Joining a high school sport can be intimidating for anyone. The thought of being the newest member of a team tends to consume athletes’ minds. For senior Olivia Bernier, not only did she overcome the daunting prospect of being one of the few girls on the Westford Academy wrestling team, but she was able to emerge as a winner at the George Bossi Lowell Holiday Tournament.
The tournament took place on Saturday, Dec. 20 at the Lowell Tsongas Arena. While the tournament yielded many winners, Bernier taking sixth place stood out as she was the first girl to ever place in this competition in WA Girls’ Wrestling history.
From watching her brothers wrestle throughout her childhood to hearing stories of her father wrestling in high school, the sport has always been a central part of Bernier’s life. Despite this, Bernier did not join WA’s wrestling team until her sophomore year. However, according to Bernier, she had been team manager for WA Wrestling during her freshman year, which helped her gain the confidence to join and know what to expect.
“I’ve wanted to wrestle since I was in fifth grade, but I kept psyching myself out,” Bernier said. “Seeing two other girls who were wrestlers join the team the season prior to the one I joined really inspired me. I thought ‘If they can do it, so can I.'”
Bernier conquered her fears and has been putting in consistent work to improve since joining the team. Bernier’s work has been noticed by her teammates, and above all else, her coach.
“Each year [Bernier] has made noticeable progress,” WA Wrestling head coach Bruce Rich said. “She has become more aggressive on the mat and more confident in her abilities. Her growth has come from consistent effort, experience, and a willingness to challenge herself in practices and competitions.”
As for the tournament Bernier attended itself, the endeavour was not easy. The tournament began early in the morning, but she had to wait 12 hours for her first match. Although Bernier entered the match with ample determination, she was taken down in the first quarter, constituting a loss for her first match.
Bernier’s initial loss did not stop her from powering through her second match and pinning down her opponent with a Half Nelson. This means that Bernier’s opponent was on their stomach whilst Bernier had her arm under her opponent’s, wrapping around to the back of her opponent’s head. This move is how Bernier was declared winner of her match, leading to her monumental triumph. Despite only being able to wrestle for fourth place and under due to early loss, something else was running through Bernier’s head.
“[Winning my second match] was huge,” Bernier said. “It was the first match I’ve had where I felt in control of what I was doing, so that was a big win for me.”
As the tournament continued, the time came for Bernier’s third match. While this match ended in a loss for Bernier, she was still able to try again to wrestle for fifth or sixth place. However, disaster struck and due to a misunderstanding, Bernier was told she could leave, leading to her missing her final match. Despite this, Bernier was still able to emerge with a sixth place win, and set a new achievement for WA that has not been seen before.
Not only was this an achievement for WA Girls’ Wrestling, but it was also a personal achievement for Bernier. Although this was not the first time Bernier had placed on the podium, it was the first time she earned her spot not by default due to there not being enough girls in her bracket.
“I was really excited [when I won],” Bernier said. “In the moment I wasn’t really thinking about being the first girl at WA to place in that tournament before, I was more focused on the fact that this was my own first podium.”
Bernier’s win can also be credited to the training and the welcoming atmosphere fostered on the WA wrestling team. Despite Bernier’s fear of joining as a girl, the team has never had any hesitation in embracing her, as well as the other girls who are currently on the team, with open arms.
“From day one of practice, we make it clear that everyone is treated equally,” Rich said. “If the boys are running sprints or lifting weights, the girls are doing the same. Expectations are the same across the board. If anyone—boys or girls—is not working hard or slacking off, they will be held accountable and pushed to improve.”
Bernier has additionally made it a priority to challenge herself despite this, meaning she will have to step out of her comfort zone.
“I’m a lot more comfortable wrestling with other girls, but I do think that you can’t grow if you’re not uncomfortable,” Bernier said. “I push myself less when wrestling with other girls on the team so I try to wrestle with guys because that’s how I can push myself harder.”
As for Bernier’s future in wrestling, she is unsure whether it is a path she wants to follow to college. Many colleges do not have girls’ wrestling teams and, according to Bernier, joining a male college wrestling team is a new challenge in itself. However, wrestling is something she hopes to keep in her life coaching-wise and throughout the remainder of her high school journey.
