Junior Natalie Brown is in the October Female Wrestler Spotlight. Since starting her wrestling career in 2005, she has already racked up a long list of accomplishments, including Rookie of the Year, District Runner-Up, District Champion, Regional Alternate, and State Qualifier.
In addition to her accomplishments on the wrestling mat, Natalie has also been named Captain of this year's team, a member of the Varsity Cheerleading squad, and been elected to the Homecoming Court.
Natalie's goal this year is to place at Regional and make it to state. "And place at State," she added.
Wrestling was not on her top list of sports to try until she saw a girl about her size get on the mat and "wrestle her heart out." Natalie's feelings that wrestling was purely a "manly" sport changed the moment she saw this girl's hand get raised in victory. "I thought to myself 'that could be me'," Natalie said.
Now Natalie is the one on the mat with her hand in the air. "I love the feeling when you have put your heart and everything you had on the mat and then getting your hand raised," Natalie said! When she is tired in wrestling practice, she motivates herself by thinking it is overtime for first place at State to keep herself going. She chooses to take her losses back to the practice mat and work harder training for the next one.
"Wrestling has changed my life," Natalie said. "The coaches I had my freshman and sophomore year all changed the way I think about school and wrestling." She enjoys being on a team, but also competing at the individual level.
Her heros are her family and friends, in particular her mom, dad, step-mom, and brother. "They have all been there for me from when I failed a test 'til I was winning a tournament," Natalie said. She knows she can count on her family to be there to help whenever she needs it.
