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Wrestling her way to success: Catching up with Tianna Kennett

Although she's only beginning her varsity wrestling career, 18-year-old Tianna Kennett of Manor has already made her mark nationally, as part of the University of Calgary Dinos Women's wrestling team, as well as winning the bronze medal at the CIS Na
Tianna Kennett
During her first year as a member of the University Of Calgary's Dinos Women's wrestling team, 18-year-old Tianna Kennett has already earned the Rookie of the Year at the Canada West Conference, while also helping to lead her team to gold medal status. Kennett says she's inspired by the U of C's links to the Olympics. “Joining the team in Calgary was sort of intimidating, because there are such high-level women (wrestlers) working with you. There's also an Olympic coach in the room every day... But I'd say I'm definitely an Olympic hopeful. I'm definitely in the right room for it and the right city for it.” Kennett (right) is pictured here with one of her teammates.

            Although she's only beginning her varsity wrestling career, 18-year-old Tianna Kennett of Manor has already made her mark nationally, as part of the University of Calgary Dinos Women's wrestling team, as well as winning the bronze medal at the CIS Nationals held earlier this month in St. Catherines, Ontario.

            In February, Kennett was named 2015-2016 Rookie of the Year during the Canada West Universities Athletic Association Conference in Winnipeg. Along with that gold medal, Kennett helped her team defend their previous year's gold-medal standing at the event.

            “Coaches from each team get a vote on who they think the best rookie is,” says Kennett when asked about the award. “I was surprised, because there's some tough competition in Canada.”

            The 59-kg wrestler is no stranger to competition. Since she started wrestling as a 14-year-old grade nine student at Manor School under the direction of gym teacher, Monte McNaughton, Kennett's wrestling career has gone from strength to strength and her time at the University of Calgary has already inspired her with thoughts of  the Olympics.

            “Joining the team in Calgary was sort of intimidating, because there are such high-level women (wrestlers) working with you. There's also an Olympic coach in the room every day.”

            “I'm obviously a little biased, but the big attraction to Calgary for me is that senior women's team,” says Kennett. “We have our women's Olympic coach right here in Calgary.”

            “The funny thing is, I came in at a really weird time. During the fall, they were getting ready for Olympic trial selection in December 2015, so there was a huge group of women each pursuing their Olympic dream. A lot of them were pushing really hard and were super-competitive.”

            “I'd definitely say I'm an Olympic hopeful,” continues Kennett. “I'm definitely in the right room for it and the right city for it.”

            “When I started wrestling in Manor, Monte McNaughton-our gym teacher- started doing wrestling in gym class and he started a club in Manor,” she continues. “My little sister joined and at first, I didn't. I watched one tournament and the coach persuaded me to go to one practice.”

            “At first, I said; 'No, that's ridiculous, that's not for me,' but I didn't know right away that I could pursue it as long as I have.”

            “The peak age for wrestlers is between 26 and 30,” she adds. “So I have five years of eligibility after my varsity career. Something like the Olympics aren't in the back of my mind, but I'd say they're in the middle.”

            “Women's wrestling became an Olympic sport in 2004. It was a real wave of the sport empowering women. It's only been in three Olympics so far, and as a sport at that level, I would say it's still a bit of a struggle, because wrestling is seen as a little more masculine.”

            “Wrestling isn't a really popular sport,” adds Kennett. “There's no NHL or NBA. The Olympics are our big goal. With that, the opportunity only comes around every four years and even then, wrestling got voted out of the Olympics as a sport and it was a hard fight to get it reinstated.”

            “In Calgary, though, there's not as much of a struggle to prove yourself as far as that aspect. But in competition, whatever you win here, you've really earned it.”

            “What I would say to younger women that have an interest in the sport is to try it. It's actually very empowering. It isn't a shameful quality for a woman to be strong.”

            The first-year nursing student lives in residence and says her classes are arranged around a Monday through Friday training regimen.

            “I sometimes train on Saturdays, too,” says Kennett. “And during competition season, we usually compete on weekends. I try to take Sundays off when I can, because it's important to have that rest, too.”

            Varsity wrestling competition season runs from December through March, and depending on a wrestler's success at the national level, can run through summer, according to Kennett..

            “It's very hard on your body,” she says. “I've been very fortunate-I experienced my first injury not long ago when I partially tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) on my knee. That took me out for a couple of weeks. It was really challenging, because I couldn't be training my hardest.”

            “That was a hard, hard time not to be able to compete and train through your normal regimen.”

            “Wrestling takes a lot of drive and persistence. It's a very humbling sport, because somebody is literally beating you and no matter how hard you've trained or what you've overcome, there's always a winner and a loser.”