High school girl’s wrestling is rather new on the scene in Kentucky. There are, however, some high schools that are excelling in that area; Taylor County High in Campbellsville being one of them. There have been three total state champions in girl’s wrestling in the state of Kentucky, and Taylor County High has won the past two. One of the key athletes in those championships, was Ava Sweet, who also won an individual state championship. Sweet just graduated from Taylor County High this past spring and has a bright future ahead of her. Ava Sweet’s journey demonstrates her determination, especially when the cards are stacked against her.
Ava Sweet got her start into sports not in wrestling, but in softball. She played softball until middle school and didn’t start her wrestling career until her 6th grade year. However, she had some experience from wrestling her oldest brother around the house. Sweet recalls jokingly about how she beat her oldest brother every time, even when she didn’t know anything.
Ava Sweet recalls the story on how she got started with wrestling. In the 6th grade lunchroom, the wrestling coach approached her, talking about how they were starting a girl’s wrestling program, and with Ava’s athleticism, thought she would be a good fit. Sweet recalls a gut feeling she had in that moment, to just try it, in case she loved it. And loved it she did. After Sweet’s first wrestling practice, she quit softball the next day and has fallen in love with wrestling ever since.
Sweet’s journey has not been all easy, however. When she first joined the wrestling team, she only wrestled the boys. There were no other girls on the team yet for her to compete with. The boys originally thought that Sweet would be gone within a couple weeks and did not take her seriously at first. But after a while, they accepted Ava as one of their own and they became a family. Sweet recalls that they all felt like her older brothers.
Not only was Sweet wrestling the boys, but she was holding her own with them. Sweet recalls that the boys were not the best losers, and often were very frustrated losing to a girl. But that only pushed Sweet more. In her last three years of high school, when girl’s high school wrestling was sanctioned by the KHSAA, Sweet was able to wrestle other girls, and in doing so, won the last two state championships for her school, and an individual title in her weight class.
Ava Sweet is in an inspiration to not only young girls in wrestling, but also women in sports. Her determination and passion through adversity is admirable and a reminder to never give up.
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