Fulda/Murray Country Central wrestler Elissa Reinsma made history Saturday, Feb. 28 at the Section 3AA Wrestling Tournament in Luverne when she became the first female wrestler to advance to the Minnesota State Tournament.
"I didn't know until after my last match that I was going to state," Reinsma said. "A lot of hard work went into it and it's hard to explain how I feel. But it's awesome."
Since 1938, no female wrestler had qualified individually for the state meet - until now.
"I've been in wrestling since I was in first grade," said Reinsma. "I've never wanted anyone to treat me any differently because I'm a girl. I wouldn't be here if I did."
Last year as a freshman, Reinsma finished third in the section, just missing the top two qualifying slots at 103 pounds to advance to state.
"I came close last year," Reinsma said. "It was hard, but it also motivated me. I told myself that next year I would be bringing it."
The quest for a state tournament appearance began back when Reinsma was in seventh grade and had to make the decision on whether to stick with wrestling or choose basketball since both sports run concurrently.
"I've been going up to watch the wrestling state tournament since my brother was in eighth grade, and I wanted to get there too," said Reinsma. "But it was a hard decision because I'm pretty tight with the basketball girls too. They're a really athletic group in the grades above me and I wanted to be with them."
According to Reinsma, her friends tease her about coming back to basketball after she made it to state.
"They're really supportive," she said. "But I told them no. I'm not just going there to participate. I'm going to place."
Reinsma credits her brother Justin for sparking her interest in wrestling.
"This will be my fifth year going to state," Justin Reinsma said. "I'd like to get to the top this year. That's my goal. I've been working hard and I've got some good practice partners, which always helps."
At 130 pounds, Justin Reinsma defeated Dawson-Boyd/Lac Qui Parle Valley's Sam Haas in the section championship to earn one final state tournament trip. He is 35-3 this season.
"Justin helps me with everything, like keeping my mind in it," Elissa Reinsma said. "It's his senior year and if I didn't make it this year, it wouldn't have been as special. He'd still be up there, but it's awesome that we both made it."
Both Reinsmas will go down in the history books as the first brother-sister duo to attend the Minnesota State Wrestling Tournament.
"It's something new that's for sure," Justin Reinsma said. "I'm proud of Elissa. She knew she had a shot and she went after it. She deserved where she got to be."
The Warriors coach, Dan Blankenship, said he has been impressed with how Elissa Reinsma has handled herself.
"She went though enough pressure for a state tournament already," he said. "The cameras were going already before she even stepped on the mat at sections. It's a lot more stress than she needed to go through. She wrestled well, but she can do even better."
Both siblings are also competitive in other sports. Besides wrestling, Elissa Reinsma is a backrow specialist in volleyball and also plays fast-pitch softball in the spring. Justin Reinsma is also a three-sport athlete and competes in football and baseball.
After receiving a first-round bye in the Section 3AA tournament, Elissa Reinsma opened with a 9-6 decision over Tracy-Milroy-Balaton's Joe Ruppert to reach the semifinals.
Against D-B/LQPV's John Weeding, she won a 2-1 decision to advance to the section championship against Adrian's Nate Lynn, who she had previously beaten 3-out-of-4 times.
"He got that takedown right at the end of the first period and that kind of made me mad," said Elissa Reinsma. "I thought I still battled hard and just tried to come back. He wrestled well."
After scoring two points for a reversal in the second period, she knotted the score at 2-all as the match headed into the final period.
"I kept telling myself to keep going," Elissa Reinsma said. "I didn't want to give up."
But Lynn, who currently posts a 35-5 record, squeaked out with a 4-3 decision and earned first place. After Weeding came through the wrestle-backs in third place, Elissa Reinsma automatically was awarded second because of her prior win against Weeding.
"I've wanted this for a long time," she said. "I know it's huge. It's going to be totally different when I'm down there wrestling instead of watching in the stands. It hasn't really hit me yet. But after I'm out on the mat up at state and see all the people, it'll probably hit me."
Fulda/MCC advanced five wrestlers to the state tournament.
"I'm proud of all my kids," Blankenship said. "They came to wrestle. I have a lot of expectations for all five going to state. If you don't expect anything, you won't get anything. Elissa's wrestled really well and I'm proud of her."
Elissa Reinsma said that Blankenship has never cut her any slack in the wrestling room because of the fact that she's a girl.
"He tells me not to psyche myself out and just go out and wrestle my match," she said. "My teammates have been awesome too. If they didn't push me this hard and put up with me, I wouldn't be where I'm at."
After much hard work, Elissa Reinsma has blazed a new trail for others to follow. For the most part, she said people have been pretty supportive and understanding about her wrestling passion.
"I've met a few people here and there that are a little mean about it," she said. "But mostly they're great. Some people are surprised to see a girl wrestling, especially when we go to South Dakota. I've had little girls and their parents come up and say that I'm an inspiration for them."
She makes no bones however about the fact that wrestling is very difficult, even though she's posted a 32-8 record this year.
"Wrestling is so much work," she said. "We train hard. I don't think other girls would understand how hard wrestling is unless they're in this sport. It's totally different from other sports. If you train hard, it's all mental."
But Elissa Reinsma loves it and has even considered the possibility of continuing her wrestling career after high school.
"I've thought a little bit about wrestling in college," she said. "In my spare time, I search on the Internet and see where there are colleges."
But that is two years away and the state tournament begins tomorrow.
"I'll try to be focused at state," said Elissa Reinsma. "I'll be pacing back and forth and listening to very loud music before every match like I always do and I'll be talking to myself and reminding myself that I can do it."
On Wed. Mar. 4, Elissa Reinsma will compete in the first round of the state tournament against Thief River Falls/Goodridge's Jacoby Bergeron, who has a 39-2 record.
Justin Reinsma will face Kyle Salonek from Saint Michael-Albertville in the first round.
