As she looks around at the thousands of people watching, senior Faith Bree prepares herself to compete in her first state championship. Bree was the only RUHS wrestler to make it to states this year, and she is also the first wrestler in her family to make it as well. Bree comes from several generations of wrestlers, going back to her great-grandfather. She started wrestling in 8th grade and has been climbing her way up the ranks throughout high school.
“I have always had an interest in [wrestling], and my family’s always been really into it,” Bree said. “I didn’t know if I was going to do it or not, but as soon as I did, I fell in love with it.”
Not only has Bree been able to rely on her coach’s expertise over the years, but also on her family’s to get her over whatever challenges she may face in the ring.
“What got me through [challenges] was my family, because they’ve been there [for me],” Bree said. “They are the ones who know me best and have guided my mental journey on my way to the state [championship]. They’re the reason I wrestle. I just want to make them proud. It’s something we connect over, and I love talking with them about it. My dad, brothers and grandpa have always been a big help, and they’ve always been so supportive of me.”
Her father, David Bree, also wrestled in high school. He never expected his daughter to follow in the path of wrestling, but he acknowledges the sport’s importance to her.
“She’s a hard worker [and is] determined,” David Bree said. “I would say that one of the biggest parts of her life is wrestling,” David Bree said.
From daily practices to their many matches, there is more mental strain behind wrestling than one might think. According to Bree, championships can be intense, especially with thousands of people watching and skilled competition.
“The biggest challenge I faced was the mental struggle through it all,” Bree said. “There are a lot of good girls in every part of the country and every part of the state, and it’s hard to believe in yourself and stay confident. Wrestling in the [practice] room can be very different than wrestling in a competition because you don’t know who you’re wrestling, why they’re there or how good they are.”
According to David Bree, he understands the size of the competition, which is a big pressure for Bree.
“The state competition was very exciting for everybody,” David Bree said. “It’s the best of the best. I feel that California actually has the biggest competition when it comes to wrestling.”
Bree is not new to the State Championship. Sophomore year, Bree went to the competition in support of her teammate, Kinsey Konrad. According to Bree, this experience left her with a mission.
“[I have always been called to] see all of those people supporting and cheering, and the severity of it all. I made that my goal, and I wanted to be there,” Bree said.
Through the challenges, successes and connections she has made on her journey, wrestling has become more than just a sport to Bree; it is a big part of her life. While most of the male wrestlers in her family heavily influence her, she is most inspired by her late sister.
“I lost my sister in the summer of my sophomore year,” Bree said. “Before every match, I pray to her. She’s always been a way for me to keep my strength and stay in the game because I know that she would be proud of me. She’s always been there to give me strength and to keep me going in spirit. Honestly, I just wrestle for her.”
Bree’s commitment during her journey through wrestling and going to the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships has given her different opportunities along the way. As a senior, she is using them to wrestle in college.
“I’m okay with going to a junior college because girls’ wrestling in college is still really small,” Bree said. “There’s only a certain amount of Division 1 colleges available to girls, so wrestling in junior college just means that I could wrestle for a bit longer and keep my passion flowing.”
