Georgia Gomez is rather pleased she responded to a lunchtime school announcement a few years ago.
The 11-year-old Tseshaht First Nation member heard a meeting was being planned for those interested in joining the wrestling team at her c̓uumaʕas (Tsuma-as) Elementary School.
“It was during school lunch hour,” she said. “And the announcement said if you would like to join wrestling, go to the courtyard. I thought it would be cool to join. The coach just talked about it and then we got our (permission) slips.”
So, she did just that. And now, three years later, Gomez is making some strides in the sport.
In mid-December Gomez captured first place in her 75-kilogram category at the Christmas Classic meet held at the Queen Margaret’s School in Duncan.
Gomez was one of the Alberni Valley Wrestling Club members selected to participate at the Duncan meet.
She won all four of her matches to capture the gold medal in her category.
Gomez had also placed second in her division at a four-school competition that was staged in November in Port Alberni.
Gomez is not only acquiring some hardware with her grappling skills.
“I’ve made plenty of friends with it,” she said of the sport.
Gomez’ wrestling season with her school team ended in November.
“There were a few fun-time (meets),” she said. “It’s called a Play Day where you just meet up with two or three other schools.”
Her focus has now turned to events with the Alberni Valley Wrestling Club. In the coming year she is expected to compete at meets in Duncan, Comox and Port Alberni.
She trains twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursday, with her club.
Gomez’ father John is a former wrestler himself. During his teens he represented Alberni District Secondary School, the same high school that Georgia is expected to start attending once she is in Grade 8.
The elder Gomez loves the fact that his daughter is involved in wrestling.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “A lot of the people who are part of the (Alberni) club are part of alumni – their parents are previous Alberni wrestlers.”
Georgia has also represented her school on its badminton and rugby teams.
Her father is happy she decided to give wrestling a shot.
“It’s a good sport,” he said. “It keeps you on track. It keeps you involved with a good strong team.”
The elder Gomez enjoys being around others involved with the Alberni Valley Wrestling Club.
“We’ve become somewhat family even though we are all different nationalities,” he said. “But I see guys I used to wrestle with when I was in high school and junior high school and their kids are wrestling too.”
He added it was his daughter’s decision to join her school wrestling team. He simply signed a permission form that she brought home.
“I support her by buying her (wrestling) boots and whatever gear she needs and by driving her to all her practices,” he said. “I don’t push her. I just tell her I used (to wrestle). I just tell her at practice I want to see the sweat. I want her to work hard. And I’ll support her all the way through.”
He’s glad she has persevered in the sport.
“She pushes through all that pain she says because it’s not an easy sport,” he said. “She described it to me at one point when she just wanted to give up and cry. But she just pushed and took all her frustration and she just pushed through all that pain and won.”
As her recent medal-winning performances indicate, the younger Gomez has become proficient in the sport.
“She has talent,” her father said. “I don’t think I’m being biased as a dad. She does have a lot of talent.”
And he’s hoping she sticks with the sport for many more years.
“It would be nice if she pushed it all the way to university,” he said. “Kids are kids. But I don’t think she’ll lose interest in the sport. It’s where most of her friends are at. That’s who she gets along with, that athletic group. We’ll see if she makes it to high school through this.”
The younger Gomez said she’s uncertain how long she’ll remain in the sport.
“I don’t know,” she said. “That’s in the future.”
