When it comes to making school history, look no further than the fastest growing sport in the country. Junior Angie Nettey became the first female wrestler at Plainfield East to qualify for the state championship by taking second place at the IHSA sectional at Schaumburg High School on Feb. 14-15.
Nettey faced an injury early on in the season, leaving her unable to wrestle for a major part of the season. But, nothing could keep her down. She immediately started working towards making up for lost time upon her clearance.
“I had an injury, missing like majority of the season, [but I know] that I have room to improve. I’m not at my limit yet,” said Nettey. “I think this year has been my best year because I’ve gone through so much and everything. I feel like I’m doing good.”
For Nettey, the sky is the limit.
Apart from being physically strong, wrestlers must possess immense mental strength.
“I just think: I want to win. I want this, I want to win more than this person. That’s what I always tell myself,” said Nettey.
When she steps up to wrestle, Nettey, along with all other wrestlers, play both a physical and mental game. However, separating an opponent from an enemy is crucial.
“I don’t think my opponent is my enemy,” said Nettey. “At the end of the day, it’s just a game, and we all want to play. We all just want to have fun.”
Although she’s alone on the mat, there’s nothing lonely about her environment.
“I feel like it shapes our personality, or like, the way we are in a match. When we’re around people that help us get better, it helps us stay focussed when we’re in a match,” said Nettey.
Strength, discipline, and determination are all qualities that a wrestler such as Nettey must have. However, Nettey possesses an equally important quality: humility. Nettey’s perseverance in her sectional matches won her a state qualification, but that doesn’t mean the job is done.
“I feel nice about it. I kind of got over it, like the day after it happened. Obviously in the moment, I teared up when I won my match [and knew] I was going to state. But after getting home and letting it sink in, I’m chill about it now,” said Nettey.
With the moment over, the work begins. Nettey maintains a drive like no other.
“I wrestle in bad conditions in practice so I can wrestle my best when I’m fine,” said Nettey. “Even when I’m upset at practice, I’m usually happy at a tournament. I wrestle good when I’m happy.”
Girl’s wrestling continues to grow, and Nettey’s strength and determination is clear in the three years she’s put in so far. Creating an environment for girls and women alike to grow stronger together is a common goal across all teams.
“My freshman year, there were nine girls on the team. We’re getting more and more people each year. We’re definitely growing, and I love to see it,” said Nettey.
Nettey will take on the state finals on Feb. 26 through Feb. 28, at the Grossinger Arena in Bloomington.
“If they think they want it more than me, then let’s see,” said Nettey. “Let’s see who’s going to win.”
