . A huge part of it on it is that , you know , girls want to wrestle , want to be tough , want to be , want to be there when I want to grind , like it . I , you know , know , I love that .
Speaker 5I'm sorry , go ahead no , I was like thinking , um , because I was saying like I only I wrestled , I think like a wham tournament , um , and I had to wrestle , like four guys , I think , and I was just like it was so humbling , and this was like freshman year too . So I was like they're so like , they're so strong and like the weight distribution for girls versus guys is like like really different . And I was like and like you know , and I like experienced it too like I have an older brother and we were like we're like getting like a few brawls sometimes and like in elementary like it was fine . You know what I mean . But as you like started getting in middle school , I'm like where's the strength coming from ? Because , like he never like worked out or anything , it's just like they just get like stupid strong out of nowhere .
Speaker 5And I can't I can't imagine doing like isabel , like what she did , like she told me that , though , um , she's glad that she doesn't wrestle guys no more , because like I can't imagine how strong that they would be , because they're strong like in places that , like that , I didn't , I didn't know if possible you guys probably don't think about this very much , but when you get old like we do , I I'm talking about Bill and myself .
Speaker 2Oh .
Speaker 5I'm there too . I'm there too .
Speaker 2You start to see things in the big picture and you guys are like you're the first of the first , right , if you want to look up any history at West Ottawa and these different sports , whatever it's going to be , there's going to be one day when they go back to the beginning of girls varsity wrestling at West Ottawa high school , of girls varsity wrestling at West Ottawa High School . It's going to be you guys . How does that make you feel ? What's it like to be the first of the first ?
Speaker 1Isabel , thinking about it like that , it's kind of really surprising because I feel like , oh , there's definitely more girls who have done this before me , but then get away like that . It's really surprising and it kind of makes me happy knowing that I'm able to like set that way for every other girl , like hopefully inspire them to like join wrestling and stuff . I think it's cool absolutely .
Speaker 2How about yourself ?
Speaker 5I think it's kind of scary because , like it's just like I I do that with the guys sometimes like and like I forgot who came in and told us like I want you to like look back on me and like , want to be better . Like , look at me and be like I forgot who came in and told us like I want you to like look back on me and like , want to be better , like , look at me and be like I want to be better than them , like not as good as them , or like compare , like top them , and so , like I feel like I hope that somebody somebody does that to me in the near future . Like looks at my matches and oh my , that's so weird .
Speaker 5Like they're gonna be looking at like the matches that are just out there on youtube and some of them are like , yeah , I don't know it's that's funny .
Speaker 4I feel like it's a privilege yeah , no , we got , we definitely got to get a board for the girls accolades in the wrestling room so they , you know the future , can see their names . And uh , especially a great accomplishment that is coming up , that isabella is like 15 matches away from 100 wins I saw that on your instagram , that's that's a huge feat .
Speaker 3Like no girl has ever done that before at west ottawa , so like yeah , in my time you know , being a part of west ottawa and hosting tournaments and those sorts of things we've had a couple of boys who have kind of eclipsed that 100 and it's a big deal . You get the banner out , you get the photos .
Speaker 3So , yeah , kudos to you and really for persevering initially right , because as a middle school wrestler you're wrestling boys all the time it would be really easy for you to just say and I don't know if this is really my thing , but you kind of pushed forward and now you're in a spot where you're going to accomplish something that no one else at West Ottawa has ever done . That's pretty awesome . You're going to do it with a smile on your face as you're getting your hand raised .
Speaker 2After every win , you have this sheepish , funny smile on your face .
Speaker 4It's so funny because she hugs their opponent after she wins I'm sure they love that . No , yeah , they absolutely hate it . And I asked her one day I was like why do you do that ? I was like , because I just beat them . I want , I want to assert my dominance I want them to know how , how they just lost to me it was . I was like oh okay , I respect that I was like okay , now I get it , it , get it , it's mind games .
Speaker 2That's so funny , oh man what is it real
Growth Of Girls Wrestling, Trying to Grow Sport At WO, An Assembly Dual In The Future?
Speaker 2quick ?
Speaker 3What has it been like coach Maybe you can speak to this to see the growth of girls wrestling across West Michigan and now you have schools that are hosting girls only tournaments and you continue to kind of see the sport push forward ? You've kind of see it's seen it since its infancy , right I mean when I first came to west ottawa , we had I don't know a hand , three or four girls and they always wrestled boys and what's it been like to kind of see that it that change it has been great .
Speaker 4You know , just having that difference of you know just going you're always going to those boys tournaments and then you're seeing these girls that are competing at a high level is just as good as the boys . It's great to watch . It's great to see how fast this grow . This sport is growing uh all around , not just in west michigan but around the world . Like you see it in uh colleges now . You know uh , you got college girls teams . You got uh the olympics girls competing there . It's so awesome to see this sport grow and we're happy to be a part of it and I hope they continue on and you know that's the goal is for them to continue on and and watch them grow and see them succeed .
Speaker 2You know , after this , leon , you guys have a pretty strong community too right the west auto wrestling community with like support of people . And you guys have a pretty strong community too right the West Ottawa wrestling community with support of people , and you guys recently had a fundraiser . I believe it raised $4,700 or so . What's it like to have the people around you around here supporting you guys ?
Speaker 5It's just like so many people , but like some people , don't pay any mind to wrestling but , like we're trying to like put it out there . You know what I mean . I hope that our efforts are doing a little something .
Speaker 2It does happen in some sports where there's these great things happening , and because it's not , I know what you're saying and I think we're moving in that direction .
Speaker 4I think so too .
Speaker 3We went over to Northview and did their assembly duel . We're going to host that here next year . Are we doing one here ?
Speaker 2Oh , it's gonna happen . Oh sweet , because when I talked to coach on the phone about it and we were trying to talk on the phone the first time , he says I'm on my way to assembly , do I'm like ?
Speaker 3okay , I guess that's a wrestling term I don't know .
Speaker 2But then I found out what it was later . I'm like , yeah , yeah , that must have been fantastic to what was like to wrestle in that environment . Let's explain what it is first go ahead .
Speaker 3Yeah , so this is you know . End of the school day . What was 130 ? Start 130 start 130 start , so you got an hour left of the school day . Basically , the school comes down into the gym and there's mats out and a wrestling duel is happening . And so sweet , everybody gets exposed to it it was like . It was like a basketball game it was a hockey game , it was packed house it was , it was great environment , like electric , like electric yeah , yeah , electric environment .
Speaker 2What was it like for you to wrestle in isabel ?
Speaker 1um , when I wrestled , there wasn't like a lot of the schools already gone when they were because I was in like the last few matches so like I didn't get to experience wrestling with everyone watching , but from like being there and like cheering on my team it was it was really loud . A lot of the kids are like screaming . They're like , oh , just pin him , just don't . I'm like you don't even know what you're talking about .
Speaker 1So like half the things you're saying don't make sense like it just didn't make any sense to me yeah , how about for yourself , liana ?
Speaker 5um't imagine like being one of the guys like on varsity in wrestling in front of like the whole school , because there's always that one section Like what do you call that ? The student section ? Yeah , yeah , they have their own little student section , except they're like on the floor like inches away from the mat and they were chanting , were so distracting . I can't imagine hearing that during my match . It was generally so distracting . It felt like a football game .
Speaker 5You know how you'll chant to the other team boom to say all this and that just try to distract them . Yeah , and it was just like that and I was like can't , I can't . And yeah , one of my matches were towards the end like bells . So yeah , everybody , the bell rang schools , the bell rang schools out like like half half the bleachers left , and so , oh well , thanks .
Speaker 4Yeah , right , everyone wanted to get home , right ? Only some people stayed . Can we get a early ?
Speaker 3start time . Yeah , maybe we can work on that .
Speaker 2The negotiations are happening you guys have the greatest pull you're ever going to have . Right at this moment , in the middle of this podcast , you can hold them to it .
Speaker 3Yeah , and it's something that you know we've talked about doing in years past .
Speaker 3December is a crazy month around here , as , rodney , you know and we have the month of giving and the senior survivor assembly , oh yeah , but it's something that you know . We're trying to basically raise the level and give everyone the same exposure that a football or a basketball team gets , and one of the ways to do that is to do it during the school day . And , who knows , maybe there's 10 Leanna Zavala sitting in the stands that are like , oh , that looks fun , I want to give that a shot . Um , and you show them . Both boys and girls can do this , and who knows what , what it'll turn into Getting exposed to some of these sports , whatever reason .
Speaker 2it was someone telling you about it , right as you were working out . You know you got to with your brothers wrestling and you , I mean having a situation like this where we do one of these assembly duels will , you know , inspire somebody else ? Let's go to some of the cool things that you guys do . There's so much to get to if we really want to here .
Girls On The Team: Kayla Shaft, Emily Gerlach, Braelyn Sharda: & The Grind
Speaker 2Let's talk about some of the other girls on the team for a minute . Maybe you guys can just pick one or two that you know . Maybe you know a little bit , isabel , you want to go first ?
Speaker 1I guess two girls I could talk about because I play softball with them are Kayla and Emily .
Speaker 2What's their full names ?
Speaker 1Kayla Shaft and .
Speaker 2Emily .
Speaker 1Gerlach . Yeah , Emily Gerlach . I always forget how to say her last name .
Speaker 2That's okay , yeah .
Speaker 1Yeah , but I play softball with them , and this year they decided to wrestle and it made me like really glad because I'm like , oh my gosh , I get to spend two seasons with you guys .
Speaker 2That's great .
Speaker 1And , like I , get to build a better connection with you , especially through a sport I love so much . So , um , yeah , it's their first year and they're doing really good . I think Kayla's first tournament she got first yeah , kayla's first tournament .
Speaker 4She got first , yeah , and then Emily , she got third and that was at the Kent County Classic .
Speaker 1So I'm like , okay , you guys are going to be doing some crazy stuff .
Speaker 4By the time you're a senior and I hope you stick with us because I'm so excited and Kayla plays fifth at the Mad Cat , oh yeah , Kayla did that was .
Speaker 1I love Kayla . She's so funny when she wrestles . She's like really scrappy . I think it's just so fun to watch her wrestle is that something that you notice ?
Speaker 2like every wrestler kind of has their own personal style and like , what's it like with some of these uh , other wrestlers in the program ?
Speaker 5um , yeah , everyone really has like their own style , like their own , like things that they do before matches and like it's like in like this whole like category of wrestling full style . And yeah , everyone has like their own thing . I'm trying to think of how all the girls wrestle .
Speaker 4Bray likes to throw . She threw her way to the finals .
Speaker 5She really did the same exact move every single match .
Speaker 2I guess , if you're good at it , huh yes .
Speaker 4If it ain't broke , don't fix it .
Speaker 2That's a big thing in sports . This is working . We're going to do something else now . Yes , you said that it's like if it ain't broke , don't fix it . Right , that's a big thing in sports . Yeah , this is working . We're going to do something else now .
Speaker 5No .
Speaker 3Don't need to . One of the things that's always stuck out to me about wrestling is the grind , the practice , the practice room , the kind of the mentality , each and every day that you have to walk in . My football coaches when I was in high school were all over me to wrestle . I was like , eh , I'm going to play basketball . Now there's part of me that wishes cause , I was a very physical athlete but , um , that's . I basically was a wrestler on the basketball team . Um , but what is that like ? What is that mindset ? Where do you have to go in your head to kind of prepare to walk into that room every day ? Maybe , coach , give us your perspective as being somebody that's done it and now you're coaching it .
Speaker 4Yeah , no , uh , for I mean , if I'm being completely honest , it sucks , it really does .
Speaker 4I hated going to practice , as no , uh , it was just tough . You knew that you're constantly moving , you're constantly working , you're I mean it is tough , like just getting your butt kicked almost for two hours straight . It is definitely a grind . Um , as a coach , it's a little different . Uh , there's expectations , obviously , but we definitely understand that these athletes are doing the stuff that they're supposed to do , that they are putting their bodies on the line when they're at practice . I can't really explain it because it's so tough . It's almost like you have to try it , you have to do it .
Speaker 2You know what I mean ? It's a physical battle .
Speaker 4It is it's ? It's a fight and it's a little that's like that's how I can explain it it's literally putting your body . It's like fighting , but without like punching and kicking someone I was watching .
Speaker 2I was watching some youtube this morning . I believe I was watching , I believe I was watching you at the 2022 and somebody had gotten on your back and they were just screaming at you to get up , get up , get up . And it flashed back to my older brother beating me up when I was younger and I remember just him getting me . I'm trying and I'm like man , that's like a really tough spot to be in , like I just remember physically I hated my brother trying to beat me up and I'm like that's what you guys do every single day . I mean , even in practice ,
Isabel & Le'Anna Sparing On The Daily, The Switch, Being Friends
Speaker 2you two spar a lot too right , the two of you kind of go at it Every day , every single day .
Speaker 5We don't have different partners , we're just our own , designated .
Speaker 2We're always only together . Yes , there's nobody else you guys spar , except each other for the most part .
Speaker 4Sometimes we'll break the other girls up , you know , just to give them a little challenge and teach them a few things , but we're mainly always always together yeah , I heard iron sharpens , iron it's so funny because , like , we'll have like a break in practice or get water and you'll just hear them , you know , being like little mouses , or don't hurt me , liana , don't hurt me and then all of a sudden , we come back to practice and it's like a switch , and then they're right back at it , like you know because it's intense when you go out like you got to really focus .
Speaker 2You're probably what working on moves , but then you're also defending a great move by your opponent , isabel . What's it like to go up against Liana consistently in practice and spar ?
Speaker 1It's actually super hard now because it's like we wrestle each other so much . It's like we already know what we're going to do . So I'll hit a shot on Liana and her hips are so heavy that they always give me such a hard time I just have to sometimes push her off of me . It was like , okay , let's do it over again . I need to redo . That's just so bad , and like sometimes , yeah , we have to go break up the other groups because they're like , okay , I already know what you're gonna do , you know what I'm gonna do . Let's try something new and let's go see something different how about yourself , liana ?
Speaker 5um , I love wrestling with Belle because it's just so funny .
Speaker 5She'll just be like no , don't hurt me , or I don't want to wrestle with you , you're too strong or like you know , just joke like that and it's just like uh , it's , I actually like it though , because like , then it like pushes me to like , try , like new things , like hey I'm gonna have to yeah , because like we can't just sit there and like like just run in circles like the whole time until like like I'm like , oh , let's just try this , and if it doesn't work then I'll get out , and then I know for like a next match that this won't work , you know , or like I'll try it Because , like Bell , actually many of the girls that I wrestle like kind of feel like the same or like they're obviously lighter than Bell , but it's just like it makes me like when I'm in the match I'm like , oh wait , they're like they're lighter and less stronger than Bell .
Speaker 2I would think it gives you great confidence If you're sparring with Isabel every day three-time state placer and then you get into your own match and you're weight class down right .
Speaker 5Yeah .
Speaker 2Your confidence just made through the roof .
Speaker 5Yeah , especially during last year and freshman year , it was like when I was like two weight classes down , I was like , oh yeah , if I can hang with her , then these girls will be a walk in the park .
Speaker 2Coach , can you compare their styles ? How ? Maybe you know , just really briefly , how are they the same , but how are they also different ? How do they and how are they able to be best friends ? Oh , good friends .
Speaker 5I don't know your guys' relationship .
Speaker 2Yeah , we are best friends , you are best friends .
Speaker 4Okay . So how is that even possible , you know , for them ? I know they both like hate to lose , love to win , and they want to end their match as soon as possible . I know that she does not like going to the third period on a match , whereas avala is just like I'm gonna keep coming after you , doesn't matter what period it is , I'm gonna , you know , just grind on you and beat the living crap out because you're always going for pins , or yeah , yeah , right , yeah , absolutely I mean they both are .
Speaker 4Like I said , they both are pinners . I will have to get the the stats on on their their pins , but I know it's it's very high for both of them . Yeah , so , um , but yeah , I know you like to go to your front headlock stuff , where Zavala is more of taking shots , taking more risks .
Favorite Moves - The Bundle, High C, Cerebral Element, Being In Flow
Speaker 2What are some of your favorite moves ? There's a lot of cool moves in wrestling so I was able to talk to a few people about there's some really great names . I'm not going to do this very well , but there's the bundle .
Speaker 1Oh , I love the bundle . Is isabel , can you talk about the bundle ? Exactly what that is ? Yeah , so pretty much my favorite way to hit . It is like when the girls flatten out and you have to cross face and it's sounds really bad to say like this , but it's basically like you're punching the girl , but with your forearm with your forearm and like you can't like pull back because then it's unnecessary roughness , but I feel like I do it so good because my forearm just connects with their face so well .
Speaker 2The smile on your face right now is a bit disturbing , but please continue .
Speaker 4Trust me , I've been on that end of the crossface before .
Speaker 1It's just so nice . And then you crossface and you kind of have to just grab both their arms and just pull it tight to your chest and just spin around and force them to flip over . I love that move so much . It was my first ever pin . I put a kid in a bundle and I will never hate that move , Love that move so much .
Speaker 3Oh , that's really cool , Leanna . What about you ? What's your go-to ?
Speaker 5I'm not really sure I love high crotches . High crotches are like what do they call them ? High C , high crotch .
Speaker 4Yeah , it's the same thing . It's the exact same thing . So it takes less practice time to say high crotch . I like to say high C , high C .
Speaker 5Some people just yeah , that was like the first one that I learned .
Speaker 2What is that move ?
Speaker 5It's basically just where you're like in neutral , and then you like take a penetration and like , basically like go up their crotch like your head , and then like henceforth obviously like two hands to one , and then you cut the corner and then just double off and it's just like sometimes , if you like , kid it right like their hips will already be down .
Speaker 4They'll be like already like on their hip , yeah , on the on their , on their back .
Speaker 2Yeah , that's my favorite listening to , listening to the both of you talk . I had wrote this down earlier and you just showed it . Wrestling is as much cerebral , so it's more about thinking as it is physical . When you're out there , you have all your moves . Are you thinking about the move or is it more muscle memory now and it's second nature ?
Speaker 5you know a lot of athletes when they're in a sport and it's going well , it's like oh , my brain was turned off , I just went it's like yeah , it's like both like , because like we practice so much and just for that , like sole purpose , to like get it engraved in our brain , so like we're not just thinking , so we can just like flow , so like that's what , like we've been recently doing , just like flowing , not really going through the motions , but like it's just like natural , it's just like , yeah , you know um , yeah , I would definitely say it's like I have to think in some of my matches .
Speaker 1Usually if it's a girl who doesn't give me too hard of a time , like my body kind of just like does its own thing , and I'm like okay it's along for the ride yeah , and then like , if it's a girl who gives me a really hard time , there are times where I have to like , push her away and like , okay , what ? Am I gonna hit on her because I tried this and it doesn't work .
Speaker 4So yeah , it just depends some of it is like if a wrestler is being reactive or proactive on stuff or their positioning as well , they can be like tensing up or stalling , or they can be full go at you . You have to change your game , your plan up on some of these opponents , so it all depends on them . But for them I know that they hit their go-tos and they hit them well , and so
Preparing For Top Opponents, Adding Moves, The Weight Room
Speaker 4yeah .
Speaker 3And for both of you , you're going to see some girls , probably early in the season at some of these tournaments that you're eventually going to run into as you get into the off season . I can see both of you both have smirks on your . I'm guessing that there's a lot of smirks in here today . It's really fun . Actually , I'm guessing you both have a name in the back of your head of somebody . We're not going to mention them .
Speaker 3But , what do you do as you're getting towards facing that person again ? What is kind of the mental process of going through and coming up with a game plan to wrestle that person that you've got experience wrestling before , Cause you're probably switching things up right ?
Speaker 1Yeah , for me I definitely have to like switch things up , and I get a really high anxiety Normally when it comes to those matches . Like I just feel so sick to my stomach cause I get so nervous . But , um , I just think of it as okay . Well , like let me just try this and I'll try it in practice for sure on leona , because I know she'll know how to defend it , or like give me a hard time with it . So I'm like I'll tell her . I was like okay , try this on me and let me see what I can do to get out .
Speaker 2Like I'll try to like plan ahead towards it and yeah , so you're trying to see that move from the other point of view , what your opponents ? Well , that's cool , that's a nice approach .
Speaker 4Yeah , I mean , especially if we know , like , what that opponent has been doing in previous matches , we'll go back to like the drawing board or the tape and be like , oh yeah , this is what she does . How can we defend it ? What can we do to prevent you get in this position ?
Speaker 2Do you ever like throw new moves in like ? Oh absolutely like I'm sure like as you become a better wrestler . Right , there's probably like a ladder of everybody gets better at certain things and moving up oh , yeah is there more stuff that you can add now , even though you've been doing it for a long time um , yeah , definitely , I think .
Speaker 1Just recently I started hitting like uh , oh , where you like , pick up the leg , step through pick and step yeah , pick and step pick and step , yeah . I've been doing . I've been doing a lot of like I just got that at Chick-fil-A yesterday yeah , like just recently , I've like found moves that I normally hit , but it's a lot easier if I just like go to a pick and step from there . So , yeah , it's still definitely learning a lot new things yeah , and that's all part of being a better athlete .
Speaker 3The element the other thing . So not just are you grinding in the wrestling room every day . I would imagine that both of you have spent some time in the weight room with Frank .
Speaker 5Oh yeah , I love Frank .
Speaker 3What has that done for your wrestling ? You know getting stronger , leanna . I know Bella sat here and told us how strong you are . You know , is it getting it done in the weight room and and that that's translating onto the mat yeah , actually there's .
Speaker 5so there's like so much you can do like I was just in there on on monday , like a couple days ago , and sometimes , like when I'm in there , he'll just like , if it's just like free , he'll just be like , oh , do you need ? Do you need , like um , like a split workout , like like a schedule , and I'm like sometimes I'll be like be like yeah , because you know , sometimes there's things that I want to work on , there's some things that I want to take from him so that I can do what he recommends . It's Frank . Frank knows everything .
Speaker 4He's so good at what he does . Yes , he does .
Speaker 5So just like Frank will be like oh , do this . Oh , this will be really beneficial for this .
Speaker 2Like got to listen to frank because he's a man . Yeah , you gotta listen to frank .
Speaker 3I love it is isabel , what about for you ? Um , I know not only softball's been in there , you're in there with wrestling . What's that kind of done for you and your wrestling ?
Speaker 1um , it's definitely helped because knowing the moves is one thing , but being able to like use a lot of muscle while doing it definitely helps . I can hit a move on Liana and then I'll be like dang . If I was just a little bit stronger , this would be so much more easier than just trying to memorize how to do it . Definitely , memorizing how to do moves and having the muscle to do it is really beneficial .
Speaker 2What are the important muscles in a wrestler's body that kind of make a big difference ? What would you say ?
Speaker 1I would say all of them . Like you can like stretch in like different ways , like you never would have thought you needed to like stretch Like really random .
Speaker 4Like your neck . Oh yeah , Definitely your neck . Yeah , Back legs , I mean . When you're shooting , you got to use your legs to drive on your opponent , you know so Everything .
Speaker 2Everything . It's all there , how do you guys recover as wrestlers , I mean , I'm sure , Well , I mean it's not really , and I really what I guess what I'm talking about , recovery it's . I mean's , sometimes your matches are super quick , right ? If you're up against a lower level opponent , what are you done in a minute ?
Speaker 5Yeah , sometimes . The first tournament that I had . It was like I didn't go past first period with any of them and it was just like I had to get the workout in my sprints after the match .
Speaker 2I was like oh my gosh .
Speaker 5Does it get boring sometimes when you know you have an easy match coming up ? Yeah , but I feel like I'd rather well . No , I think like it's a little iffy , depending on the day . I'll like , I want to challenge , I'll be like , oh okay . So , like you know , like our coaches , like when we were at the at Montague , they were like telling us like we don't get privileges like this so early on in the season . So this will be like a learning opportunity . We know what's coming and we know what you guys should work on because , like tough competitions- yes , that mad cat tournament is right , yeah , that's the best of the best it's a
Speaker 5good place to be , absolutely I always get caught at like I've never placed first at the mad cat , like I always get caught up with with um , but yeah , those really tough girls , those ranked girls , I always get on that side of the bracket . I am so serious , I literally wrestle .
Speaker 2Well like number two this number two in the 190 weight class . Yes , and that was like first round no early second rounds early enough , though , yeah it was your semis round , so well , that's what good coaches do , to be honest with you . They're going to put you out in those tournaments like that and then if you win , wonderful , you know where you're . But if you don't , you still know where you're at , and then you get back to work .
Speaker 4It's like what I tell them . I was like it doesn't matter who's in front of them . They're going to go out there , compete , do the best they can , and we trust them , and they go out there and perform . That's what they do .
2nd Half Of Season, Ford Field Experience, Memories Of The Palace
Speaker 3And they do amazing for us , kind of highlights . You got a couple of other tournaments that you're going to . What are some that maybe you have circled on the calendar like oh , I gotta get ready for this because we're gonna see some good competition hastings oh yeah , uh , hastings , and I would say midland , midland , sorry , yes , absolutely midlands .
Speaker 4Yes , and that's on a sunday . That's on a Sunday check your schedule yeah those are tough . Any tournaments on the east side are tough because we normally don't get to see those teams out there and it's good for seating purposes later on down the road .
Speaker 2You know for sectionals and for states absolutely far away on the horizon , of course sits ford field . I'm sure that always sits there . Do you guys ever watch the lions games go ? Yeah , I was out there every single time .
Speaker 4That's right , I'd be flexing it all the time .
Speaker 2How are you guys ? That's a great guy .
Speaker 3I rested down there . What an experience in that place , though , right oh , yeah it's , it's awesome .
Speaker 1I was like , oh , I get to walk through the tunnel oh , yeah , I have like little pieces of turf and I'm like okay , so this is from fort field .
Speaker 2I'm just gonna keep it a little yeah , yeah , you're gonna get rid of that . How much fun is it to be there ? Like , what's the atmosphere like when you're there ?
Speaker 1wild yeah , so wild , like you see , like all , because it's guys and girls . And so , like you see , these guys who are just like huge and like jacked and like spent all their time doing wrestling , get pinned and I'm like I'm right , I'm like no way that just happened . Like you're crazy big and that guy's just a little bit smaller than you are . Like how did you just let that happen ?
Speaker 5yeah , I know , yeah , and it's like yeah , we're so like I'm there with bell , like we're just sitting like ready to go march around the whole entire field , like twice , and then I just like dang , like all these people are good , like this is like just narrowed down to my state , like , and all these people are supposed to be like crazy good and like you'll see , and it's just crazy , like you know , to just like be like , oh , like this person could be bumped out today . This person could be state champions . It's like you're like by greatness and like by like so much , like grief and like so many upcoming things .
Speaker 3It is a very emotional .
Speaker 5It is yes , it's so scary and like which is all these people watching too ? Like the stands are always , like , like , fully filled . I think they start to get more filled , like the second day but it's still scary to just see , like all those people and it's like like when Bill was saying , like how he's like these Jack dudes . It's like they can be like so much muscle , but like technique will like , I think he will like almost always win . There's like some like yeah , it's just crazy how it works .
Speaker 4Yeah , it doesn't compare to when they had it at the palace Auburn Hills .
Speaker 3Really , You're like the palace of .
Speaker 4Auburn Hills .
Speaker 3Michigan . Is that the palace ?
Speaker 4The whole entire like seats were filled . It was packed . It was yeah . I love that atmosphere and I love you know everyone screaming A little closer , yeah , everyone's a little bit , yeah , but I definitely like Auburn Hills or the Palace better .
Speaker 3And now the Palace is no more . No , more .
Speaker 2It's gone . It's all right . My youth doesn't exist anymore .
Speaker 4I want to look that up later , because me and Bill are over here . I have no idea what's going on , right ?
Speaker 3now , that was the first state finals I ever went to Gosh this is probably back in like 2010 , 2011 and I walked in . I was the ad of four , still central . We had a bunch of qualifiers went down and I'm just looking for my team and I get a text from coach . We're in like the upper deck , all the way back against the curtain . That was the only spot they could find and that was their seat . So we're getting like text messages like oh , brandon , you got to go down and get ready to start warming up , like in the upper deck of the palace .
Speaker 5It's so scary Like we literally have to like , because sometimes , depending on where we'll sit , we'll have to run like halfway across the image and then down , because there's only two entrances that you can go and so , like it's just , we have to wait till your weight class to be called , otherwise the officials won't you on , even on the like , uh , the performing mats and like , oh , just just thinking about it makes me so anxious , like my hands are freezing right now I don't know .
Speaker 4Some dipping dots sound pretty good , though I can't . I can't like everyone's like , oh yeah it's just so fun .
Speaker 5I didn't eat a single thing from , like , the food court or nothing .
Speaker 2It's very healthy to feel that way . It means you care . It's difficult to go up against the best of the best , but guess what ? People are thinking the same thing about you .
Speaker 5Oh yeah .
Speaker 4Think about that . Yeah , I think you guys are ranked in the top three , top four , oh yeah .
Speaker 2You're on somebody else's mind . Someone's getting better for you yeah , they got a game plan for you guys yeah , well , we're going to get near the end here , so we'll get a little finish up .
Memories of Eachother, A Life Without Wrestling, What Wrestling Has Done
Speaker 2Let me ask a couple things . What are you ? Have more memories coming up , they haven't been made yet . What are your best memories of each other ? Liana , if you can , you know if you think about Isabel and you know what are . What's something that you just think about her ? That's kind of one of your favorite memories of her wrestling .
Speaker 5Oh , my gosh All right .
Speaker 3She had one ready to go . She's a rock .
Speaker 5Yes , I did . Okay , as of wrestling , it's so weird , I hate to say it , but we barely ever talk before matches . We hype each other up a little bit . But I know to leave , like , leave her to her own thing , to get to do her own thing , so like , and she knows to leave me to my own thing and just like trust that we both will like do whatever . But , um , yeah , it's always there's so many like things in practice that , like , we always have like a laugh , especially with , like the coaches , stuff like that . I can't like , I can't well you know what one for you ?
Speaker 5it's not specific yeah it , it's not , because it's always just so fun with Isabel . We know when to take things serious and we know when to goof off and joke around . Yeah , literally just today during practice , we were scrambling . It was so weird , we never scramble , and then we were and she was just like , oh , you're so flexible .
Speaker 3And I was just like that's so crazy . Oh , you're so flexible . And I was just like it's so crazy .
Speaker 5But one of the really fun times was freshman year of States . I think it was States , states , yes it was States , was it States ? Yeah , yeah , I think that , or regionals , because we got to the hotel and we see our two beds and then we just got to wing in . We're famished , we're so excited , we're about to go eat and like , and then I look at the bed and I just belly dive on the bed and then abby when abby was with us when she was at states yeah , I miss abby .
Speaker 5And then she she dove on top of me and then isabel dove on top of abby that was on top of me and it was just this whole big dog pile and I have a video of it and everything oh , there you go . Yes , you did have a memory we were all on earner singlets and everything .
Speaker 1It was just so fun that's hilarious our little trio um , yeah , I would definitely say my favorite memories were are always when we go like to the hotels together , because it's like a little sleepover and like we all get to like just have a little kid sleepover all over again , right Especially the pools .
Speaker 4I love going to the pools so much . That was so fun . They want to play mermaids . Yeah , we love playing mermaids .
Speaker 3It's so funny because we send wrestling Traditionally . You'll have some overnight stuff . Tennis we'll do an overnight if their state tournament is not on the west side . Swim will do an overnight if their state tournament is not in the on the West side . Swim , tennis and swim gets really bummed out when the state meet is in Grand Rapids .
Speaker 3Like the kids are heartbroken over it because they don't get the hotel night and our coaches love it , because they're going to sleep in their own beds tonight and get their home cooked meals , and everybody else is traveling to us . So it's . I had a feeling that your best memories were going to be the overnight uh , over there so you should be happy .
Speaker 5Oh my gosh , detroit is so populated . We had to like like time , like our schedules was like when he sent us our schedules , like everything was like half an hour in advance . Because like , oh , we got to put traffic in and play . Oh , we got to get a ride there . We gotta , oh , either we gotta walk here and like it was just I , I , I guess I like detroit but like , sometimes I wish it was in , like a smaller city , not really like I hear you , yes , so popular yeah , kind of more going on .
Speaker 2This has been really , really fun . What a pleasure it's been to sit down with you . Guys have wonderful personalities . It's just amazing to be with you guys here . Where would you , where would you be without wrestling ? I mean , how important is it to you in your life , isabel ?
Speaker 1um , not gonna lie , I'd probably be really lazy , like really lazy and out of shape . Um , wrestling has definitely done a lot for me . It's like taught me how to like be mentally tough and how like there happens like some things I cannot control , like even if I put in my best , like it's okay that sometimes I will fail and I like it just keeps me going , like just keeps me encouraged pretty much .
Speaker 2Isabel . Sorry , it was such a good quote , I kind of got lost in it . Yeah , you were too . We were both like oh really , oh . No , I feel like you were too . We were both like oh really oh yeah , wow .
Speaker 5Oh no , I feel like , yeah , I think I'd be , like I'd be a bum really .
Speaker 2I would .
Speaker 5I would be like I don't know . I think I'd just like be yeah , I'd have less priority , so I'd have like less discipline in it , just like play , like like relationships , like friendships and like just like school work and stuff like that . I think it would be like a lot different . I feel like sometimes really like wrestling like saved me because like , yeah , like , and like during freshman year and like high school , like everyone says , like high school sucks , like high school is like the worst years of your life . But like I feel like like when I did wrestling , I was like like I have something to look forward to , I have something to like keep going at every day and I have something to just keep getting better at . And it's just like there's like a lot of sports like you know , like where you're , just like you'll hit that mark , like you're the best . But like with wrestling , like there's always something to work on and so like , yeah , I feel like it really is .
Speaker 5It gives you like so many like um , how coach Montoya was saying one day after practice , we were all just like so tired . It was one of those practices like so hard , just like grinding us out and getting us ready for like the beginning of the season , and he was telling us like this is like this is going to teach you like a whole bunch of things in life , like it's going to teach you to just keep up , keep getting up and keep working at it and keep showing up because , like a lot of things like for like jobs , like family , like you just got to keep showing up and it's just like , yeah , it's , it's like wrestling really is life , because like there's like there's so many things that you can just you can compare it to like real life thing , because it's it inclusive with everything mental , physical and just everything . Overall , it's really , yeah , like Coach said , like a faith . That's awesome .
Speaker 2I think I was staring into the distance before . Oh my goodness
A Thankful Coach Speaks
Speaker 2, coach , you get to coach them . What's it like having them ?
Speaker 4It's an honor , a privilege that you oh man , now I'm getting a little .
Speaker 3We've had tears on the podcast before .
Speaker 4I'm so proud of these girls . These girls are amazing . They work so hard to get to where they're at and I am so happy , blessed , to be their coach . Like I said earlier , they're a family . I love them so much . They put in the work , they put in the time to see their ups , their downs . You see them practically almost every day , on a daily basis , um , during , during the winter , and um I I really don't have the words because I'm I'm so proud of them .
Speaker 2I wish them nothing but the best . You just had the words , my friend . You did just fine .
Speaker 4I'm just privileged and so happy that I get to be their coach , because they are the best and I love them and I can't wait to see what's in store for them .
Speaker 3Got Dusty in the podcast studio . Again , here I am .
Speaker 2Well , we're going to follow you from now on . I'm going to be in the crowd at some point . I know I am now because I know you and I tell you what . I can't be more excited to hear your stories , what you guys got coming up . It's just a real treat to sit down with you .
Speaker 3Thanks so much for coming in today . Thank you , guys . Thanks for having us to sit down with you . Thanks so much for coming in today .
Speaker 2Thank you , guys , I remember this we are West Ottawa , we are community , we are each other . Thanks to all of you , thanks for coming in .
Speaker 5Thanks for having us , is that ?
Speaker 4a wrap , that's a wrap , thank you .
