At some schools, athletes see wrestling as a sport they do to stay in shape for another sport; however, for junior Sophia Rivera it’s the main event.

Rivera, who has been wrestling since her freshmen year had a 44-12 record this year and competed at the state level.

“I love this sport,” Rivera said. “I practice ten hours a week and I’ve left blood my sweat blood, sweat, and tears on the mat and it’s a great feeling to reap the outcome.”

Rivera was district and regional champion this season. She then advanced to be a state qualifier this past season.

“The season was full of great accomplishments and I’m glad I was able to contribute to the success,” Rivera said.

Although wrestling is considered an individual sport, Rivera said she believes it’s her job as a member of the Akins wrestling program to be a contributor and a leader for the other wrestlers.

Rivera doesn’t just focus on wrestling all of the time. She also is a member of the Akins varsity volleyball team. She takes pride in being a two-sport athlete while having to make sure her grades are good, too.

”I know that for some it might seem like a lot of work to balance grades and my sport, but I take pride in it,” Rivera said. “I’ve learned that I need to keep myself disciplined in order to represent my school the way I want.”

As for her future plans, Rivera is looking forward to returning for her senior-year seasons in volleyball and wrestling.

“As for now, I plan to focus on my academics and workout to stay in shape,” Rivera said. “And if the opportunity comes I’ll consider wrestling in college.”