Despite entering into a new year, our girls’ wrestling team has remained unbeaten, starting the new year by defeating not one, not two, but three teams on Wednesday, January 4! According to Mr. Bickes on the January 8, 2023 Edition of the Knightly Update, “The girls are 12-0 midway through the season and are currently ranked 9th in the state.” Today, we’ll be interviewing their star players: Sienna Whitington, who ranked fourth in her weight class, and Christina Chavez, who ranked 2nd in her weight class. Let’s see what they have to say!

Christina is a senior and has been wrestling for three years, starting in her sophomore year for ACPHS. Sienna, also a senior, has been wrestling for two years, with this year being her second year of wrestling. On their respective off-times, Christina is learning how to crochet and Sienna enjoys going on hikes and playing lacrosse.

The girls began their wrestling journey through the persuasion of other people in their life-for Christina, she was going to join the team with her friends and didn’t expect to fall in love with the sport, and for Sienna, she was persuaded by Coach Huffman, who was her P.E. teacher at the time, to join the team. “One of the main things I’ve learned,”, Christina says, “is how to trust myself. I have built so much confidence through these past three years because of wrestling. Every time I go into a match, I remember all the hard work I’ve put in and to remember to trust myself that I’ve done everything possible to be successful”. When asking Sienna what she learned throughout her wrestling career, she says that she learned “the values of hard work and perseverance”.

Christina’s most memorable moment throughout her wrestling career that impacted her was her experience with her team at the National Tournament in Nevada. “There were a ton of amazing wrestlers, and it felt so special that I was a part of that. After I won my first match, I looked and saw Coach Lindstrom in my corner, jumping and screaming for me. He was more excited than I was! It made it so special to know that all my hard work was paying off, that I can compete at a higher level, and that my coaches are supporting me no matter what.” Sienna’s favorite memory, on the other hand, was “when we went to Colorado for a camp and on the way, we stopped at a park and played baseball in a river”.

Some advice that the girls would like to share with people who are interested in joining the team is to “go to practice with an open mindset” and how “wrestling teaches you so many valuable lessons about life, and it shows you who you are as a person”. Christina discloses our interview by adding, “Wrestling is not for everyone, but you can still give it a shot. It has opened so many amazing opportunities for me and it was one of the best decisions of my life”.

Thank you so much Christina and Sienna for this interview! Taking opportunities can truly lead you to new and exciting places that you never thought you’d be in, so take those chances while you still can because you only live once! And remember, Knights, to strive for the impossible and be extraordinary!