Kenna Mackey competes at Greeley West High School. photo by Kyra Ensafian
Girls’ Wrestling is one of the newest additions to TJ sports.
Thomas Jefferson High School has many sports to offer for students who are interested in athletics. There are so many options to choose from, and another has just been added to the list for girls. The girls’ wrestling team has emerged completely on their own, with grit and determination growing stronger and better. After many years of having a Spartan boys’ wrestling team, TJ finally has joined the girls’ wrestling community among over 130 Colorado high schools.
The 2024-2025 wrestling season is the girls’ second season as an official CHSAA (Colorado High School Activities Association) team. Their team originally started out three years ago, when two girls were invited to wrestling practice by the boys team. Freshmen at the time, Kyra Ensafian and Anna Adkins, began going to practice, and eventually started to invite their own friends. By the time the next wrestling season rolled around, they had formed as a girls’ team, led by their coach, Mike Heldart. Heldart started by wrestling in high school himself. He originally joined his high school team to help condition his body for football, but soon began assisting his coach in teaching middle schoolers how to wrestle. He’s been coaching wrestling since he was seventeen years old at over four different schools. “One thing I love about coaching the girls is that they put their egos aside and take critique really well.”
This year, the girls are hoping to make it to the State Championships. While the season starts in December, this tournament is held in February each year. Throughout the season, there are many tournaments that are held across the state in Colorado schools. During these tournaments, students compete in pairs according to weight. While losses and wins do not affect the individual wrestler until Regionals, they can earn points for their team in the overall season. This allows for wrestlers to improve over the season and condition their bodies for conference, regionals, and state tournaments. No matter how many matches an individual wins or loses, it doesn’t affect their placement until it comes time to qualify for state. Last year, Ensafian placed sixth, while junior Sandrina Mahdi placed fifth at the state tournament.
TJ’s girls’ team is not only strong and passionate, but they’re also close companions. Kenna Mackey, a sophomore in her second year of wrestling, recounts her experience. “I showed up to practice one day, and the girls were so welcoming. It always felt like we could be there for eachother.” The girls have bonded together over the course of the last year, but as new people are joining the team, they are welcomed and accepted.
This team has extraordinary passion for their sport. Ensafian, loves the sport, and often advocates for others to join the team, “I love this sport because it teaches you physical and mental discipline. I think everybody should wrestle at least once in their life because it makes everything else in your life easier. It teaches you sportsmanship, and also gets you involved in a team that you can lean on.”
The team is on an upward incline in their skill and performance. But most of all, they’re a team of strong girls determined to persevere in one of the toughest high school sports in America. These girls continue to inspire others to try hard things, and are prime examples of strength and discipline.
