First of the First: Isabel Anaya, Le'Anna Zavala & Mathias Sarli with Girls Varsity Wrestling

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.

Send us a text

Podcasts now dropping at 5pm every Sunday evening for that late weekend chill, or listen Monday AM during that morning commute or workout. Please like, follow, subscribe, or leave a review. Even share with someone who might like to listen. Thanks for taking the time to get to know each other a little bit better. The people who make West Ottawa Athletics what it is. Go WO!

Special thanks to Laura Veldhof Photography.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Um, wrestling has definitely done a lot for me.
It's like taught me how to likebe mentally tough and how like
there happens like some things Icannot control, like even if I
put in my best, like it's okaythat sometimes I will fail and I
like it just keeps me going,like just keeps me encouraged
pretty much.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hey everybody, this is Rodney Valinga with the West
Ottawa High School AthleticProgram and you're listening to
the 29.1 Podcast 29 sports, oneteam, the show that brings you
into the lives ofstudent-athletes, coaches and
other faces in the Panthersports community, bringing you
the stories you might otherwisenever hear.
Join myself and AthleticDirector Bill Kennedy as we dive

(00:48):
in with you to get to know eachother a little bit better.
It's not very often that anathlete gets to be the first of
the first, but two West Ottawawrestlers are doing just that,
accomplishing things inwrestling that have never been
done before in the black andwhite.

Speaker 3 (01:10):
Today we're joined by senior Isabel Anaya, junior
Liana Zavala and coach MatthiasSarli of West Ottawa Wrestling
Girls.
Wrestling may be one of thenewest programs here at West
Ottawa, but these girls aredoing some big things on the mat
.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
They are setting the pace for one of the fastest
growing high school sportsacross the country and inspiring
future wrestlers throughout ourcommunity.

Speaker 3 (01:32):
Isabella, anaya Leanna Zavala and coach Matthias
Sarli next on the 29.1 podcast.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
I'm your host, Rodney Valinga, and I'm here with
Panthers Athletic Director BillKennedy.
This is our first recordingsession for 2025, so we're
excited about that.
We've actually made it to yeartwo, kind of, so that's pretty
exciting.
Today's guests are some of themost successful athletes in
their sport in West Ottawahistory.
Although the program is veryyoung, they are performing at

(02:16):
elite levels and putting theirmark on girls varsity wrestling
here at West Ottawa High school,really being the first to do
the things they are doing in somany categories.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, we're joined by Isabella Naya, a four time Kent
County classic winner, a recentwinner of the Montague mat cat
championship, a three time stateplacer, three time all state
wrestler and academic all state,so getting it done in the
classroom as well.
And then Liana Zavala, a juniorfor us, who just won her third
Kent County Classic, is atwo-time state placer and has

(02:49):
been two times all-state.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, they've been to the state finals at Ford Field
multiple times throughout theirhigh school careers and are
putting together anothersuccessful season so far, always
looking to have solid weeklysuccess in duels and tournaments
.
As they build toward a hopefulreturn to the Motor City and as
they push forward in both theirsenior and junior years, we are
also joined by their coach andit's a privilege to ask who is

(03:14):
it, coach?

Speaker 4 (03:15):
Sarli.

Speaker 5 (03:17):
I'm Isabella Naya and I'm Liana Zavala.

Speaker 3 (03:22):
Awesome.
It's really awesome to have youall here coming in fresh off of
a practice today yeah thanks umone thing that kind of stands
out for both of you.
You guys go out on the mat andabsolutely 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 greatjoy, and my first question for

(03:45):
both of you and maybe isabel,you'll start for us what is the?
What is the switch you go fromthis bubbly, smiley personality
to I'm gonna go out and crushthis person when I get out on
the mat, like how does thathappen?

Speaker 1 (04:01):
um, to be honest, I have no idea.
I idea, I just don't likelosing.
I'd rather not lose and beembarrassed about that.
Maybe I just got to be a littlemeaner.

Speaker 3 (04:13):
All right, liana.

Speaker 5 (04:16):
I feel not really like two different people on and
off the mat, but that's what itis.
It's like a switch On the matyou're like of.
That's what it is Like.
It's like a switch like on themat you're like oh, I got to
lock in, so like it's it's.
It's different.

Speaker 3 (04:31):
Well, you've both done an awesome job at it.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
Well, it's great to have both of you on here.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
I have to be honest.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
I know I should.
I've been watching it onYouTube and I'm like, hmm, this
is pretty impressive.
So I'm going to be a goodexample of the person in the
community who doesn't know a lotabout wrestling.
So it happens we go to thesports that our kids do and I
don't have anybody in wrestling.
I've never gone, but watchingthe two of you wrestle is really
, really exciting.
So I'm very familiar with bothyour names because I heard lots

(05:02):
about you.
So I really consider it almostlike it's a real privilege just
to sit here with you, reallyexcited about it, like a lot of
sports.
Uh, you're busy over theholiday break, coach, how far
are you into the season rightnow and how has it been going?

Speaker 4 (05:15):
we're about halfway through.
It's been going great.
I mean I can't complain.
These girls and boys are doingeverything that we ask.
They're working hard, hard,they're coming to practice,
they're showing up, and I reallyappreciate that from everyone.
So, yeah, we're excited tocontinue with the second half of
the season and hopefully showthat we can compete with the

(05:35):
high level and get to, you know,to Ford Field.

Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, you just finished up that Montague Lady
Mat Cat tournament.
I thought you know when Italked to you on the phone it
that Montague Lady Mad Cattournament.
I thought you know when Italked to you on the phone it's
been a few weeks ago now becausewe had planned on doing this a
lot earlier, but the Mad Cat waslike 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 realbriefly?
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 4 (05:56):
Like 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 0.5points away from being in the
top five out of let's see 58teams that were there it's crazy
it's amazing that these girlslike just you know, go out there
, do what they do every day andthen like kill it, like that.

(06:20):
That's all I can really say isthat they go out there and they
do their job and they, theycrush it isabel, because teams
they are going to have.

Speaker 2 (06:26):
What 14?
How many weight classes arethere?
14.
There's, 14.
Do a lot of girls' teams nowhave that many?
No, not a lot, but there aresome.

Speaker 4 (06:38):
I know Grand Haven, I think, is pretty close to it,
romeo Hastings definitely does.
There was a lot of teams thathad full lineups there that you
know.
We were just shy of.
You know, catching Sure, Idon't just five girls going, you
know like yeah, it's quitesomething, Liana.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
how did Isabel do it in the Montague?

Speaker 5 (06:59):
Isabel.
Isabel did her thing.
She just like she just doesn'tneed any like pointers, like all
she needs to do is just likerun her A game and then she goes
out there and just kills it.
Like Coach said, she just likeI'll watch her Because our
weight classes are kind of closetogether, so like, if I can
watch her I will.

(07:19):
But they were kind of closetogether so we were like
wrestling at the same time.
So, but they were kind of closetogether, so we were like
wrestling at the same time, sowe 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 waslike, oh my gosh, I can't
believe I practice with her.

Speaker 2 (07:32):
Oh, I'm sure, yeah, and how about uh watching uh
Liana wrestle Is?
You'll get a chance to see eachother as much.
But how did you know?

Speaker 1 (07:43):
I know you came back through the blood rounds, but
you can talk about her a littlebit um, usually when I see leona
russell, it's I am so surprisedevery 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 likethrowing random moves we just
learned in practice and I'm like, oh my gosh, like that's insane
.
Like I, I get so nervous tryingnew things.

(08:05):
But when Liana does it, itlooks like so effortless and
like it looks so good.
I'm like, oh my god yeah, wewill.

Speaker 2 (08:10):
Yeah, we will talk about some moves a little bit
later, because I find that ifyou're really, really
interesting about those types ofthings, so uh, that's cool that
you're able to put that intopractice.
And I mean, you know you'resurprising her, so you're doing
something right?

Speaker 4 (08:21):
no, it's so it's so funny because I would be
wrestling with liana and I'll belike going to coach montoya and
practice like, oh my goodness,if liana hits this move, she's,
she's gonna beat all of heropponents.
She's so tough, she's so strongyeah she put in the legs on me.
I was like and I pretended likeI couldn't get out, but for
real it was tough.
I had to try every like as hardas I pretended.

Speaker 2 (08:42):
That's what he said I had to.

Speaker 4 (08:44):
I'm not gonna let her think that I that was gonna,
she was doing it well, you gotsome new incentive for the next,
next go around with him, huhyeah coach.

Speaker 3 (08:54):
You're in your second year, um, as head coach.
Also work at West Ottawa.
Down at Harbor Lights is thelead security down there.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
Uh, kind of a perfect combination, right, you get to
kind of recruit the nextabsolutely 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 3 (09:17):
Um, you've been a part of the wrestling community
at west ottawa.

Speaker 4 (09:20):
Now for how long, oh my goodness, for so long um.

Speaker 3 (09:23):
I can't even all the way back to your high school.

Speaker 4 (09:24):
Yeah, I mean no, even before that it was a middle
school.
I started wrestling when I wasin seventh grade, uh, here at
west ottawa.
So I mean I have deep rootsthrough for west ottawa.
I mean I believe black andwhite.
So I love every bit of thiscommunity.
I love you know, being a partof it all.
You were a wrestler too back inyour day, right yep tell us

(09:44):
about what your wrestling careerit wasn't as great as theirs.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
I can tell you that it's okay, it doesn't have to be
um it was good.

Speaker 4 (09:51):
You know, I um freshman year I wrestled about
119 and then I moved up uhweight class uh.

Speaker 2 (09:57):
Each 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 togo at it.

Speaker 4 (10:06):
That's, that's something oh, yeah, yeah, no, uh
, it's all those hot wings can'tbeat a buffalo wild wings.
You know you go tuesdays getthose lbs on there, that's right
yeah, no, um no, my wrestlingcareer was, like I said, it
wasn't as great as theirs, but Ilove the competition, I love,
oh, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
For me, like, my mindset was like I had to be the
best in the my wrestling careerwas like I said it wasn't as
great as theirs, but I love thecompetition, I love competing.

Speaker 4 (10:25):
Oh yeah, yeah.
For me, like my mindset waslike I had to be the best in the
practice room, like I did notlike getting taken down, I
didn't like losing, like, justlike them, I just was.
You know, I had that switch.
You know, once I was in thepractice room, once I was
wrestling, I just I had to turnit on.
So let's see, my senior year,you know, fell short, I broke my

(10:46):
ankle senior year going.
It was at regionals, you know,match to go to state, broke it,
yep.
And then, uh, actually funnystory like I worked my way back
up and then I walked on mcc andstarted for them for two years.

Speaker 2 (10:59):
so yeah, so a lot of perseverance there with your
career, yeah A lot of hard work,liana.
You started, you're a juniorand this is your third season.
You were once a soccer playerwhen you were little, though
right, that was kind of yoursport for a long time.

Speaker 5 (11:13):
Yeah, I think I started playing soccer when I
was like second third grade.

Speaker 2 (11:19):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 5 (11:19):
I don't, I don't know , I didn't know anything about
wrestling, like nobody in mynobody in my family does
wrestling or like any sportactually.
So, uh, freshman year I hadthis like weightlifting class
and we were like maxing out.
One day and girl was like youknow what?
I think you'd be good atwrestling or something Like
you're, you're really strong.
And I was like, oh okay, andshe was like, yeah, there's an

(11:42):
open mat and a meeting for thebeginning of the season, so you
should come.
So I did, and then, um, I don'tknow, I just I just kept doing
it, like it was kind of like ahabit to just keep going so you
had no plans on becoming awrestler, but that was part of
it.
Somebody just said hey, comingout, maybe try this yeah, I like
I knew I knew nothing aboutwrestling, like I never watched

(12:04):
wrestling or like anything,because you're making me feel
better.
Thanks, yeah, I know, I waslistening to say that and I was
like, I like, I feel I felt thesame way like before freshman um
, I still, I still did soccer.
Um, after wrestling it was likea huge jump, just like very
different, like cardio, verydifferent movement.
Oh yeah, very, very differentsports.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
Oh yeah, very, very different sports.
Isabel, did you have any impacton Liana coming out for
wrestling?

Speaker 1 (12:31):
It was kind of a little bit like after she
already joined.
It was almost like one of thosethings like me and another girl
on the team, like we just tookin Liana and we're like you're
just going to start sparringwith us and we're just going to
teach you everything we know sothat you can be really tough on
us and we can be tough on you.

Speaker 2 (12:45):
Did you guys know each other at all back then?

Speaker 5 (12:47):
No, 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 2 (12:58):
So that's interesting .
So we got an older persontaking you in, just got to be
the way right.

Speaker 4 (13:04):
I mean, we're family.
It doesn't matter if you comeout for one day.
You're part of this wrestlingcommunity.
You're with us for life.
So it's awesome to see her takeher on like that.
It's great.

Speaker 2 (13:16):
Did you like it right away?
Was it something that camenatural to you?

Speaker 5 (13:26):
Yeah, really, I was just like this is so different
from like soccer and likefootball and just like just
everything else, and I was likethere'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 4 (13:39):
Like it was, we're like oh my goodness, who is this
girl?

Speaker 2 (13:43):
isabel, talk about that.
I you've had success.
So when you see somebody jumpin and have some immediate
success and talent, you've gotto get pretty excited about that
.

Speaker 1 (13:50):
Oh yeah, I was definitely excited.
She's really coachable.
There was things where we werejust teaching her moves and we
were telling her right before amatch oh, we've seen you do this
in practice.

Speaker 3 (14:09):
Try doing this instead.
And she did it right there inthe middle of the match and I'm
like, oh my gosh, like he'sgonna be super good and I'm so
glad that she joined wrestling.
And there you have to.
As a wrestler, you have to bevery willing to give those
things a try, right, not just inthe practice space, but on a
mat in a match.
What is that?
Does that create some sort ofanxiety as a wrestler, like, oh,
I'm about to throw this newmove.
I hope that I land it correctlylike we.

Speaker 4 (14:27):
We have the saying you live by the throw, you die
by the throw.
So like if you hit a move likeyou're going to expose your back
, it's risky but hey, highreward.
You know, you just never knowon these moves.
So if you practice a lot, youget that muscle memory down.
It's easy, no anxiety, like Ican hit a move like it's.
Like I said, it's muscle memoryfor me so and I'm sure it is

(14:48):
for them as well isabel, you'rea senior.

Speaker 2 (14:51):
Yeah, you're in your final season already.
Yeah, it's.
Whenever you have the seniorsin here, it's always like I
don't want to remind them thatit's their final stretch, but it
always is.
You've been wrestling for quitesome time.
Uh, the beginning like for you.
You, your brother's, wrestledright.
Talk a little bit about you'regetting you getting your start
um, yeah, my older brother.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
My older brother wrestled in college.
My younger brother, um, hestarted wrestling like early
elementary school and I Iwatched him do like one practice
and I was like, okay, thislooks really fun like everyone's
just rolling on the mats Likedoing around the house anyways,
right.
I was like, just sign me up,like I'm excited.

Speaker 4 (15:28):
No, she was getting beat up by her little brother.

Speaker 1 (15:30):
Okay, I was not getting beat up.

Speaker 4 (15:33):
That's not what Abel told me, yeah.

Speaker 1 (15:37):
So it was like one of those things like and then
usually when I do a sport Ialways do it like two years to
like make sure I like it, and sowrestling just became one of
those things like I just startedto do like every year after a
little while.
So, yeah, I just kind of grewon me and stuff.

Speaker 2 (15:57):
I was able to talk to your mom a little bit.
She told me a little story.
She goes she might own up tothis, she might not, so let's
see if you do.
But she said I think you werein either seventh or eighth
grade and you were because youwrestled boys back then a lot
right, yeah so she said you wereat a gym and you were there.
And little whatever 12 year oldyou says to your mom, mom, why

(16:17):
are all these boys crying?
Did you remember the story?

Speaker 1 (16:20):
all right, go ahead, you tell it from now on um, it
was like we were at one of themy way tournaments and I've just
seen all of these boys cryingand I was like it's not that bad
like why?
are you crying like you guys arejust being little babies about
it.
And then I was like I just letme just wrestle a few

(16:41):
tournaments because I want tomake some boys cry, because I
thought it was the funniestthing ever just to like see them
crying to their dads.
And they're like she's a girl,like I let her win.

Speaker 2 (16:49):
No, 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.

Speaker 3 (16:57):
One of the cool things that I've gotten to
experience really over my timehere at West Ottawa is the
really the sea change.
We don't see a lot of girlshaving wrestle boys anymore,
right, because for the most partit's a girl's wrestling.
Is wrestling other girls.
What has that been like forboth of you?
Maybe, liana, you can speak tothis first to know, like, okay,

(17:21):
I don't have to go and wrestle aboy just because that's the
only person they have.
Yeah, it's been cool to be apart of that.
I mean, you guys are part ofthis, like movement, really.

Speaker 4 (17:32):
Yeah, it's one of the fastest growing sports in the
nation right now.
So, like you just see a bunchof 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, wantto be, want to be there when I
want to grind, like it.
I, you know, know, I love that.

Speaker 5 (17:51):
I'm sorry, go ahead no, I was like thinking, um,
because I was saying like I onlyI wrestled, I think like a wham
tournament, um, and I had towrestle, like four guys, I think
, and I was just like it was sohumbling, 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 girlsversus guys is like like really

(18:13):
different.
And I was like and like youknow, and I like experienced it
too like I have an older brotherand we were like we're like
getting like a few brawlssometimes and like in elementary
like it was fine.
You know what I mean.
But as you like started gettingin middle school, I'm like
where's the strength coming from?
Because, like he never likeworked out or anything, it's
just like they just get likestupid strong out of nowhere.
And I can't I can't imaginedoing like isabel, like what she

(18:34):
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 aboutthis very much, but when you get
old like we do, I I'm talkingabout Bill and myself.

Speaker 2 (18:52):
Oh.

Speaker 5 (18:53):
I'm there too.
I'm there too.

Speaker 2 (18:55):
You start to see things in the big picture and
you guys are like you're thefirst of the first, right, if
you want to look up any historyat West Ottawa and these
different sports, whatever it'sgoing to be, there's going to be
one day when they go back tothe beginning of girls varsity
wrestling at West Ottawa highschool, of girls varsity
wrestling at West Ottawa HighSchool.
It's going to be you guys.
How does that make you feel?
What's it like to be the firstof the first?

Speaker 1 (19:17):
Isabel, thinking about it like that, it's kind of
really surprising because Ifeel like, oh, there's
definitely more girls who havedone this before me, but then
get away like that.
It's really surprising and itkind of makes me happy knowing
that I'm able to like set thatway for every other girl, like
hopefully inspire them to likejoin wrestling and stuff.

(19:39):
I think it's cool absolutely.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
How about yourself?

Speaker 5 (19:42):
I think it's kind of scary because, like it's just
like I I do that with the guyssometimes like and like I forgot
who came in and told us like Iwant you to like look back on me
and like, want to be better.
Like, look at me and be like Iforgot who came in and told us
like I want you to like lookback on me and like, want to be
better, like, look at me and belike 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 hopethat somebody somebody does that

(20:04):
to me in the near future.
Like looks at my matches and ohmy, that's so weird.
Like they're gonna be looking atlike the matches that are just
out there on youtube and some ofthem are like, yeah, I don't
know it's that's funny.

Speaker 4 (20:18):
I feel like it's a privilege yeah, no, we got, we
definitely got to get a boardfor the girls accolades in the
wrestling room so they, you knowthe future, can see their names
.
And uh, especially a greataccomplishment that is coming up
, that isabella is like 15matches away from 100 wins I saw
that on your instagram, that'sthat's a huge feat.

Speaker 3 (20:38):
Like no girl has ever done that before at west ottawa
, so like yeah, in my time youknow, being a part of west
ottawa and hosting tournamentsand those sorts of things we've
had a couple of boys who havekind of eclipsed that 100 and
it's a big deal.
You get the banner out, you getthe photos.
So, yeah, kudos to you andreally for persevering initially

(21:02):
right, because as a middleschool wrestler you're wrestling
boys all the time it would bereally easy for you to just say
and I don't know if this isreally my thing, but you kind of
pushed forward and now you'rein a spot where you're going to
accomplish something that no oneelse at West Ottawa has ever
done.
That's pretty awesome.
You're going to do it with asmile on your face as you're

(21:23):
getting your hand raised.

Speaker 2 (21:26):
After every win, you have this sheepish, funny smile
on your face.

Speaker 4 (21:32):
It's so funny because she hugs their opponent after
she wins I'm sure they love that.
No, yeah, they absolutely hateit.
And I asked her one day I waslike why do you do that?
I was like, because I just beatthem.
I want, I want to assert mydominance I want them to know
how, how they just lost to me itwas.
I was like oh okay, I respectthat I was like okay, now I get
it, it, get it, it's mind games.

Speaker 2 (21:52):
That's so funny, oh man what is it real quick?

Speaker 3 (21:57):
What has it been like coach Maybe you can speak to
this to see the growth of girlswrestling across West Michigan
and now you have schools thatare hosting girls only
tournaments and you continue tokind of see the sport push
forward?
You've kind of see it's seen itsince its infancy, right I mean

(22:17):
when I first came to westottawa, we had I don't know a
hand, three or four girls andthey always wrestled boys and
what's it been like to kind ofsee that it that change it has
been great.

Speaker 4 (22:28):
You know, just having that difference of you know
just going you're always goingto those boys tournaments and
then you're seeing these girlsthat are competing at a high
level is just as good as theboys.
It's great to watch.
It's great to see how fast thisgrow.
This sport is growing uh allaround, not just in west
michigan but around the world.
Like you see it in uh collegesnow.

(22:48):
You know uh, you got collegegirls teams.
You got uh the olympics girlscompeting there.
It's so awesome to see thissport grow and we're happy to be
a part of it and I hope theycontinue on and you know that's
the goal is for them to continueon and and watch them grow and
see them succeed.

Speaker 2 (23:06):
You know, after this, leon, you guys have a pretty
strong community too right thewest auto wrestling community
with like support of people.
And you guys have a prettystrong community too right the
West Ottawa wrestling communitywith support of people, and you
guys recently had a fundraiser.
I believe it raised $4,700 orso.
What's it like to have thepeople around you around here
supporting you guys?

Speaker 5 (23:23):
It's just like so many people, but like some
people, don't pay any mind towrestling but, like we're trying
to like put it out there.
You know what I mean.
I hope that our efforts aredoing a little something.

Speaker 2 (23:34):
It does happen in some sports where there's these
great things happening, andbecause it's not, I know what
you're saying and I think we'removing in that direction.

Speaker 4 (23:43):
I think so too.

Speaker 3 (23:44):
We went over to Northview and did their assembly
duel.
We're going to host that herenext year.
Are we doing one here?

Speaker 2 (23:53):
Oh, it's gonna happen .
Oh sweet, because when I talkedto coach on the phone about it
and we were trying to talk onthe phone the first time, he
says I'm on my way to assembly,do I'm like?

Speaker 3 (24:00):
okay, I guess that's a wrestling term I don't know.

Speaker 2 (24:04):
But then I found out what it was later.
I'm like, yeah, yeah, that musthave been fantastic to what was
like to wrestle in thatenvironment.
Let's explain what it is firstgo ahead.

Speaker 3 (24:13):
Yeah, so this is you know.
End of the school day.
What was 130?
Start 130 start 130 start, soyou got an hour left of the
school day.
Basically, the school comesdown into the gym and there's
mats out and a wrestling duel ishappening.
And so sweet, everybody getsexposed to it it was like.
It was like a basketball gameit was a hockey game, it was
packed house it was, it wasgreat environment, like electric

(24:35):
, like electric yeah, yeah,electric environment.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
What was it like for you to wrestle in isabel?

Speaker 1 (24:42):
um, when I wrestled, there wasn't like a lot of the
schools already gone when theywere because I was in like the
last few matches so like Ididn't get to experience
wrestling with everyone watching, but from like being there and
like cheering on my team it wasit was really loud.
A lot of the kids are likescreaming.
They're like, oh, just pin him,just don't.

(25:02):
I'm like you don't even knowwhat you're talking about.
So like half the things you'resaying don't make sense like it
just didn't make any sense to meyeah, how about for yourself,
liana?

Speaker 5 (25:12):
um't imagine like being one of the guys like on
varsity in wrestling in front oflike the whole school, because
there's always that one sectionLike what do you call that?
The student section?
Yeah, yeah, they have their ownlittle student section, except
they're like on the floor likeinches away from the mat and
they were chanting, were sodistracting.
I can't imagine hearing thatduring my match.
It was generally so distracting.

(25:33):
It felt like a football game.
You know how you'll chant to theother team boom to say all this
and that just try to distractthem.
Yeah, and it was just like thatand I was like can't, I can't.
And yeah, one of my matcheswere towards the end like bells.
So yeah, everybody, the bellrang schools, the bell rang

(25:54):
schools out like like half halfthe bleachers left, and so, oh
well, thanks.

Speaker 4 (25:56):
Yeah, right, everyone wanted to get home, right?
Only some people stayed.
Can we get a early?

Speaker 3 (25:58):
start time.
Yeah, maybe we can work on that.

Speaker 2 (25:59):
The negotiations are happening you guys have the
greatest pull you're ever goingto have.
Right at this moment, in themiddle of this podcast, you can
hold them to it.

Speaker 3 (26:07):
Yeah, and it's something that you know we've
talked about doing in years past.
December is a crazy month aroundhere, as, rodney, you know and
we have the month of giving andthe senior survivor assembly, oh
yeah, but it's something thatyou know.
We're trying to basically raisethe level and give everyone the
same exposure that a footballor a basketball team gets, and

(26:30):
one of the ways to do that is todo it during the school day.
And, who knows, maybe there's10 Leanna Zavala sitting in the
stands that are like, oh, thatlooks 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 tosome of these sports, whatever
reason.

Speaker 2 (26:50):
it was someone telling you about it, right as
you were working out.
You know you got to with yourbrothers wrestling and you, I
mean having a situation likethis where we do one of these
assembly duels will, you know,inspire somebody else?
Let's go to some of the coolthings that you guys do.
There's so much to get to if wereally want to here.
Let's talk about some of theother girls on the team for a

(27:12):
minute.
Maybe you guys can just pickone or two that you know.
Maybe you know a little bit,isabel, you want to go first?

Speaker 1 (27:16):
I guess two girls I could talk about because I play
softball with them are Kayla andEmily.

Speaker 2 (27:21):
What's their full names?

Speaker 1 (27:23):
Kayla Shaft and.

Speaker 2 (27:25):
Emily.

Speaker 1 (27:25):
Gerlach.
Yeah, Emily Gerlach.
I always forget how to say herlast name.

Speaker 2 (27:27):
That's okay, yeah.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yeah, but I play softball with them, and this
year they decided to wrestle andit made me like really glad
because I'm like, oh my gosh, Iget to spend two seasons with
you guys.

Speaker 2 (27:37):
That's great.

Speaker 1 (27:38):
And, like I, get to build a better connection with
you, especially through a sportI love so much.
So, um, yeah, it's their firstyear and they're doing really
good.
I think Kayla's firsttournament she got first yeah,
kayla's first tournament.

Speaker 4 (27:51):
She got first, yeah, and then Emily, she got third
and that was at the Kent CountyClassic.

Speaker 1 (27:56):
So I'm like, okay, you guys are going to be doing
some crazy stuff.

Speaker 4 (27:59):
By the time you're a senior and I hope you stick with
us because I'm so excited andKayla plays fifth at the Mad Cat
, oh yeah, Kayla did that was.

Speaker 1 (28:06):
I love Kayla.
She's so funny when shewrestles.
She's like really scrappy.
I think it's just so fun towatch her wrestle is that
something that you notice?

Speaker 2 (28:13):
like every wrestler kind of has their own personal
style and like, what's it likewith some of these uh, other
wrestlers in the program?

Speaker 5 (28:20):
um, yeah, everyone really has like their own style,
like their own, like thingsthat they do before matches and
like it's like in like thiswhole like category of wrestling
full style.
And yeah, everyone has liketheir own thing.
I'm trying to think of how allthe girls wrestle.

Speaker 4 (28:36):
Bray likes to throw.
She threw her way to the finals.

Speaker 5 (28:42):
She really did the same exact move every single
match.

Speaker 2 (28:46):
I guess, if you're good at it, huh yes.

Speaker 4 (28:49):
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Speaker 2 (28:51):
That's a big thing in sports.
This is working.
We're going to do somethingelse now.
Yes, you said that it's like ifit ain't broke, don't fix it.
Right, that's a big thing insports.
Yeah, this is working.
We're going to do somethingelse now.

Speaker 5 (28:55):
No.

Speaker 3 (28:57):
Don't need to.
One of the things that's alwaysstuck out to me about wrestling
is the grind, the practice, thepractice room, the kind of the
mentality, each and every daythat you have to walk in.
My football coaches when I wasin high school were all over me
to wrestle.
I was like, eh, I'm going toplay basketball.

(29:17):
Now there's part of me thatwishes cause, I was a very
physical athlete but, um, that's.
I basically was a wrestler onthe basketball team.
Um, but what is that like?
What is that mindset?
Where do you have to go in yourhead to kind of prepare to walk
into that room every day?
Maybe, coach, give us yourperspective as being somebody

(29:39):
that's done it and now you'recoaching it.

Speaker 4 (29:41):
Yeah, no, uh, for I mean, if I'm being completely
honest, it sucks, it really does.
I hated going to practice, as no, uh, it was just tough.
You knew that you're constantlymoving, you're constantly
working, you're I mean it istough, like just getting your
butt kicked almost for two hoursstraight.

(30:03):
It is definitely a grind.
Um, as a coach, it's a littledifferent.
Uh, there's expectations,obviously, but we definitely
understand that these athletesare doing the stuff that they're
supposed to do, that they areputting their bodies on the line
when they're at practice.

(30:23):
I can't really explain itbecause it's so tough.
It's almost like you have totry it, you have to do it.

Speaker 2 (30:31):
You know what I mean?
It's a physical battle.

Speaker 4 (30:33):
It is it's?
It's a fight and it's a littlethat's like that's how I can
explain it it's literallyputting your body.
It's like fighting, but withoutlike punching and kicking
someone I was watching.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
I was watching some youtube this morning.
I believe I was watching, Ibelieve I was watching you at
the 2022 and somebody had gottenon your back and they were just
screaming at you to get up, getup, get up.
And it flashed back to my olderbrother beating me up when I
was younger and I remember justhim getting me.

(31:03):
I'm trying and I'm like man,that's like a really tough spot
to be in, like I just rememberphysically I hated my brother
trying to beat me up and I'mlike that's what you guys do
every single day.
I mean, even in practice, youtwo spar a lot too right, the
two of you kind of go at itEvery day, every single day.

Speaker 5 (31:22):
We don't have different partners, we're just
our own, designated.

Speaker 2 (31:24):
We're always only together.
Yes, there's nobody else youguys spar, except each other for
the most part.

Speaker 4 (31:28):
Sometimes we'll break the other girls up, you know,
just to give them a littlechallenge and teach them a few
things, but we're mainly alwaysalways together yeah, I heard
iron sharpens, iron it's sofunny because, like, we'll have
like a break in practice or getwater and you'll just hear them,
you know, being like littlemouses, or don't hurt me, liana,

(31:51):
don't hurt me and then all of asudden, we come back to
practice and it's like a switch,and then they're right back at
it, like you know because it'sintense when you go out like you
got to really focus.

Speaker 2 (32:01):
You're probably what working on moves, but then
you're also defending a greatmove by your opponent, isabel.
What's it like to go up againstLiana consistently in practice
and spar?

Speaker 1 (32:14):
It's actually super hard now because it's like we
wrestle each other so much.
It's like we already know whatwe're going to do.
So I'll hit a shot on Liana andher hips are so heavy that they
always give me such a hard timeI just have to sometimes push
her off of me.
It was like, okay, let's do itover again.
I need to redo.
That's just so bad, and likesometimes, yeah, we have to go

(32:36):
break up the other groupsbecause they're like, okay, I
already know what you're gonnado, you know what I'm gonna do.
Let's try something new andlet's go see something different
how about yourself, liana?

Speaker 5 (32:45):
um, I love wrestling with Belle because it's just so
funny.
She'll just be like no, don'thurt me, or I don't want to
wrestle with you, you're toostrong or like you know, just
joke like that and it's justlike uh, it's, I actually like
it though, because like, then itlike pushes me to like, try,
like new things, like hey I'mgonna have to yeah, because like
we can't just sit there andlike like just run in circles

(33:06):
like the whole time until likelike I'm like, oh, let's just
try this, and if it doesn't workthen I'll get out, and then I
know for like a next match thatthis won't work, you know, or
like I'll try it Because, likeBell, actually many of the girls
that I wrestle like kind offeel like the same or like
they're obviously lighter thanBell, but it's just like it

(33:26):
makes me like when I'm in thematch I'm like, oh wait, they're
like they're lighter and lessstronger than Bell.

Speaker 2 (33:33):
I would think it gives you great confidence If
you're sparring with Isabelevery day three-time state
placer and then you get intoyour own match and you're weight
class down right.

Speaker 5 (33:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (33:46):
Your confidence just made through the roof.

Speaker 5 (33:49):
Yeah, especially during last year and freshman
year, it was like when I waslike two weight classes down, I
was like, oh yeah, if I can hangwith her, then these girls will
be a walk in the park.

Speaker 2 (34:00):
Coach, can you compare their styles?
How?
Maybe you know, just reallybriefly, how are they the same,
but how are they also different?
How do they and how are theyable to be best friends?
Oh, good friends.

Speaker 5 (34:12):
I don't know your guys' relationship.

Speaker 2 (34:13):
Yeah, we are best friends, you are best friends.

Speaker 4 (34:14):
Okay.
So how is that even possible,you know, for them?
I know they both like hate tolose, love to win, and they want
to end their match as soon aspossible.
I know that she does not likegoing to the third period on a
match, whereas avala is justlike I'm gonna keep coming after

(34:35):
you, doesn't matter what periodit is, I'm gonna, you know,
just grind on you and beat theliving crap out because you're
always going for pins, or yeah,yeah, right, yeah, absolutely I
mean they both are.
Like I said, they both arepinners.
I will have to get the thestats on on their their pins,
but I know it's it's very highfor both of them.
Yeah, so, um, but yeah, I knowyou like to go to your front
headlock stuff, where Zavala ismore of taking shots, taking

(35:00):
more risks.

Speaker 2 (35:02):
What are some of your favorite moves?
There's a lot of cool moves inwrestling so I was able to talk
to a few people about there'ssome really great names.
I'm not going to do this verywell, but there's the bundle.

Speaker 1 (35:19):
Oh, I love the bundle .
Is isabel, can you talk aboutthe bundle?
Exactly what that is?
Yeah, so pretty much myfavorite way to hit.
It is like when the girlsflatten out and you have to
cross face and it's soundsreally bad to say like this, but
it's basically like you'repunching the girl, but with your
forearm with your forearm andlike you can't like pull back
because then it's unnecessaryroughness, but I feel like I do
it so good because my forearmjust connects with their face so
well.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
The smile on your face right now is a bit
disturbing, but please continue.

Speaker 4 (35:42):
Trust me, I've been on that end of the crossface
before.

Speaker 1 (35:45):
It's just so nice.
And then you crossface and youkind of have to just grab both
their arms and just pull ittight to your chest and just
spin around and force them toflip over.
I love that move so much.
It was my first ever pin.
I put a kid in a bundle and Iwill never hate that move, Love
that move so much.

Speaker 3 (36:03):
Oh, that's really cool, Leanna.
What about you?
What's your go-to?

Speaker 5 (36:06):
I'm not really sure I love high crotches.
High crotches are like what dothey call them?
High C, high crotch.

Speaker 4 (36:13):
Yeah, it's the same thing.
It's the exact same thing.
So it takes less practice timeto say high crotch.
I like to say high C, high C.

Speaker 5 (36:20):
Some people just yeah , that was like the first one
that I learned.

Speaker 2 (36:24):
What is that move?

Speaker 5 (36:25):
It's basically just where you're like in neutral,
and then you like take apenetration and like, basically
like go up their crotch likeyour head, and then like
henceforth obviously like twohands to one, and then you cut
the corner and then just doubleoff and it's just like sometimes
, if you like, kid it right liketheir hips will already be down
.

Speaker 4 (36:43):
They'll be like already like on their hip, yeah,
on the on their, on their back.

Speaker 2 (36:48):
Yeah, that's my favorite listening to, listening
to the both of you talk.
I had wrote this down earlierand 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 haveall your moves.
Are you thinking about the moveor is it more muscle memory now
and it's second nature?

Speaker 5 (37:07):
you know a lot of athletes when they're in a sport
and it's going well, it's likeoh, my brain was turned off, I
just went it's like yeah, it'slike both like, because like we
practice so much and just forthat, like sole purpose, to like
get it engraved in our brain,so like we're not just thinking,
so we can just like flow, solike that's what, like we've
been recently doing, just likeflowing, not really going
through the motions, but likeit's just like natural, it's

(37:29):
just like, yeah, you know um,yeah, I would definitely say
it's like I have to think insome of my matches.

Speaker 1 (37:37):
Usually if it's a girl who doesn't give me too
hard of a time, like my bodykind of just like does its own
thing, and I'm like okay it'salong for the ride yeah, and
then like, if it's a girl whogives me a really hard time,
there are times where I have tolike, push her away and like,
okay, what?
Am I gonna hit on her because Itried this and it doesn't work.

Speaker 4 (37:51):
So yeah, it just depends some of it is like if a
wrestler is being reactive orproactive on stuff or their
positioning as well, they can belike 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 onthem.
But for them I know that theyhit their go-tos and they hit

(38:14):
them well, and so yeah.

Speaker 3 (38:17):
And for both of you, you're going to see some girls,
probably early in the season atsome of these tournaments that
you're eventually going to runinto as you get into the off
season.
I can see both of you both havesmirks on your.
I'm guessing that there's a lotof smirks in here today.
It's really fun.
Actually, I'm guessing you bothhave a name in the back of your
head of somebody.
We're not going to mention them.

(38:39):
But, what do you do as you'regetting towards facing that
person again?
What is kind of the mentalprocess of going through and
coming up with a game plan towrestle that person that you've
got experience wrestling before,Cause you're probably switching
things up right?

Speaker 1 (38:55):
Yeah, for me I definitely have to like switch
things up, and I get a reallyhigh anxiety Normally when it
comes to those matches.
Like I just feel so sick to mystomach cause I get so nervous.
But, um, I just think of it asokay.
Well, like let me just try thisand I'll try it in practice for

(39:15):
sure on leona, because I knowshe'll know how to defend it, or
like give me a hard time withit.
So I'm like I'll tell her.
I was like okay, try this on meand let me see what I can do to
get out.

Speaker 2 (39:22):
Like I'll try to like plan ahead towards it and yeah,
so you're trying to see thatmove from the other point of
view, what your opponents?
Well, that's cool, that's anice approach.

Speaker 4 (39:33):
Yeah, I mean, especially if we know, like,
what that opponent has beendoing in previous matches, we'll
go back to like the drawingboard or the tape and be like,
oh yeah, this is what she does.
How can we defend it?
What can we do to prevent youget in this position?

Speaker 2 (39:46):
Do you ever like throw new moves in like?
Oh absolutely like I'm surelike as you become a better
wrestler.
Right, there's probably like aladder of everybody gets better
at certain things and moving upoh, yeah is there more stuff
that you can add now, eventhough you've been doing it for
a long time um, yeah, definitely, I think.

Speaker 1 (40:03):
Just 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 Ijust got that at Chick-fil-A
yesterday yeah, like justrecently, I've like found moves
that I normally hit, but it's alot easier if I just like go to
a pick and step from there.
So, yeah, it's still definitelylearning a lot new things yeah,

(40:26):
and that's all part of being abetter athlete.

Speaker 3 (40:27):
The element the other thing.
So not just are you grinding inthe wrestling room every day.
I would imagine that both ofyou have spent some time in the
weight room with Frank.

Speaker 5 (40:41):
Oh yeah, I love Frank .

Speaker 3 (40:44):
What has that done for your wrestling?
You know getting stronger,leanna.
I know Bella sat here and toldus how strong you are.
You know, is it getting it donein the weight room and and that
that's translating onto the matyeah, actually there's.

Speaker 5 (40:58):
so there's like so much you can do like I was just
in there on on monday, like acouple days ago, and sometimes,
like when I'm in there, he'lljust like, if it's just like
free, he'll just be like, oh, doyou need?
Do you need, like um, like asplit workout, like like a
schedule, and I'm like sometimesI'll be like be like yeah,
because you know, sometimesthere's things that I want to
work on, there's some thingsthat I want to take from him so

(41:21):
that I can do what he recommends.
It's Frank.
Frank knows everything.

Speaker 4 (41:27):
He's so good at what he does.
Yes, he does.

Speaker 5 (41:29):
So just like Frank will be like oh, do this.
Oh, this will be reallybeneficial for this.

Speaker 2 (41:37):
Like got to listen to frank because he's a man.
Yeah, you gotta listen to frank.

Speaker 3 (41:40):
I love it is isabel, what about for you?
Um, I know not only softball'sbeen in there, you're in there
with wrestling.
What's that kind of done foryou and your wrestling?

Speaker 1 (41:49):
um, it's definitely helped because knowing the moves
is one thing, but being able tolike use a lot of muscle while
doing it definitely helps.
I can hit a move on Liana andthen I'll be like dang.
If I was just a little bitstronger, this would be so much
more easier than just trying tomemorize how to do it.
Definitely, memorizing how todo moves and having the muscle

(42:13):
to do it is really beneficial.

Speaker 2 (42:15):
What are the important muscles in a
wrestler's body that kind ofmake a big difference?
What would you say?

Speaker 1 (42:22):
I would say all of them.
Like you can like stretch inlike different ways, like you
never would have thought youneeded to like stretch Like
really random.

Speaker 4 (42:30):
Like your neck.
Oh yeah, Definitely your neck.
Yeah, Back legs, I mean.
When you're shooting, you gotto use your legs to drive on
your opponent, you know soEverything.

Speaker 2 (42:42):
Everything.
It's all there, how do you guysrecover as wrestlers, I mean,
I'm sure, Well, I mean it's notreally, and I really what I
guess what I'm talking about,recovery it's.
I mean's, sometimes yourmatches are super quick, right?
If you're up against a lowerlevel opponent, what are you
done in a minute?

Speaker 5 (42:59):
Yeah, sometimes.
The first tournament that I had.
It was like I didn't go pastfirst period with any of them
and it was just like I had toget the workout in my sprints
after the match.

Speaker 2 (43:11):
I was like oh my gosh .

Speaker 5 (43:16):
Does it get boring sometimes when you know you have
an easy match coming up?
Yeah, but I feel like I'drather well.
No, I think like it's a littleiffy, depending on the day.
I'll like, I want to challenge,I'll be like, oh okay.
So, like you know, like ourcoaches, like when we were at
the at Montague, they were liketelling us like we don't get
privileges like this so early onin the season.
So this will be like a learningopportunity.
We know what's coming and weknow what you guys should work
on because, like toughcompetitions- yes, that mad cat

(43:39):
tournament is right, yeah,that's the best of the best it's
agood place to be, absolutely I
always get caught at like I'venever placed first at the mad
cat, like I always get caught upwith with um, but yeah, those
really tough girls, those rankedgirls, I always get on that
side of the bracket.
I am so serious, I literallywrestle.

Speaker 2 (43:57):
Well like number two this number two in the 190
weight class.
Yes, and that was like firstround no early second rounds
early enough, though, yeah itwas your semis round, so well,
that's what good coaches do, tobe honest with you.
They're going to put you out inthose tournaments like that and
then if you win, wonderful, youknow where you're.
But if you don't, you stillknow where you're at, and then
you get back to work.

Speaker 4 (44:18):
It's like what I tell them.
I was like it doesn't matterwho's in front of them.
They're going to go out there,compete, do the best they can,
and we trust them, and they goout there and perform.
That's what they do.

Speaker 3 (44:29):
And they do amazing for us, kind of highlights.
You got a couple of othertournaments that you're going to
.
What are some that maybe youhave circled on the calendar
like oh, I gotta get ready forthis because we're gonna see
some good competition hastingsoh yeah, uh, hastings, and I
would say midland, midland,sorry, yes, absolutely midlands.

Speaker 4 (44:49):
Yes, and that's on a sunday.
That's on a Sunday check yourschedule yeah those are tough.
Any tournaments on the eastside are tough because we
normally don't get to see thoseteams out there and it's good
for seating purposes later ondown the road.

Speaker 2 (45:12):
You know for sectionals and for states
absolutely far away on thehorizon, of course sits ford
field.
I'm sure that always sits there.
Do you guys ever watch thelions games go?
Yeah, I was out there everysingle time.

Speaker 4 (45:27):
That's right, I'd be flexing it all the time.

Speaker 2 (45:31):
How are you guys?
That's a great guy.

Speaker 3 (45:33):
I rested down there.
What an experience in thatplace, though, right oh, yeah
it's, it's awesome.

Speaker 1 (45:37):
I was like, oh, I get to walk through the tunnel oh,
yeah, I have like little piecesof turf and I'm like okay, so
this is from fort field.

Speaker 2 (45:45):
I'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 atmospherelike when you're there?

Speaker 1 (45:53):
wild yeah, so wild, like you see, like all, because
it's guys and girls.
And so, like you see, theseguys who are just like huge and
like jacked and like spent alltheir 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 thatguy's just a little bit smaller
than you are.
Like how did you just let thathappen?

Speaker 5 (46:13):
yeah, I know, yeah, and it's like yeah, we're so
like I'm there with bell, likewe're just sitting like ready to
go march around the wholeentire field, like twice, and
then I just like dang, like allthese people are good, like this
is like just narrowed down tomy state, like, and all these
people are supposed to be likecrazy good and like you'll see,
and it's just crazy, like youknow, to just like be like, oh,

(46:34):
like this person could be bumpedout today.
This person could be statechampions.
It's like you're like bygreatness and like by like so
much, like grief and like somany upcoming things.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
It is a very emotional.

Speaker 5 (46:45):
It 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 morefilled, 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 somuch muscle, but like technique
will like, I think he will likealmost always win.

(47:05):
There's like some like yeah,it's just crazy how it works.

Speaker 4 (47:10):
Yeah, it doesn't compare to when they had it at
the palace Auburn Hills.

Speaker 3 (47:14):
Really, You're like the palace of.

Speaker 4 (47:15):
Auburn Hills.

Speaker 3 (47:16):
Michigan.
Is that the palace?

Speaker 4 (47:19):
The whole entire like seats were filled.
It was packed.
It was yeah.
I love that atmosphere and Ilove you know everyone screaming
A little closer, yeah,everyone's a little bit, yeah,
but I definitely like AuburnHills or the Palace better.

Speaker 3 (47:36):
And now the Palace is no more.
No, more.

Speaker 2 (47:39):
It's gone.
It's all right.
My youth doesn't exist anymore.

Speaker 4 (47:46):
I want to look that up later, because me and Bill
are over here.
I have no idea what's going on,right?

Speaker 3 (47:49):
now, that was the first state finals I ever went
to Gosh this is probably back inlike 2010, 2011 and I walked in
.
I was the ad of four, stillcentral.
We had a bunch of qualifierswent down and I'm just looking
for my team and I get a textfrom coach.
We're in like the upper deck,all the way back against the

(48:10):
curtain.
That was the only spot theycould find and that was their
seat.
So we're getting like textmessages like oh, brandon, you
got to go down and get ready tostart warming up, like in the
upper deck of the palace.

Speaker 5 (48:20):
It's so scary Like we literally have to like, because
sometimes, depending on wherewe'll sit, we'll have to run
like halfway across the imageand then down, because there's
only two entrances that you cango and so, like it's just, we
have to wait till your weightclass to be called, otherwise
the officials won't you on, evenon the like, uh, the performing

(48:40):
mats and like, oh, just justthinking about it makes me so
anxious, like my hands arefreezing right now I don't know.

Speaker 4 (48:47):
Some dipping dots sound pretty good, though I
can't.
I can't like everyone's like,oh yeah it's just so fun.

Speaker 5 (48:52):
I didn't eat a single thing from, like, the food
court or nothing.

Speaker 2 (48:54):
It's very healthy to feel that way.
It means you care.
It's difficult to go up againstthe best of the best, but guess
what?
People are thinking the samething about you.

Speaker 5 (49:03):
Oh yeah.

Speaker 4 (49:03):
Think about that.
Yeah, I think you guys areranked in the top three, top
four, oh yeah.

Speaker 2 (49:08):
You're on somebody else's mind.
Someone's getting better foryou yeah, they got a game plan
for you guys yeah, well, we'regoing to get near the end here,
so we'll get a little finish up.
Let me ask a couple things.
What are you?
Have more memories coming up,they haven't been made yet.
What are your best memories ofeach other?

(49:29):
Liana, if you can, you know ifyou think about Isabel and you
know what are.
What's something that you justthink about her?
That's kind of one of yourfavorite memories of her
wrestling.

Speaker 5 (49:38):
Oh, my gosh All right .

Speaker 3 (49:41):
She had one ready to go.
She's a rock.

Speaker 5 (49:43):
Yes, I did.
Okay, as of wrestling, it's soweird, I hate to say it, but we
barely ever talk before matches.
We hype each other up a littlebit.
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 trustthat we both will like do
whatever.
But, um, yeah, it's alwaysthere's so many like things in

(50:05):
practice that, like, we alwayshave like a laugh, especially
with, like the coaches, stufflike that.
I can't like, I can't well youknow what one for you?
it's not specific yeah it, it'snot, because it's always just so
fun with Isabel.
We know when to take thingsserious and we know when to goof
off and joke around.
Yeah, literally just todayduring practice, we were

(50:25):
scrambling.
It was so weird, we neverscramble, and then we were and
she was just like, oh, you're soflexible.

Speaker 3 (50:32):
And I was just like that's so crazy.
Oh, you're so flexible.
And I was just like it's socrazy.

Speaker 5 (50:34):
But 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, orregionals, because we got to the
hotel and we see our two bedsand then we just got to wing in.
We're famished, we're soexcited, we're about to go eat

(51:03):
and like, and then I look at thebed and I just belly dive on
the bed and then abby when abbywas with us when she was at
states yeah, I miss abby.
And then she she dove on top ofme and then isabel dove on top
of abby that was on top of meand it was just this whole big
dog pile and I have a video ofit and everything oh, there you
go.
Yes, you did have a memory wewere all on earner singlets and
everything.

Speaker 1 (51:17):
It was just so fun that's hilarious our little trio
um, yeah, I would definitelysay my favorite memories were
are always when we go like tothe hotels together, because
it's like a little sleepover andlike we all get to like just
have a little kid sleepover allover again, right Especially the
pools.

Speaker 4 (51:38):
I love going to the pools so much.
That was so fun.
They want to play mermaids.
Yeah, we love playing mermaids.

Speaker 3 (51:43):
It's so funny because we send wrestling Traditionally
.
You'll have some overnightstuff.
Tennis we'll do an overnight iftheir state tournament is not
on the west side.
Swim will do an overnight iftheir state tournament is not in
the on the West side.
Swim, tennis and swim getsreally bummed out when the state
meet is in Grand Rapids.
Like the kids are heartbrokenover it because they don't get

(52:03):
the hotel night and our coacheslove it, because they're going
to sleep in their own bedstonight and get their home
cooked meals, and everybody elseis traveling to us.
So it's.
I had a feeling that your bestmemories were going to be the
overnight uh, over there so youshould be happy.

Speaker 5 (52:19):
Oh my gosh, detroit is so populated.
We had to like like time, likeour schedules was like when he
sent us our schedules, likeeverything was like half an hour
in advance.
Because like, oh, we got to puttraffic in and play.
Oh, we got to get a ride there.
We gotta, oh, either we gottawalk here and like it was just I
, I, I guess I like detroit butlike, sometimes I wish it was in
, like a smaller city, notreally like I hear you, yes, so
popular yeah, kind of more goingon.

Speaker 2 (52:41):
This has been really, really fun.
What a pleasure it's been tosit down with you.
Guys have wonderfulpersonalities.
It's just amazing to be withyou guys here.
Where would you, where wouldyou be without wrestling?
I mean, how important is it toyou in your life, isabel?

Speaker 1 (52:56):
um, not gonna lie, I'd probably be really lazy,
like really lazy and out ofshape.
Um, wrestling has definitelydone a lot for me.
It's like taught me how to likebe mentally tough and how like
there happens like some things Icannot control, like even if I
put in my best, like it's okaythat sometimes I will fail and I

(53:17):
like it just keeps me going,like just keeps me encouraged
pretty much.

Speaker 2 (53:24):
Isabel.
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 ohyeah, wow.

Speaker 5 (53:38):
Oh no, I feel like, yeah, I think I'd be, like I'd
be a bum really.

Speaker 2 (53:43):
I would.

Speaker 5 (53:43):
I 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 friendshipsand like just like school work

(54:03):
and stuff like that.
I think it would be like a lotdifferent.
I feel like sometimes reallylike wrestling like saved me
because like, yeah, like, andlike during freshman year and
like high school, like everyonesays, like high school sucks,
like high school is like theworst years of your life.
But like I feel like like whenI did wrestling, I was like like
I have something to lookforward to, I have something to
like keep going at every day andI have something to just keep
getting better at.
And it's just like there's likea lot of sports like you know,
like where you're, just likeyou'll hit that mark, like

(54:25):
you're the best.
But like with wrestling, likethere's always something to work
on and so like, yeah, I feellike it really is.
It gives you like so many likeum, how coach Montoya was saying
one day after practice, we wereall just like so tired.
It was one of those practiceslike so hard, just like grinding
us out and getting us ready forlike the beginning of the
season, and he was telling uslike this is like this is going

(54:49):
to teach you like a whole bunchof things in life, like it's
going to teach you to just keepup, keep getting up and keep
working at it and keep showingup 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 likethere's like there's so many
things that you can just you cancompare it to like real life

(55:11):
thing, because it's it inclusivewith everything mental,
physical and just everything.
Overall, it's really, yeah,like Coach said, like a faith.
That's awesome.

Speaker 2 (55:24):
I think I was staring into the distance before.
Oh my goodness, coach, you getto coach them.
What's it like having them?

Speaker 4 (55:35):
It's an honor, a privilege that you oh man, now
I'm getting a little.

Speaker 3 (55:44):
We've had tears on the podcast before.

Speaker 4 (55:49):
I'm so proud of these girls.
These girls are amazing.
They work so hard to get towhere they're at and I am so
happy, blessed, to be theircoach.
Like I said earlier, they're afamily.

(56:11):
I love them so much.
They put in the work, they putin the time to see their ups,
their downs.
You see them practically almostevery day, on a daily basis, um
, during, during the winter, andum I I really don't have the

(56:32):
words because I'm I'm so proudof them.

Speaker 2 (56:35):
I wish them nothing but the best.
You just had the words, myfriend.
You did just fine.

Speaker 4 (56:39):
I'm just privileged and so happy that I get to be
their coach, because they arethe best and I love them and I
can't wait to see what's instore for them.

Speaker 3 (56:52):
Got Dusty in the podcast studio.
Again, here I am.

Speaker 2 (56:57):
Well, we're going to follow you from now on.
I'm going to be in the crowd atsome point.
I know I am now because I knowyou and I tell you what.
I can't be more excited to hearyour stories, what you guys got
coming up.
It's just a real treat to sitdown with you.

Speaker 3 (57:12):
Thanks so much for coming in today.
Thank you, guys.
Thanks for having us to sitdown with you.
Thanks so much for coming intoday.

Speaker 2 (57:15):
Thank you, guys, I remember this we are West Ottawa
, we are community, we are eachother.
Thanks to all of you, thanksfor coming in.

Speaker 5 (57:22):
Thanks for having us, is that?

Speaker 4 (57:25):
a wrap, that's a wrap , thank you.