Melyssa is a wrestler that Joey and I saw at Michigan but didnt get to talk to her because of the busy wrestling schedule there. I knew that she was a good wrestler and have noticed that she has really improved over last year . I think she got 10th last year at Nationals and this year she got 1st ....Quite an improvement !!!
Melyssa started wrestling because she wanted a challenge. She said that she could'nt play basketball if her life depended on it and swimming laps did'nt seem that exciting. At first, she continued only because she wanted to prove everyone wrong; They said that she could'nt handle the pressures of wrestling. Now she does it because she love it. "I dont know what I would do without it ", Melyssa Said .
Nationals was the first major tournament Melyssa ever won. "The competition was good for me as a person because it has taught me to respect other people's strength's. No matter if the win was decisive or close, you can never let your guard down. Underestimating your opponent is the worst thing you can do in wrestling besides giving up ." Melyssa said .
I ask her how she handled losses ...here is what she said , "Loosing is a major part of wrestling. On any given day, anyone can beat anybody. Loosing has taught me some of my most valuable life lessons. Perseverance and practice do pay off, just not all the time. Loosing a match humbles me and puts my feet back on the ground. I respect that my opponent did an awesome job and begin planning how to fix my mistakes. I used to be a really bad looser, but the discipline required in wrestling has taught me how to lose with dignity. Nobody likes loosing, but the better person is the one who calmly accepts it and strives to never let it happen again."
Her younger brother is very excited over her success, but is tired of being known as Melyssa's little brother. He likes that it keeps him out of lockers at school, but doesn't like having people joke that his sister will beat them up if they,re not nice to him. Her friends are proud and excited for her although they wish that she would spend less time practicing and more time with them. , some of the guys seem a little intimidated by the effort she puts in to practices .
I ask her what was her favorite wrestling moment and here is what she had to say "It's hard to say which moment of wrestling is my favorite. There is nothing like the feeling just after a match is won, or knowing you hit a move and it will be successful. However, the best was the day after Nationals when I told my friends and coach that I had won. That was when it finally sunk in and hit me. I was a National Champion."
When I ask her about traveling to the tournaments here is her reply "I enjoy traveling a lot. We drive to all the tournaments we go to and it is a good way to spend some time with my family. We are all so busy that being stuck in a car for 15 hours is a good way to reconnect. For most of the tournaments, we don't have time to do a lot of sightseeing because we need to get back to school and work. Every now and then we take extra time off and look around. The best part of staying in hotels is the cable TV. We don't have cable at my house and therefore don't get Loony Toons. Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are key to winning competitions. Maybe channel surfing is a sort of sightseeing."
Melyssa plays varsity volleyball in the fall for her high school and varsity track and field in the spring. She throw's shot put and discus and occasionally fill in for absent two-milers. She enjoy's watching movies both at home and at the theaters. Her favorite thing to do, when she can, is go eat with her best friend. She also like to lift weights and learn more about physics and chemistry.
As soon as the high school season is over she began her off-season training. Monday and Wednesday nights she practice's at the Nieves Ahmadi School of wrestling for at least two hours a session. Tuesday and Thursday nights she wrestle's for Horizon Club for at least two hours. On Friday nights, she help's teach younger wrestlers and then enjoy open mats for an hour and a half. On the weekends, she either attend local tournaments or travel to girl tournaments. Every morning before school starts, she lift's weights at the local YMCA, and right after school it off to track or volleyball practice. It makes for late nights and early mornings, but it has paid off. Melyssa said that she wishes there were more hours in the day so she could squeeze in some more mat time because that is the only way to get better.
I ask Melyssa what advice she could give to the younger girls tha might be wanting to start wrestling and this is what she had to say "For any girls out there that want to wrestle the best thing I can say is not to give up. Wrestling is a sport that takes a lot out of a person and because we are girls, it is harder. Girls have to fight stereotypes and traditions to make it in the sport. We have to put up with people who don't want us on the mats and don't think we belong. Forget about them; follow your dreams and do what your heart tells you to, I can't imagine my life without wrestling. I hope to be still connected to wrestling even when I'm 80. I would like to wrestle in college and hopefully someday make it to the Olympics. When I finish competing, I would like to be a coach and help other wrestlers reach their potential. Outside of wrestling, I plan to be an engineer.I would like to say that schoolwork is also important. Many wrestlers put off schoolwork for practice or don't think it's that important. Unfortunately, some times I have to miss practice to finish reports or projects. As a result I in the top 10 of my class, with 5 Advanced Placement classes out of 7 periods. Everyone needs to find a balance between their commitment to wrestling and school. Wrestling won't get you through school, but an education will."
After doing this spotlight I came to respect Melyssa as a girl that has her goal's set high and is doing what it take to achieve them .Here is her e-mail address if you want to wishe her luck or have any questions for her WrestleMLF@aol.com.
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Melyssa's wrestling results
Freshman Year 1998-99
1st place--Baystate Games; 1 match.
Sophomore Year 1999-2000
Brookline 3 Matches; 3 wins
Brookline 3 Matches; 3 wins
Brookline 3 Matches; 3 wins
Canton 1 match; 1 win.
2nd place--Colonial StatesÆ Tournament. 3 matches; 2 wins.
10th place--USGWA Nationals (21-woman bracket). 6 matches; 3 wins.
2nd place--US WomenÆs Cadet Freestyle Nationals. 1 match.
Horizons vs. Berkshire Club dual meet 1 match freestyle; 1 win.
1st place--Baystate Games. 1 match; 1 win.
16-4 folkstyle 1-1 freestyle
Junior Year 2000-2001
Brookline 3 matches; 3 wins.
Brookline 3 matches; 3 wins.
Brookline 3 matches; 3 wins.
Westfield vs. Pittsfield 1 match; 1 win.
2nd place--Mid-Atlantic Tournament-High School Division. 3 matches; 2 wins.
3rd place--Mid-Atlantic Tournament-College Division. 3 matches; 2 wins.
2nd place--New York State Tournament. 3 matches; 2 wins.
2nd place--Ohio State Tournament. 3 matches; 2 wins.
3rd place--Pennsylvania State Tournament-3rd place. 3 matches; 1 win.
1st place--USGWA Nationals (19-woman bracket). 4 matches; 4 wins.
1st place--New England Folkstyle Championships.
1st place--New England Freestyle Championships.
23-6 folkstyle
Career
Folkstyle: wins: 39 losses: 10
Freestyle: wins: 1 losses: 1
Jerry Miller 5/28/2001
