At the start of her wrestling season, High School Sophomore Ryleigh Sturgill had an opportunity not many athletes get. She had the opportunity to win  the TSSAA girls’ state championship for the fourth consecutive year. Instead, she did something even more incredible—something that her coaches and teammates will remember for a lifetime.

Like Brother, Like Sister

Ryleigh Sturgill began her wrestling career in the third grade. The Blount County Tennessee native followed in her older brother Hunter’s footsteps, who had also become a state champion at the Baylor School in Chattanooga.  As a freshman, Ryleigh took many people by surprise, winning her first state championship and making the Sturgill family the first brother-sister duo to accomplish this in school history. Although she competes in the 100 lb weight class, she maintains that when it comes to competing on the mat, she wrestles much bigger.

“When I’m on a mat, I have to play the persona that I am big and scary,” she told Baylorschools.org.

No ‘I’ in Team

That persona, along with her incredible skill and dedication, helped her reach three straight state championships. But this year, the Baylor Red Raiders faced a problem—the boys’ team needed a win over rival McCallie School in order to reach the state championship. Both schools enroll students from grades six to twelve; however, McCallie had a wrestler in the 113 lb weight class, while Baylor didn’t. If Baylor had to forfeit that match, the team would lose points and be defeated by McCallie.

Sturgill agreed to move up in weight and wrestle on the boys’ side, forfeiting her right to defend her title on the women’s team.

“What Ryleigh did was one of the most selfless acts you could ever do… She sacrificed so she could help the Baylor wrestling program. She is a phenomenal young woman,” her head coach Rex Kendle told reporters after the match.

Sturgill fell to her opponent 11-8, bringing her match to a decision. The points she gained from the decision were key in securing the 30-29 victory over McCallie, who had to forfeit their final match. This video breaks down Sturgill’s match and explains how her points were key to the Red Raiders’ victory.

“I did lose, but it was one of the greatest  experiences of my life, and I wouldn’t take it back for anything,” she said after the match.

Takeaways

Sturgill’s sacrifice is a perfect example of what it means to be a great teammate—putting her team’s needs before her personal accolades. Even if we are not competing on a sports team, we can still take this servant-minded approach to our careers, schools, and families. Like Sturgill, it could be one of the best experiences of our lives.