The bright gym lights reflect off the polished floor, and the smell of chalk fills the air. Mats are spread across the gym, surrounded by huge crowds and teammates shouting from the sidelines. The intense, fast-paced atmosphere sets the tone for the battles that are about to begin. Junior Jaeda McRaven finishes up a new season with the Parkway West girls’ wrestling team. 

Since her freshman year of high school, McRaven has been involved in wrestling, and she decided to join because she wanted a challenge in her life. 

“I wanted to join wrestling because growing up, I always enjoyed more contact sports. This is something I knew I wanted to join, especially in high school, [because] it is more competitive. With a sport like [wrestling], I enjoy how it pushes me to do things that I never would have done,” McRaven said. 

Traditionally, wrestling is not a sport many girls take part in. Sometimes, it’s due to the stereotypes of women being more fragile or the mental health challenges athletes face, such as dealing with anxiety, because of the intense schedule. But for McRaven, wrestling helps her feel more empowered and gives her the strength to take on harder opportunities. 

“Knowing that this is a more male-dominated sport, I feel very accomplished [to] be able to play in it. Both boys and girls play in the game, and we are doing the same thing at the end of the day [so] I feel like it is incomparable. With girls playing a part in this sport, it is very nurturing,” McRaven said. 

Furthermore, McRaven carries that sense of empowerment to support her teammates. Behind every pin or victory during a match, McRaven encourages her teammates to try their best. 

“[McRaven] has helped me improve by helping me make sure I stay on task and stay [focused] while also making sure my mind is in the right direction. She always makes sure she is helping everyone out — including the new boys on the team — by uplifting them when they are nervous. She always tells us that no matter how we wrestle during a match, we will all be okay,” junior Kamara King said. 

While wrestling is a contact sport, it also requires mental tenacity. McRaven has evolved since her freshman year, becoming more confident in her performance and less affected by negative aspects, such as her mental health declining.  

“In my freshman year, I always took the comments my coaches gave me the hard way. Wrestling is really all mental, and now I feel a lot more confident with how I perceive things. I slowly started to realize that this is something [that] I am good at and can do, so I always use those thoughts when I am in a match. Having [people] around me gives me a lot more confidence, and that definitely helps with my performance,” McRaven said. 

Even though wrestling can at times foster negative mental energy, McRaven uses that mentality to push herself to be even better. Although there were times when the losses felt personal and progress felt slow, she began to trust herself even more and build more confidence within her team. 

“We’re all really close, almost like family, because we go through a lot of hard things together, and practices are never easy. Knowing we all experience [this] together, it brings us closer, and we feel more connected to one another,” McRaven said.  

During her first match this season, McRaven placed second, but she continued to push herself to qualify for districts this year so she can compete at state. 

“My biggest goal is to place at districts so I can qualify for state. I [plan] to [do] this by getting better each practice and making sure that I feel confident in how I perform during practice. Being [able] to qualify for state would feel like such a reward for [me]. It would help me realize that the work I am putting in is actually showing off,” McRaven said. 

Although McRaven didn’t qualify for state this year, she continues to work hard for next season. As McRaven has progressed through the seasons of wrestling, she has not only stood out for her skills but also for her dedication and strength. 

“Looking back at my first season, I never would have imagined I’d get this far. I felt like, during each season, I had learned that I could push through hardships and that this was a sport I could excel in,” McRaven said. “I am proud of how much I have improved, [but] I still know there are more areas where I can improve.”