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The Jonathan Alder girls wrestling team, although a newer team, has had a very successful season so far, placing third as a team at their Lady Pioneers Classic as well as having seven top three individual event placings. However, there is more than meets the eye with this newly established team.

Hard work in the off season is a key factor to the teams current success. 

Freshman Elsie Holmes says,“[We did] open mats with other teams.” 

Last year, the team consistently placed well at tournaments, and the girls have fought hard to continue this success, even after the loss of senior Annie Saxour. This season the team has constantly had over six girls place in their respective weight classes each tournament, as well as growing their team from 12 girls to 21 this year. 

However, wins this year are not the only thing the girls are focusing on. 

Sophomore Savannah Higgins says the mentality is also important. “It’s a very mental sport,” she says. “I’m trying to control my anxiety before matches because I feel like that really took over last season.”

Mental toughness is a common goal amongst the team, with Higgins and her goals, and even with Holmes. 

“[I’m focusing on] mentally preparing myself for each match, [and] not saying I’m going to lose before I [even start],” Holmes says. 

With the team’s performance so far into this season, it appears that their hard work on their mentality is paying off. 

But, mental strategy and their ambitions to win aren’t the only things driving these girls to work hard. Being a newer team added to Jonathan Alder, these girls have many eyes on them. With this team only being in their third official season, they have many young girls looking up to them. 

“I do [hope to inspire other girls],” says Higgins. “We’re having the first ever CBC tournament this year and…we’re hoping to win it as a team to be the first girls wrestling team [at JA to win], and also to have a whole bunch of first places at the CBC tournaments.”

Their next match is the Iron Maiden Tournament at Bellefontaine High School on Jan. 30 starting at 5:00pm. 

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Originally published by thepioneerpress.org. Reporting by Ella Polston. Read the full story at thepioneerpress.org.