As wrestling coach Tommy Edgmon prepares the 2023 girls wrestling team for their season, he does so by starting in advance with after-school practices and offering some summer opportunities. With the upcoming season, they will have girls who have been on the team in past years which sets a strong foundation under them for the season. Many freshmen are coming into this season too.
With the incoming freshman and girls who have experience from last season, Edgmon thinks the team will do well and is excited. A couple of girls Edgmon thinks will shine this year are sophomores Avery Hinijos and Jean James. They are returning state qualifiers, so they have experience and have been to the state tournament. Some more girls went to state last year with experience too.
“I am looking forward to the most for the tournaments to come back stronger and get after it with my team,” Hinojos said.
Hinojos believes this year she will come into this season stronger and placing higher than last year. With placing at every tournament there are some commitments Hinojos has to make. She has to watch what she’s eating so she can make weight on tournament days and watch her grades. Not only does Hinojos have to watch herself she also makes sure her team is staying on track.
“I make sure my team is staying on track with everything,” Hinojos said.
Hinojos believes that the girls wrestling team has made an impact at NHS. Adding to that she says more wrestlers are coming into the high school from the middle school.
James is looking forward to the Tournament of Champions and their tournaments this season. She says it feels like family when she is around her teammates.
“I’m definitely looking forward to TOC and all of our tournaments because it has a huge family feeling,” James said.
James believes that coming into this season she is much stronger than last year because last season she observed other wrestlers and now knows how to improve and what to expect.
“I’m not in the freshman mortality to survive,” James said
James said that there are hard parts to being on the team. She said the hardest part is having to watch your weight and having to suck it up on some days.
“Think of the long run and figure out what’s best for me,” James said.
James has a positive mindset that helps her get through the tough parts. She tells herself that she has to put her own effort in and she pushes herself as hard as she can. This brain morality is helping her get whatever she needs to get done.
“You have to suck it up and watch your weight. Think to yourself, in the long run, I need to figure out what’s best for me,” James said.