Foster High School senior Valerie Carreon-Desai closed out her
final wrestling season in the best way– by bringing home the UIL State Championship
for 5A-102 lbs. Girls Wrestling.
She attributes the success of her final 41-2 season to her
family’s encouragement and her coaches' relentless drive to push her towards
success. Carreon-Desai began her wrestling career three years ago as a sophomore at
Foster HS, claiming the more individualized training and competition style fit
her personality well.
Carreon-Desai said that what sets wrestling apart from other sports
she has competed in is the extremely tight knit community, despite the lack of
a team when competing. “Even when you’re directly responsible for
your own success, everyone knows everyone and encourages each other,” said Carreon-Desai.
She encourages her fellow competitors by emphasizing the
importance of focus, hard work and drive.
“It’s important to
expose yourself to various coaches and coaching styles so you continue to
better your skill and network with more people,” said Carreon-Desai. “The more people
that see your passion, the more people you have cheering you on when you’ve
almost made it.”
Carreon-Desai found that when she involved others in her goals and
training, she had “that extra push” to succeed when she was on the brink of
victory.
Carreon-Desai aspires to
continue her wrestling career into college.