ALYVIA EDWARDS-WAGONER
A desire to determine your own destiny is one of the reasons that Wagoner sophomore Alyvia Edwards added wrestling to her athletic resume that included track and softball in the seventh grade.
“I’m not a big team sports person because I don’t like depending on other people to determine my wins and losses. Wrestling has taught me a lot of life lessons and discipline along the way,” said Edwards who is also involved in cheer and FCCLA.
It was in the softball room with then coach Brian Edwards that he first talked to her about getting involved in wrestling.
“I don’t know,” I said. “But he kept saying I should give it a try, so I purchased by first pair of wrestling shoes, and I went into the room, and I really liked it.”
Current Bulldog wrestling coach Jory Brumnett added to the story.
“We got her in the seventh grade, and she just got right into it. She was the state runner-up at 190 pounds last year and went to the big freestyle tournament in Fargo, North Dakota over the summer and finished sixth which got her ranked nationally. “
Alyvia’s wrestling success started almost immediately from the time she started.
“My seventh-grade year I won most of the tournaments I entered and was runner-up at junior high state. My eighth-grade year I didn’t do so well at state, but I got involved in OKWA wrestling and finished fourth. Last year I made the finals of junior high state, won OKWA, and went 20-2 in duals finishing second to a girl from Comanche at OSSAA state.”
Girls’ wrestling in Oklahoma has really boomed in participation in the past few years according to Alyvia.
“In seventh grade there were two girls in wrestling and now we have 13. Back then there were like 30 girls statewide in my weight class and now there are close to 50. I think the idea of being successful on your own is appealing.”
Having cheered in the eighth grade, Alyvia got back into cheer this year at the behest of her sister Zowi.
“I cheered in the eighth grade and then stopped but Zowi kept going and asked me to come back this year to cheer with her during her senior year. So I tried out and made the squad.”
Alyvia’s goals for her sophomore year include winning OSSAA state, winning it all at Fargo, and hopefully competing at the US open which could lead to her getting on the world team trials stage.
