Junior captain of the women’s wrestling team, Chloe Kelley, won athlete of the week on February third. Kelley took second place at the Milford invitational, helping Oak Hills women’s team win their second team tournament. Women’s wrestling as a whole have been getting more and more popular here at Oak Hills. The women’s team now has 15 dedicated athletes on their roster, which would have been a dream in the past.
This award is more to the student than just a shoutout on a Tuesday. Kelley had this to say about how she felt receiving the award. “Being named athlete of the week means a lot to me because it recognizes the hard work, dedication, and effort I put in every day, even when no one is watching. It reminds me that the time I spend practicing, pushing myself, and supporting my teammates truly does matter. and the recognition motivates me to keep improving and stay disciplined.” Kelley believes she is the person she is today because of her parents and coaches. Her parents set high standards and huge dreams for Kelley, which pushed her to always be confident and proud. Her coaches, on the other hand, hold her accountable, never letting her give up on the goals she has. They push her to her limits, helping her grow as a wrestler and an individual and constantly supporting Kelley every day, no matter what. They taught her the importance of discipline and responsibility through both encouragement and tough love.
When asked what her favorite part of wrestling is, Kelley says, “In all honesty, I love getting out my aggression through wrestling, but I also love the community in wrestling; opponents or not, everyone is there for one another. You are all growing and developing new skills. You build great friendships and relationships with all those around you, and it’s just all around the type of environment every sport should have”. On the other hand, there can also
be some challenging things when it comes to balancing a sport and academics. Kelley uses her time wisely every day in class to have all focus on wrestling after school. Sometimes it doesn’t work out like that, and she finds herself doing homework between practice and lifts.
If you are considering trying women’s wrestling, Kelley insists that you should try it because she believes that “It shapes you as a person and as a woman, it builds up your confidence, and helps build strength and balance.”As you can tell, this award means more than just a free smoothie at Clean Eatz.
