Wrestling is a growing sport in our nation, with many young athletes all around the world. Many are experiencing the fun combat sport for not only the conditioning but also the built-in family and care for one another in the system. Allowing wrestlers to reach their full potential in the sport with their team in support right behind them.
However, this is a growing sport for young women all across the nation. As many have begun to join the sport for the adrenaline and family like bond with one another. And in this team, there is a community built that will last a lifetime, especially here at Osos.
For Senior Kayla Alvarenga, she has shown all of Osos her talent in the sport and love for it, and the accomplishments she has received for being in something that she loves.
Although Alvarenga had joined when she was only a sophomore, she has made a lasting impact on the team. By her second year of wrestling, she had placed at CIF Individuals and a CIF Masters qualifier. All of which is impressive for a second-year wrestler, as the best wrestlers from all around Southern California come head-to-head in order to compete at CIF tournaments to win titles. And Alvarenga had shown her strength in these tournaments.
But this spark of wrestling didn’t appear out of nowhere, Alvarenga said, “My family was the main reason I had decided to wrestle.” Alvarenga’s father had wrestled previously in high school and in college, along with her older sister, Alumni Leilani Alvarenga, who had previously wrestled at Osos.
A sport she once thought would not be for her had soon bloomed into something she loved. As she fell in love with the community and the constant push. The idea of trying to find your limits and not giving up even when things get hard pushes Alvarenga every day. As this sport isn’t easy with daily conditioning and long days of going to the weightroom, then to wrestling practice, and then making weight for the weekly weekend tournaments. It is a constant drag on people, and from this sport, you see who can handle the pressure of the sport and everyday life, and the ones who can’t. From this experience, you learn the daily memo in wrestling, that because wrestling is such a difficult sport, everything else in life is easier, is true to its last word.
Additionally, from the built-in construct of discipline in wrestling, Alvarenga has been able to use this idea in other aspects of life, such as waking up early and using time wisely. Alvarenga said, “I’ve gotten so used to waking up early for weigh-ins and matches that I don’t complain anymore about having to wake up early for school or other events, it’s sort of a habit now.” Showing how there is something to be said about being disciplined enough to wake up early, as for the rest of our lives we would be able to accomplish many more tasks and be fulfilling.
Even though much of wrestling has to do with discipline and belief in oneself, there is the tiny thing of remembrance sprinkled in. Wrestling and its community, through its ups and downs, have created a lifetime of remembrance that will be cherished by anyone. Alvarenga said, “I’m always going to remember my team and the friends I made along the way,” and “ the greatest gift wrestling has given me will forever be my friends, who have supported me all throughout my high school wrestling career.”
Kayla Alvarenga has shown the Osos community what determination and love for a sport can accomplish for someone. And this year Alvarenga placed at CIF Individual for the second time, and is a CIF Masters qualifier for the second time! All of Osos is proud of Alvarenga and is supporting her every step of the way in her wrestling career and can’t wait to see what is next in her book.