McKenzie Jones

2026 North East Regionals 14u girls 3rd place, PJ Sora 2x Co-Ed Champion, 2026 Fall Ultimate Club Duals 6-2, Multi Time Vermont State Co-Ed All state wrestler, 14u girls Headlock on Hudson Champion(wrestled up 2 weight classes), 2026 Bison Duals 5-1.

I started wrestling when I was in third grade. I was young when I first stepped onto the mat, but I quickly realized that wrestling was something I really loved. Growing up wrestling in Vermont has been a little different because there aren’t enough girls in my area to have all-girls brackets very often. Because of that, I have spent most of my wrestling career competing against boys. Being a girl wrestling boys has taught me a lot. I have often felt like I had to prove that I belonged on the mat and that I deserved to be there just as much as they did. I have had to earn their respect and show that being a girl doesn’t mean I can’t compete with them. Every time I step on the mat against a boy, I feel like I have something to prove—not just to them, but to myself. There have been times when I’ve won against boys and had people act surprised. Those moments have made me want to work even harder. I don’t want anyone to give me anything because I’m a girl. I want to earn everything I accomplish. Over the years, I have wrestled for different teams and clubs, always looking for opportunities to improve. Last year, my family and I decided that if I really wanted to see how good I could become, we needed to travel outside of Vermont and find the best female wrestlers I could compete against. That’s when I became part of CTWhales, an all-girls wrestling team out of Connecticut. We started traveling all over the East Coast to compete in some of the toughest tournaments and duals we could find. Wrestling with CTWhales has given me opportunities I wouldn’t have had if I had stayed only in Vermont. Being surrounded by other girls who are just as passionate about wrestling has helped me build confidence. It has shown me that there are a lot of girls out there who love wrestling just as much as I do and who are willing to work just as hard. Traveling and competing at a higher level has also taught me that there is always someone better and always something new I can learn. Instead of being afraid of that, I now look forward to it. I want to wrestle the best because they push me to become better. My wrestling journey hasn’t always been easy. I’ve had losses, tough practices, frustrating days, and moments when I’ve questioned myself. But every challenge has helped make me stronger. I started wrestling in third grade simply because I wanted to try something new. Now wrestling is a huge part of my life. It has taught me to be tough, to believe in myself, to keep working when things get hard, and to never let someone else decide what I am capable of. I know I still have a lot to learn and a lot of goals I want to accomplish. I don’t know exactly where wrestling will take me, but I know I’m going to keep showing up, keep working, and keep proving that I belong on the mat. I don’t want to be known as the girl who wrestles boys. I want to be known as a wrestler who happens to be a girl.

I love wrestling because it is more than just a sport to me. Wrestling challenges me both physically and mentally, and it pushes me to become a better version of myself. Every practice teaches me something new, whether it is a new move, how to stay focused, or how to keep going when I am tired. I love the feeling of stepping onto the mat and knowing that all of my hard work and practice has led me there. Wrestling has also taught me that losing is not the end; it is a chance to learn, improve, and come back stronger. One of my favorite parts of wrestling is the friendships I have made along the way. I love going to duals and tournaments, meeting new wrestlers, and making friends with girls from different teams. Even though we compete against each other on the mat, we can become friends off the mat and support each other. I also love being someone the younger girls on my team can look up to. It means a lot to me when they watch me wrestle, ask me questions, or want to practice with me. It reminds me that wrestling is not just about what I can accomplish for myself, but also about helping and inspiring the girls coming up behind me. Wrestling has given me so much more than wins and losses. It has given me confidence, friendships, memories, and a reason to keep pushing myself every day.