Senior Katy Madril became the first girl from Greenway to win a state championship. For Katy Madril, this moment was monumental. All the years of dedication, relentless training and her unyielding passion for the sport she loved had finally paid off when she stepped on the mat and put her opponent on her back.
“I always feel a bit nervous before competing at state, but over the years, I’ve learned how to manage it better. Since this was my third time going, I felt more comfortable with the big crowd and the stressful atmosphere. Instead of getting super nervous, I tried to focus on enjoying it more because I knew it was my last time wrestling for Greenway,” Senior Katy Madril said.
Katy Madril has put so much of her time and energy into wrestling over the years.
“I wanted to try something new my freshman year, and wrestling seemed like a great challenge. Over time, I fell in love with the sport and was one of the best decisions I’ve made,” Senior Katy Madril said.
Coach Luckenbill expressed his pride in Katy, highlighting her hard work, her commitment, and her growth
According to Delmarva Now’s article “Here’s what high school wrestlers put themselves through for those medals — and why” stated “Wrestling, it’s not like other sports. It’s constant 24/7 — you have to watch your weight, go to practice, match, and then do the whole thing on the beat.”
“Wrestling is one of the toughest sports, both physically and mentally. For me, the biggest challenge is balancing everything—training hard in practice, keeping up with schoolwork, putting in extra conditioning outside of practice, maintaining my weight while being healthy, and still finding time for friends and family. It can feel overwhelming at times, but the rewards make it all worth it,” Senior Katy Madril said.
Juggling wrestling in high school is a unique challenge, while students try and strive to balance the demanding training and their hectic competition schedules. Yet, Katy Madril has successfully balanced school, her life outside of school, and her extra school curriculum. She intends to continue being involved in wrestling by any means necessary.
“Wrestling has been a big part of my life, and I’d love to continue competing at the college level if I have the opportunity. I still want to stay involved in the sport in any way possible,” Madril said.
Coach Luckenbill goes further into depth about how it is working with Katy and how it is being her coach
“Katy is a remarkable young woman and a great athlete. It makes being her coach easy, knowing that you are both working towards the same goals. Plus, as the coach, I get to claim credit for things that Katy has done the majority of work for, so it makes me look good,” Coach Luckenbill said.
Coach Luckenbill couldn’t be more proud of his students as Katy stays focused and motivated for wrestling by setting goals and pushing herself to be the best she can be.
“I stay motivated by setting goals and using them to push through any tough moments. Those goals remind me why I wrestle and what I’m working towards. My teammates also play a huge role in keeping me motivated—they push me to be better, encourage me on difficult days, and make practices more fun,” Madril said. “My biggest motivators are my coaches, teammates, and family. My coaches push me to improve every day, my teammates make the process more enjoyable, and my family supports me through everything. Their encouragement keeps me going, especially when things get tough.”
Overall, Katy Madril’s triumph at the state championship for Greenway High school not only showcases her exceptional talent and hard work but also serves as an inspiration to her teammates and the entire school community.
