Varsity girls wrestling competed in University Interscholastic League (UIL) from Jan. 29 to Feb. 14, winning district champion for the fourth consecutive year and advancing six wrestlers to the state tournament.

“When I won districts, I was really surprised,” senior Bryanna Childs said. “It started as just a hobby for me so I didn’t see myself ever really advancing very far. My goal was to make it to state.”

Leading up to UIL, practices include rewatching their matches and perfecting technical skills. 

“We work on technique so we don’t overwork ourselves before state and we go over film,” senior Francesca Carballo said. “I think it is important to review instead of overworking ourselves during this period of preparation.”

Childs was one of the six girls who competed at the state championship. With the increasing level of competition, she faced some nerves along the way. 

“Every time that I advanced, I did get really nervous because I felt this pressure on me,” Childs said. “I felt like I had something to prove. I was so scared, but I had everybody [her teammates] around me to make me feel good and support me.” 

Carballo believes the teams’ success is due to the relationships the girls have with each other.

“We’ve created an indescribable bond with each other,” Carballo said. “We all support and push each other in so many ways. I believe having that support in comparison to other teams really helped with pushing us to championships.”

For seniors on the team, UIL was one of their last competitions with the team. 

“It sucks because a lot of them are younger,” Childs said. “I love them all. As I’ve gotten to know them, I realized I don’t even see them as friends – they’re my sisters. They’re my other family.” 

As one of the team’s seniors, Childs leaves her younger teammates with some advice.

“If you’re going to wrestle, do it for yourself,” Childs said.” Do it for the love of the sport. Once you learn how to truly enjoy it, it becomes so much fun.”