Girls wrestling: Oswego’s Kiyah Chavez, an Iowa softball recruit, taking to wrestling in first year

Kiyah Chavez doesn’t sugarcoat her level of wrestling knowhow prior to this year.

“Honestly, on the scale of 1-10, probably a 3,” the Oswego junior said with a laugh. “My softball coach, her husband was an insane wrestler in college and fought in MMA. He runs a couple tournaments; one thing we did for community service was help run score tables at a tournament. I learned a lot, but forgot it all. Some of it this year was a refresher, but a lot of it is brand new.”

Chavez has clearly taken to it. She’s 4-1 through five matches, and won the 155-pound bracket at the Oswego East Invitational on Dec. 30 to help lead Oswego to the team championship.

Chavez, a softball star who will play the sport collegiately at Iowa, did basketball during winters her freshman and sophomore year. Self aware, she realized that basketball was never a sport she excelled in as much as it helped her stay in shape for softball.

Wrestling coaches approached Chavez to gauge her interest in joining Oswego’s first-year girls wrestling program.

It was not an easy sell at home.

“When I first brought up wrestling to my dad he was like no way you’re wrestling,” Chavez said. “I brought it up again a little bit before basketball to to test the waters and then I brought it up again when I made the shift. He was super anti-wrestling, he didn’t want me to get hurt and lose my softball scholarship. At the end of the day, wrestling is a physical sport. He talked to my softball coach’s husband who has a lot of experience, and talked to my dad into letting me wrestle.

“It was a hard decision to switch from basketball. I have a lot of respect and love for those coaches. It was more about what I wasn’t getting out of it, and what I needed. My favorite part of basketball was the physicality. What sport is more physical than wrestling?”

Now Chavez is one of 16 girls out for wrestling, joining an Oswego boys program that is 65-deep.

Makayla Hill, one of two Oswego girls with wrestling experience before this year, also took first at the Oswego East tournament, Rikka Ludvigson was second, Aaliyah Roldan third and Joslynn Sheets fourth in their respective bracket.

“Our girls bring awesome energy, a new dynamic to the program,” Oswego wrestling coach Andrew Cook said.

Cook said that a bunch of the girls out for wrestling also play softball. Out of the 16 girls out for wrestling, 13 are two-sport athletes.

“And that is great. You can’t teach being athletic,” Cook said. “It’s going to teach them skills on how to use their body while competing. It will help in all aspects of athletics. We are excited.”

Chavez didn’t know what to expect going into it, calling her decision to try wrestling a “dice roll.” But her strength has served her well, and she credits strength coach John Hugunin.

“Great guy, love him a lot. He has been one of my biggest supporters,” Chavez said. “He’s someone who’s been there for me emotionally since I started training and I got so much faster and stronger, and confident athletically.

“My strength helps me a lot, and my athleticism. Even if you don’t know a lot, if you know the basics and you’re strong you can be successful.”

Chavez won all three of her matches by pin at Oswego East. The toughest part might have been cutting weight, which Chavez called a brutal experience – “I’m a girl that loves to eat, cutting weight not so much, but I made it work.”

“Honestly I didn’t have expectations going in,” Chavez said. “Even in practices I don’t know if I’m doing a good job or they’re just being nice. I’m new. Softball practice I can pick out if a girl is good. Wrestling, I have no idea. But I’m definitely impressed with our team.”

Wrestling is hard, Chavez has found, but it’s a great way to build her body.

“Some days I come out there and I feel I went through a 20K. You use muscles that you didn’t know you had. I’m sore in places I’ve never been sore before,” Chavez said. “But it’s great for getting in shape. The other day we sprinted in circles for 10 minutes. It makes you more athletic. The more athletic, the more successful you’ll be.”

Hugunin has told Chavez she can be quite successful, a potential state qualifier. The regional tournament is the first weekend in February at Shepard High School, with sectionals the following week at Schaumburg and state in Bloomington-Normal the last weekend of February.

Chavez, not thinking about state, is taking it one day at a time.

In the meantime Chavez is busy with wrestling, and softball practice twice a week with hitting lessons twice a month.

“I have a group chat with all four of my Iowa softball coaches. After the first pin I sent them the video. They’re all super supportive, thought it was great,” Chavez said. “Wrestling is a big thing in Iowa.”