BY BRENDA AGUILAR

During these last few weeks, senior Yvette Garcia has definitely been well known all throughout our high school campus and in a few other campus’ where she has competed.

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune has even given her some recognition by making her “SoCal Prep Legends Girls: Athlete of the Week”. They emphasized her impressive win at the CIF Southern Section Central Division Championship at Upland High School.

After the SGV Tribune posted her as being Athlete of the Week, Yvette Garcia was incredibly honored. She found out when her coach called her.

“I was very happy and surprised when I found out. My mom was also very happy,” Garcia said.

Since her sophomore year of high school, she began to wrestle. She began to enjoy it when she was improving rapidly and won first place at her first tournament.

“I was beating out girls with years of experience, so I began to enjoy it and work harder for the win,” Garcia said.

During her previous years on the team, she made it to CIF and was second place. Due to an injury, she could not continue therefore did not go to state.

Garcia is a CIF master champion, which has been her biggest achievement so far this year. She wants to continue to go farther than she did last year when getting hurt.

Before each match she prepares mentally by telling herself that she can beat the other girl and that she wants it more than the other girl. She also prepares physically by sprinting when she is nervous.

“When I’m at a match on the mat, it’s a rush; it’s exciting getting the moves I’ve practiced for a long time right. It’s a really big accomplishment, it almost brings me to tears,” Garcia said.

Her biggest supporters are her parents. They push her to be better and to always do her best.

“They are there at every tournament even though they do not really know the sport,” Garcia said.

Garcia plans on pursuing wrestling in college and has a few options on where she would like to attend.