Press: What is your name?
Eva: Eva Kotsonis.
Press: What first made you want to start wrestling? Was there a moment or person that inspired you?
Kotsonis: Me and a group of friends were at the homecoming football game my freshman year. The boys in our group played football. We left the game and went to the park next to our school. Since the boys played football, they were tackling each other and fighting and me and the girl in the group started doing the same to copy them. As a joke the girl said, “We should join the wrestling team.” When the season came, I was conflicted between basketball which I played in middle school or if I should go the sport with my friends. I knew nothing about it and decided to join anyway and that’s how it all started.
Press: What were you feeling during your very first match?
Kotsonis: During my first match I was terrified. I was wrestling a girl I knew was good and also wrestled on the boys varsity team. I was so scared and was rushing with adrenaline. My coaches kept telling me I’d be fine and calming me down. It was a super awesome experience even though I lost.
Press: What is the biggest thing you hope to achieve in this sport?
Kotsonis: The biggest thing I hope to achieve is to make a really good run in college. I’d love to make it to the national tournament but if I don’t I’d still be proud of my progress from freshman year. I want to win, have fun, and make the most of my time being a part of a team.
Press: Has wrestling taught you anything that you think you will use later in life?
Kotsonis: Wrestling has taught me so many life lessons. It showed me what discipline, motivation and hard work look like. It gave me such an incredible work ethic and put me in a situation where I developed an undying love for something. It influenced me to work hard and enjoy the results. It also taught me the importance of teamwork. Although wrestling is an individual sport, my teammates and wrestling friends have been such a huge part of my success and contribute to my love for the sport.
Press: Is mental preparation or physical combat more challenging for you?
Kotsonis: Mental preparation is definitely much harder. I underestimate myself and get in my head a lot which results in me not performing my best, even when I know the person I’m wrestling is easily beatable. Once I’m in the match though that goes away for the most part and my performance is muscle memory.
Press: How do you handle the stress of cutting weight or nerves before a match?
Kotsonis: The stress of cutting weight is honestly hard sometimes but very manageable with preparation. It’s important to not wait till the last minute to ensure your body is prepared. For nerves, I try to convince myself that I’ve done this a million times and I know what I’m doing and to trust in my training. I also ask my coaches for pep talks and some “inspiration words” as I call it.
Press: How do you feel about the representation of women in wrestling right now?
Kotsonis: I think the representation in women’s wrestling is great right now. The sport is blossoming and I feel women in the sport are getting much more respect and being seen as athletes. Girls are starting to wrestle a lot younger and it really helps create a strong community.
Press: What do you wish people understood about being a female wrestler?
Kotsonis: I wish people would understand that women’s wrestling is still hard. A lot of people underestimate the sport because “we’re girls” but we work just as hard. As a boy, looking at women’s sports seems easy because of the physical imbalance, yet since we are girls, it’s just the same as them wrestling boys. I wish more people knew we put in the same time and effort to get to those achievements.
Press: How do you focus on training in this sport?
Kotsonis: I focus on my training by going to clubs and wrestling off season. My training extends outside of high school. I also prioritize the gym and getting stronger.
Press: Do you have any additional comments for me?
Kotsonis: I do not have any other comments for you.
