Standing at 4’11” and weighing in at 103 pounds, freshman Valeria Rivera doesn’t back down from any competition when she steps onto the mat.
“Her gender doesn’t stand out, her performance does,” says wrestling coach Patrick Kelly.
“I got into wrestling 4 or 5 years ago. My brother used to wrestle and so did my step dad in high school and I thought it would be fun to try.” Since that time, she’s been a member of her high school team. She’s also participated in all-girl leagues and all-girl tournaments.
“I enjoy wrestling because it is one of the only sports that I do good at and it also makes me unique.” When I tell people I wrestle they usually say “ha funny” or “that’s sweet”.  
Challenges remain for the only girl on the team. “Wrestling guys can sometimes get weird because of the smell, or coming in contact with different body parts can also get uncomfortable.”
Rivera still feels at a disadvantage when wrestling against guys, “Most of them are stronger than me,” says Rivera.
“She is a very skilled wrestler and her 11-4 record shows that, and it is my obligation and duty to treat her just like anyone else on the team,” says Coach Kelly. To her coach she is just another member of the team.