Hard work, teamwork and commitment - all traits that led to a very successful season for Elphinstone Secondary School wrestlers Alex Ratcliff and Alysha Monk.
Both qualified for the nationals, but only Alex was able to compete as Alysha broke her foot in the finals of the provincial championships. For her part, Alex finished second at the nationals, bringing home a silver medal.
But the nationals experience tells only part of this story of success.
According to Elphi head coach Clint Fox, 2011/12 was a break-out season for both girls.
"They finished second and third at the B.C.'s and it was then that they saw themselves as strong contenders in any provincial level tournament," said Fox. "Entering into the season both girls decided to work hard and see where the momentum they established in the previous year could take them. I saw them both mature as athletes in their preparation and practice and in their approach to competition. They both gave up some other things in their lives in order to make this higher-level commitment to the sport."
Early season results were encouraging. In December Alysha come second at the SFU Elite tournament in which her only loss was to a girl from Team USA. Alex won the Western Canada Age Class Championships in January.
"They knew that they were on the right track. Both girls were invited to participate in Team BC practices and training camps and were able to benefit from the experience of other coaches," Fox said. "Doors were opening for them and both girls were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities. The nationals and Canada Summer Games became possibilities, but the B.C.'s came first."
Fox said in the Elphi practice room, both girls worked hard as usual and were able to benefit from the really tough training competition that the boys were able to provide.
"Nolan O'Reilly, Jon Hutchinson, Percy Stipec and Jon Sun were exposed to the techniques the girls brought back from the B.C. coaches, while the girls had training partners who were more than able to push them to improve," Fox said. "Great individual achievements in this sport are the result of a great team effort."
But despite this, the road to the nationals was not a smooth path.
Both girls found themselves in the spotlight as other wrestlers began to prepare and target them as athletes to beat. Alysha's main competition was a fellow North Shore wrestler - the pair wrestled many times in the year and split the results. Alysha was ranked number two in B.C. behind her North Shore rival. Alex found herself ranked number one going into the B.C.'s and had to deal with that pressure.
"For a young athlete, the on-mat competition is often the easy part, but dealing with the other pressures of school, family, friends and expectations can be difficult," Fox said.
Alysha was strong at the B.C.'s and was in the final against her North Shore rival when her foot injury in the third round cost her the match and ultimately her trip to the nationals.
"Getting the news that I fractured my foot was a huge disappointment," she said. "I didn't attend nationals because I wouldn't be a great asset to the team being injured. Just the same though, I was so happy that I qualified for nationals. To know that I had the chance to compete at such a high level of wrestling was very satisfying."
Alex lost two of her matches at the B.C.'s, finishing fourth, and was uncertain about going to nationals in Saskatoon.
"With encouragement from her coaches, friends and family and a very generous donation from an anonymous source, she made the decision to go," Fox said. "I liked that she simplified her expectations and focused on winning her first match. She wrestled her way, one match at a time, into the championship final, beating the BC champion along the way and finished second after losing in the final."
For her part, Alex said she relished the whole nationals experience.
"I was ecstatic that I qualified for nationals this year, being my fourth year wrestling," she said. "After how I finished at provincials, I wasn't too pleased with it, so it was a great chance to have a better finish to my year. "Going to town up to six days a week just for practice takes a toll on you. Another hard thing was leaving my normal coach Mr. Fox, since he could not be in town or at far away meets to coach me. It was hard getting used to it, but getting to nationals, I felt more confident."
She said competing at a national level was definitely a great yet scary experience.
"I had no clue what to expect. It was a first for me. When it came to realizing I was wrestling top wrestlers in different provinces, I just pretended they were just another wrestler in a small North Shore meet."
Fox said the future is bright for both wrestlers.
"Both Alysha and Alex have worked hard for their success. I don't think either would have been as successful without the other," Fox said. "Alex is training for the Canada Summer Games and Alysha, unfortunately, will not be recovered from her injury in time to join her. I'm looking forward to next season as both girls and most of their training partners will be returning to the Elphinstone team and I feel pressured myself to continue to improve my coaching so I can keep up with them."
