A total of three freshmen qualifiers from Indiana schools stood across the wrestling mats for the Indianapolis State Championships on Jan. 17. One of the three, being Munster’s first female wrestler sent to State Championships, was freshman Amelia Mitchell.
In Munster’s first official girl’s wrestling season, Mitchell sets the stage for groundbreaking history only as a freshman. With her wrestling journey having started three years ago in middle school, Mitchell appreciates the spectrum of competition after having graduated from a combined boys-and-girls season last year.
“I knew that going into high school, it was now a divided sport,” Mitchell said. “It made me feel proud. I felt like I belonged somewhere, not just one of the few girls on a boy’s team.”
Sporting her pink cowboy hat through the halls, Munster High School showed their support for Mitchell’s journey to state in the second Stampede of the school year. Amelia reflects on the pride she holds for her school.
“It made me more confident in myself,” she said. “Even being a freshman just coming into high school, it made me feel good about myself knowing I can represent Munster and show who we are. Knowing that I could go out and represent Munster being proud no matter the outcome made me feel great.”
How did you start with your sport?
“When I was a kid, both of my siblings were on the swim team, so I just went into it with them because I wanted to compete with them. I sort of started to keep going and going until I was in high school, and continued it even after they quit.”
Have there been any challenges? If, so how do you plan to overcome them?
“Staying motivated and staying awake are my two biggest challenges. I usually try to overcome them by holding others accountable too. It kind of helps me stay accountable for my actions if they’re all doing the right thing and going to sleep at eight o’clock. That helps.”
Do you have a favorite part of your sport?
“My favorite part is definitely the weeks leading up to sectionals, because two weeks before we get to celebrate for girls sectionals, one week before we start our taper, and then the weekday of, it’s just really nice to see all the progress you’ve made and everything.”
How have you stayed motivated throughout your season?
“I try to look at the other teams. When they [our rival team] have a meet, I like to compare times and look how they did in previous meets to see if I need to stay up there. I need to try harder, because they’re trying just as hard as I am.”
How do you feel being captain?
“It’s a weird feeling. With leadership, it’s a strange adjustment, because previous years I wasn’t really a leader. I was usually being led or I was on my own. But this year, I have to tell people what to do and it’s a shift. I need to know when to tell someone what to do and when to be their friend and joke around.”
How did you start with your sport?
“I started because my baseball coaches and the swim coach, Russel Rommelfanger. So he recruited me and wanted me to do it, because they didn’t really have anyone last year.”
What is your biggest accomplishment so far in your season?
“Being able to go to the 11 dive meets compared to the six dive meets, because you need more complex dives. And going to Hamilton a couple weeks ago, that was 11 dive meet, so only three of our divers are going compared to eight.”
Do you have a favorite part of your sport?
“My friends and learning new dives. There’s a lot of people that I connect with very well.”
Have there been any challenges? If, so how do you plan to overcome them?
“ It takes a lot of focus and perfecting to where it’s good enough. To accomplish that is just listen to my coach and do the things that he’s saying consistently.”
How have you stayed motivated throughout your season?
“Getting better every day. Every day you get better, no matter how hard or how less hard you’re trying.”
What are the goals you have set for yourself?
“Doing a double front flip or like yesterday I actually did complete one of my goals which was one and a half somersault. And it was a really good feeling knowing that I accomplished one of those goals this year.”
