Hamilton Community Schools is celebrating an incredible milestone as five young women step onto the wrestling mat for the first time in district history. This groundbreaking moment reflects the growing popularity and inclusivity of wrestling in Michigan, with Adiah Rybicki, Korra Kapenga, Alyssa Volkers, Ally Pelon, and Ana Ruggles blazing a trail for future Hawkeye athletes.
The journey to this historic moment began with coaches Jocelyn Fritsche and Jessilyn Rockhold, who had been garnering interest from girls around Hamilton High School. Surely enough, several wanted to give it a try. “We had some meetings, had some barn practices, and just tried to get this going for them and give the girls a chance that we didn’t get when we were in school,” said Fritsche.
For these young women, joining the wrestling team represents both a personal challenge and an exciting opportunity. Adiah Rybicki, a senior with a background in Muay Thai kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, saw wrestling as a chance to continue pursuing her passion for martial arts. “I just wanted to continue it my last year and have fun with it,” she explained. “Girls wrestling is the fastest-growing sport in Michigan right now, so it’s really cool that I can be a part of it.”
Korra Kapenga, who grew up in a wrestling family, felt inspired by the success of other female wrestlers. “Just watching wrestling through the years but recently seeing other girls’ success made me want to try it out,” she said. “I grew up around it—my brother, my uncle, my dad all wrestled. It’s a big part of our family.” Kapenga acknowledged the high expectations in Hamilton’s wrestling program, noting, “The standard is high, especially with the success the Hamilton wrestling team has had in the past. Going into that room, we have expectations of winning certain matches, but to get there, we have to have tough practices.”
For Alyssa Volkers, wrestling was an opportunity to push herself physically and mentally. “I’m generally pretty strong, so I thought it might be fun. I like to try new things,” she said. Volkers added that wrestling has taught her invaluable lessons. “I’ve learned to be much more disciplined and learned how to fuel my body better with food and water—it’s a whole mental game that is so different from any other sport. By the looks of it, I don’t look like I enjoy it, but I honestly have so much fun with self-discipline.”
Similarly, Ally Pelon embraced the sport as a senior-year adventure. “I just decided that it might be fun—it’s my senior year, so might as well!” she said. Pelon also reflected on the significance of being part of the program’s first girls’ team. “It’s definitely cool to be a part of the first year of it. The guys did so well last year, and it’s fun to be a part of it this year.”
Coach Fritsche also expressed optimism for the future, saying, “I think within a couple of years we can get a girls’ program going and have our own separate practices and do our own dual meets. The boys have laid a great foundation for us.”
These trailblazing athletes are setting a powerful example for future generations in Hamilton, building upon the outstanding reputation of the Hawkeye wrestling program. Congratulations to these five young women for making history and inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
