Each month, two student athletes are recognized for their achievements and their outstanding performance, one from a boys team and one from a girls team. This month, we recognize senior Karissa Aguilar.
Aguilar has been on the Birmingham Community Charter High School girls’ wrestling team for her second year and is eager to further her experience with the sport she is so passionate about.
Q: What weight class are you in?
A: The weight class I wrestle in is 155.
Q: Why did you decide to pursue wrestling?
A: I decided to pursue wrestling because it was the sport I’ve done since I was a little girl. My dad was always into martial arts. He never liked me playing other sports and encouraged me to do (martial arts) it.
Q: Do you plan on continuing wrestling after high school?
A: I’m not too sure. I’m still thinking about it. Most likely though.
Q: Do you find it difficult to balance being a student athlete with your academics?
A: I don’t find it difficult as long as I have good time management. I do all my work throughout school, so if I do it in school, I have no problem.
Q: How do you stay motivated during challenging games and times?
A: I like to put on music to motivate myself if I’m feeling down. It helps me a lot and just to think positive and reflect.
Q: How do you reflect on your performance?
A: I reflect on everything that’s happened in my life and I realize to myself is this what I want to do, is this the move I want to make.
Q: Last year you had a leg injury. How did you injure it? During wrestling?
A: I was in a match with a girl taller than me and when I tried to escape from a move she had me in, I had jumped too much and I tore my ACL midway through the match.
Q: Were you hesitant about returning to wrestling this year due to your injury last season?
A: Yes, I was really hesitant, because I’ve never had this type of injury. I was really hesitant how it would go, since it’s a serious injury.
Q: What made you return to wrestling?
A: It’s my senior year, and I wanted to make my last year count. I wanted to wrestle.
Q: What do you love the most about wrestling?
A: That it’s not a team sport and that it’s a solo sport, so everything I do reflects on myself and how I practice.
