Training in quick steady steps at the break of dawn, while pacing herself to the beat of Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven,” sweat drips from her face while the wind cools her off.

“Keep running, two more pounds,” she said. “Just two more.”

Bruised knees, a busted lip and the occasional black eye. Each bruise reminding her of every opponent she’s come in contact with.

These are just a few of the cosmetic concerns that junior Anna Becerra has to deal with on a regular basis.

Injuries like these are not unusual in the life of a wrestler.

“It’s an addiction. You just want to see progress in your wrestling, and it makes me feel like I want to do the impossible,” Becerra said.

Getting ready for the wrestling season, Becerra prepares herself for her weight class by beginning to lose those impossible two pounds to qualify for her first match of the season.

“The team as a whole is working out to make weight and constantly drilling to perfect our moves,” Becerra said. “Losing weight is tough because I can’t really eat my favorite foods because of my healthy eating.”

Working on her weight class of 102, Becerra works to only eat her nutrients her body needs and avoids food with fiber to keep her body ready and healthy for her matches.

“I try my best to give my body what it needs by eating what’s good for my body and working out.” Becerra said.

Still reveling in her memories from winning regionals and going to state all in the past year, Becerra says she hopes to reach the top again this year and go even farther with her moves now being much more precise and sharper which allows her to progress and be better than she was before.

“It was a dream come true, I broke down in tears because I worked so hard and you finally see it pay off,” Becerra said. “I’m not doing it just to do it, I work my (butt) off and then I see why.”

Many wrestlers believe the sport is unrecognized and is not given the credit it deserves. Becerra agrees that wrestling isn’t credited enough and is ridiculed to be “people just rolling around on a mat.”

“I think wrestling is not taken seriously and see it as people just taking each other down  and don’t get the recognition that football or basketball games get, ” Becerra said.

Wrestling keeps going strong no matter what is said about them and work together as a team to support each other. Becerra is driven to have success in wrestling and to show people that what they think is impossible is possible in her world.

“I love warm-ups. You’re in that state of mind where I’m going to go in there and do the best that you can,” Becerra said.

Becerra says she began wrestling all because of a bet that was made over money.

“My sister’s boyfriend used to wrestle for Akins for most of his high school career and he bet me money if I would try wrestling for a year,” Bacerra said. “He never did pay me but the love I ended having for the sport was more than worth it.”

Becerra is in her third year of wrestling. She has to balance it with managing her job, homework and friends. She said she cherishes everything she receives in life and drives herself to be better and do better by keeping her priorities straight and her mind on the prize while overall keeping her grades in check.

With the first match of the season already done and Becerra with her first win, the team as a whole trains hard together for their next match on Nov. 20 at Lanier High School and Dec. 4 at Akins.