CORONAVIRUS | MIDNIGHT FOLLIES | FIGHTING STEREOTYPES

Paris Harrell, 15, is the only girl on the Mountain View High School co-ed wrestling team.

“I do feel like I’m paving a path,” Harrell said. “Another girl has told me she plans on joining the team next year.”

With wrestling organized by weight class, first-timer Harrell is able to practice and compete with peers of similar size. She admits she was initially apprehensive about wrestling against boys. That, along with learning the technical aspects of the sport, has been challenging this season.

“(In the beginning), I was pretty nervous,” Harrell recalled. “I didn’t really know quite what to do with myself. I had a little bit of a difficult time just understanding how to do it and building the confidence to actually fight.”

Harrell quickly caught on, and won her first match of the season on Jan. 31. Two weeks later, she competed in the Central Coastal Section (CCS) Championship.

The photo story was published in the Mountain View Voice.

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