How and when did you get started in wrestling?

I started wrestling in Grade 10 on my high school team. My older sister had been one of the first females on the team, so my younger sister and I followed in her footsteps.

How do people react when you tell them you are a wrestler?

Usually surprised. I think most people assume that a wrestler has to be huge and muscle bound. More people are familiar with women’s wrestling now that it is in the Olympics, especially since Canada has had female medalists at the last three Olympics.

What’s your best memory of wrestling?

I have many great memories of the people I’ve met and the places I’ve been. But it’s hard to beat the memory of winning gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. That was a pretty amazing experience!

Who has been the biggest inspiration during your life in wrestling?

I’ve had so many wonderful female role models in my career. Like Christine Nordhagen, Jennifer Ryz, Erica Sharp, Tonya Verbeek, etc. Women who broke ground for female wrestling when many people didn’t believe it was right. Their determination in the face of such adversity was courageous and awe-inspiring.

What’s your favorite thing about wrestling?

My favorite thing about wrestling is how it makes me feel on many different levels. For example: I like feeling fit, strong, technical, self-confident, dominant, three steps ahead of my opponent. I like learning new things and mastering skills.

What does being part of the Olympic family mean for women’s wrestling?

It means that women’s wrestling has Olympic-sized opportunities to showcase our sport and promote it to youth all over the world. The Olympics is a measure of how far we’ve come and we deserve to remain a part of the Olympic family. The values, skills, and beliefs that the sport of wrestling can impart to the world are invaluable.

What advice would you give to girls who want to start wrestling today?

Push traditional gender norms aside and be courageous and open to the new experience of wrestling. Find fun and excitement in a combative sport that involves outmaneuvering an opponent with wits and physicality.

What are your hopes for the future of women’s wrestling?

I hope to see more females joining wrestling all over the world. I want to see development in Nations that currently do not have female wrestling. I hope that more females will participate in the sport of wrestling in all capacities: as coaches, officials, in governance, etc.