To prepare herself mentally for wrestling meets, junior Nakeeya Riley listens to music, turns off social media and prepares a good mindset.
After an injury kept her from competing in the postseason last year, Riley has been looking forward to this wrestling season. With her mental preparation, she also takes steps to physically prepare for meets. She tries to stay moving to keep a good body heat, and she keeps her weight steady.
“I try to keep my body warm and my weight right now [is] 120,” Riley said. “I’m liking it so far.”
Riley chose to do wrestling because she felt like she had the strength and wanted to try something that would come off surprising to most people. These past matches have Riley full of excitement, because she loves wrestling and watching her teammates wrestle.
“I get adrenaline, I get really hyped when I see my teammates wrestling,” Riley said. “I’m just happy overall.”
When she’s wrestling, Riley tries to take what she’s learned from the previous matches and use them moving forward, whether she wins or loses. The lessons she learns helps her to become a better person and wrestler.
Riley is motivated by her coaches to keep going and keep looking forward. Due to an injury she wasn’t able to compete in sectionals or regionals last year. The main coaches she said have motivated her the most are Coach Chico Adams, Coach Jacob O’Neill and former coaches Draven Rasler and Kelly Romano.
“My coaches have motivated me the most,” Riley said. “They have been pushing me to stretch and keep my body strong.”
Riley’s goal is to continue wrestling moving forward, and she wants to find a college or get a scholarship.
Riley inspires other girls to join wrestling, she believes it will be a great experience and way to make friends.
“ We’re all nice, even the boys are nice,” Riley said “ I feel like it’s a good experience winning and losing because you learn from it.”
Another wrestler is sophomore Ryanna Benson, she started wrestling when she was a freshman. Benson said she was inspired to do wrestling by a junior friend who is now a senior.
“Wrestling really never came into my mind until a friend of mine named Rakyah Rivers introduced me to it.” Benson said.