Wrestling for Ripon

Taitem Brown, Journalist|March 6, 2019

This year on the girls wrestling team there was a new member that stood out. Katelyn Cardoza is a freshman on the girls wrestling team who went all the way to state. Katelyn has never wrestled before and saying she did alright is an understatement.

Q: Why do you like wrestling?

K: I like wrestling because its all you. It’s not like a team sport like its fun to have a team, but you are the person that does everything you are the one who has all the pressure and it’s fun. You get all the adrenaline. It’s just a fun sport to win at and it makes you feel more accomplished than other sports.

Q: Is there anything you would change about this experience? What?

K: I think in state I could have had less stress, but I was so stressed from everyone telling me what to do that I kind of got stressed out. I need to learn how to be more calm.

Q: Why do you think you went so far in wrestling?

K: I never give up. I try my hardest and I go out there being the best I can be one match at a time.

“

It’s all in the head and the heart and once you win in your heart then you’ll win on the mat.

— Katelyn Cardoza

Q: How did you feel after each match knowing you had won?

K: I felt very accomplished because this is my first year wrestling and I’m a freshman so this is really big.

Q: Do you think you represented Ripon High well? Why?

K: I think I did because as a young person I’ve accomplished more than a lot of people have and I’ve tried super hard and I’ve showed Ripon High has people who try their best.

Q: Did you have anything you would tell yourself before each match?

K: It’s all in the head and the heart and once you win in your heart then you’ll win on the mat.

Q: Are you proud of yourself and what you’ve accomplished?

K: Of course! Very!

With the first year of wrestling being so successful for Cardoza, what she will do in years to come will be even better. Katelyn’s story shows that students can accomplish their goals if they set their minds to them.