The Parkland Varsity Girls Wrestling Team is currently ranked 5th in the state and is on its way to districts. Their team, led by coach Anthony Shave and managed by student manager Jasmine Suarez, has been working hard these past few months to ensure this major accomplishment. 

Four members of the team, Sylvyn Parham (12), Abby Taylor (10), Ella Hessner (11), and Shannon Fratus (12), placed in states individually. This is Hessner’s and Fratus’s second time placing in states. 

The Trumpet recently staff interviewed two of the seniors on the team, Breanna Hann (one of the 4 captains and varsity starter at 142 pounds) and Kelsey Gelb (starter at 155 pounds), to give our readers a better insight into the world of girls wrestling, and learn more about the journey that led Parkland to districts. 

One of the most important ways a team can improve is through practice. The Parkland Varsity Girls Wrestling team is no exception, in fact, they are very dedicated to their craft. An average day of training consists of warm-ups, stretching, lifting, and drills, along with live matches and conditioning. “Usually we are drilling new moves as well as practicing moves that we would like to work on,” Hann told The Trumpet. “Live wrestling is also a key point in our training because it helps us see where we will be in an actual match when it comes to their endurance.” When it comes to training, the girl’s and boy’s wrestling teams have similar practices but often differ in their focus. Hann said that for girls, more emphasis is put on developing technique, as opposed to boys, which she mentioned put in more effort on increasing speed.

It’s not hard to imagine that another factor that makes the team so successful is their strong bond. “We consider each other family,” Hann remarked. “We all get along with one another and we are always supporting one another.” She also mentioned that the nature of the game builds a sense of comradery, saying, “We will always have one another’s backs.” Gelb noted, when asked what defines a good teammate, that they “push their practice partners hard in the wrestling room and encourage their teammates before matches.”

The girls are pretty confident in Parkland taking home the district’s win. Hann emphasized to The Trumpet that their team is “one of the most experienced teams in the valley,” and believed that their team’s heart would take them far. She also discussed the importance of setting goals. Each member at the beginning of the season aimed to strive towards a specific accomplishment, and that ambition, Hann said, is a driving force that will take the team all the way to states. 

As a final note, The Trumpet staff asked the wrestlers if there was anything non-wrestlers should know. Hann responds by highlighting the effort this sport takes. “Girl’s wrestling is a lot harder than it appears, and although many of the girls are newer, it takes heart and guts to continue to do what we do. It is a mentally draining sport but provides so much good in that person’s life. Every girl that steps on that mat is strong no matter the outcome of that match. Because just to step on the mat, it takes a lot of confidence.”