4 minute read
Grappling Girl
Grappling Girl Bree Garcia rises to the top of the podium in year one B ree Garcia admits there’s lots she doesn’t know about wrestling.
Coming off her fi rst season on the By Griffi n Fabits she slowly started to familiarize herself with the sport.
She found, though—aft er 10 years of comwrestling. From October to December, she peting in Brazilian jiujitsu—wrestling was had made the Barry Goldwater girls’ team, similar enough for Garcia to swift ly transition learned moves and techniques on the fl y, and from sport to sport. started to string wins together. She took fi rst
At the very least, what she does know has place in a December tournament, headlinserved her well thus far. Th is school year, the ing a list of already-established, prominent sophomore Garcia won a girls’ wrestling state female wrestlers around the state. championship, becoming the school’s fi rst “I had a grasp of what I was going to be female to do so. seeing when I went to state,” she says. “And I
“I don’t even have the words for it,” she says. won that tournament.” “It’s something I was very excited I was able As the season progressed and the postseato do, and I’m very proud of myself because son neared, there was increasing certainty of it.” that Garcia could win her 130-pound weight
Garcia had never competed in wrestling class in the Division I conference. She steamand never really knew of it as an option before rolled through the early rounds, entering the this year, when she learned her school was fi nal day feeling “the best I’d ever felt.” home to a girls’ team. Th e Arizona Interscho“I had a lot of emotions going,” she says. “I lastic Association added girls’ wrestling to its had my whole team there to support me. I was roster of winter sports in 2018. excited, ready, optimistic about it.”
Garcia is one of six girls in the Barry GoldWhen she toppled a Canyon Del Oro water wrestling program. wrestler in the championship round, Garcia
In October, weeks before the season began, became Barry Goldwater’s fi rst girls’ state
And it wasn’t long before she became enamored with it. Barry Goldwater High School girls’ wrestling “Immediately, I fell in love with it,” Garcia team, Garcia says there’s still a good deal of it says. that befuddles her—the moves, the technique, Garcia saw rapid improvement. And rapid the rules. improvement parlayed into a greater love for
champion—in just the school’s second year champion—in just the school’s second year of having a program and in Garcia’s rookie of having a program and in Garcia’s rookie season of wrestling.
Of course, Garcia’s rise to the top of the Of course, Garcia’s rise to the top of the podium rests largely on the shoulders of the coaching staff and the support of her teammates. Without them, she reasons, she’s assured she wouldn’t have enjoyed this much success in year one.
“I have a great team to be on, especially my coaches. We have a female coach, which has been extremely benefi cial for our team.
“Th ey’ve just been there in my corner this whole time and have helped me through everything. My team especially, my girl teammates, they’ve been there every practice and are also great wrestlers, too.”
Th e focus now pivots to next season and beyond, to the fi nal two years of high school that could potentially see her wind up a threetime state champion.
With that comes a responsibility, she feels, to grow the Barry Goldwater girls’ program from within.
“I just hope more people see Barry Goldwater as having a great wrestling team, especially for girls. I hope more girls try out and fall in love with it like how I did.”
Th ere’s no timetable for when Garcia will get back to the wrestling room next, due to restrictions from the coronavirus, but she sees the coming months as a terrifi c chance to learn and study wrestling.
Again, she says, there’s so much left to learn.
“I hope I can learn some really cool moves and I can expand on what I’ve been doing. Th ere’s a lot I don’t know. It’s my fi rst year. I’ve been relying on some great techniques, but I know there’s a lot more out there for me to do.”
Bree Garcia’s wrestling career began in October, and her fi rst season ended with her on top of the podium as a Division I state champion. Garcia is Barry Goldwater High School’s fi rst girls’ wrestling champion. (Photo courtesy Bree Garcia)
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