As girls’ and boys’ wrestling snap into season, athletes are welcoming new members to the mats. Since placing 4th out of 25 during their last meet, the girls wrestlers are being trained and inspired by teammates and coaches, covering the mats with blood, sweat and tears as they train vigorously for their next meet.

“The most challenging part of being on the team is pushing yourself to get better everyday, and how much hotter it gets in the wrestling room simply because there’s so many people,” junior Noemi Gonzalez said.

From the moment the girls prepare their shoes for the mat, to the second they sink into the foam, the dedication and preparation put forth has only brought the team closer together. With daily conditioning, bowling and sleepovers aimed to build the team’s connection, each wrestler has formed their own connection with the sport and their team.

“We have done a handful of things but one of the most impactful in my opinion was when we built the stands. It took multiple days and really brought us closer and taught us how to work together not only off but on the mat as well,” senior Francisco Betancourt said. “I think that with the sport growing and especially our team growing that we are going to boost the morale immensely.”

The coordination and healthy competition between the team members is exactly what will take them to their State Series in December.

“When I started with Munster two years ago, we had only two on the team. We wound up getting ten girls, and this year we’re up to 21 girls,” girls assistant wrestling coach Estevan Marks said. “It keeps growing more and more, and the camaraderie that I see with all the girls blows my mind.”