KES Senior Girls' Wrestling Team win first ever Provincial NSSAF Championship

I have to start by saying that this was one of the most pleasant years that I have had coaching wrestling at the school. Although every year and every team is “spectacular!” Many more hugs than I can every remember this year! It’s quite liberating when you start the year with one returning grade 11 wrestler, who toughed it through the entire season, and mostly all eager - to - learn rookie females. With no expectation competitive pressures, it was easy to focus on the basics and working hard together and expecting more of each other in every practice and every match and tournament. No egos and very coachable, hard working, unselfish student – athletes. In the past, we have had more than 3 females on the team to get in the team picture, but never more than 3 who have actually competed and persevered in a sport that you must have the courage to step on a mat, win or lose, and bear the outcome; with NO excuses or maybe the feeling you did great and a loss was somebody else’s fault. This year we had 7 student - athletes in the senior female category, enough to think about team points at various parts of the season.

 

Mona and Ella Jollymore may not have had collected lots of wins on the mat, but epitomized our attitude this year. We all wanted to be better, every practice and every match. These girls worked as hard and maybe harder than some of the others. They were always conscientious and wanted to make a difference for their teammates. As a wrestler, you are only as good as your sparring partners. These girls worked at preparing the rest of the team and were great examples of character. Mona was in tears and injured this weekend and I suggested she withdraw from her final match. I was worried that she could be injured by the far bigger, stronger, experienced opponent. As has happened earlier in the year, Mona wiped her tears and said “no way, I’m still wrestling my last match.” Ella was very much the same all year; always wanting to do more. Great character and as unselfish as one could be. This character was the backbone of our team and certainly inspired me and the rest of the team to be selfless.

 

When we met as a team, last Monday and reviewed video and made a game plan for the week, we reviewed the results from the regional championships and looked hard at the chance that the senior girls’ team had to win the provincial team title. We worked it out that we would have to have some outstanding performances to beat Cobequid Education Center, the second largest school in the province, who won the other regional with more girls and more weight classes filled. With all the details worked out we thought we could have a chance to win by 2 points, if all went better than ever expected. We won by 5 points. Ella Brown placed second in a close match in the finals this gave us 2 points more than anticipated. All others did what was needed of them, and more.

 

We took 8 wrestlers to the provincials, 1 junior boy Callum – silver (shocked everyone, mostly himself), 1 senior boy Tommy – silver (gave everything and was a gentle big brother to all), and 6 senior girls (Elizabeth was injured at regionals and couldn’t compete). Tea led the girls with our only gold medal. She was stoic and gained more confidence and inspired as the weekend wore on. Ella Brown was amazing and was another one of our wrestlers in the finals. Camryn placed 3^rd in the same weight class (no team points since only the top wrestler in each class scores team points) and both girls beat some very experienced competition on their way to the podium.  Ella Jollymore was in Tea’s weight class and braved the tough competition, including Tea. Mona was .5 kg in the weight class above Tea and earned two points for placing second and getting roughed up by the same girl twice. Sharon also made the finals and lost to a tough CEC girl who has many years of wrestling experience, including nationals.  This was one we expected to not win, but the 2^nd place was important for team points we counted on securing.

This was another historic milestone for the senior girls' team. They were able to win the Provincial Championship banner, on the heals of the Regionals banner. Both banners were first - evers for KES senior girls wrestling.