Eduardo never imagined himself on a wrestling mat. Soccer was where he believed his athletic future belonged. Having just moved to Las Vegas, he was quiet, reserved, and unsure of himself. Wrestling wasn’t even on his radar—until a single move he learned in PE class unexpectedly changed the next several years of his life.
Though he started wrestling later than most, Eduardo made the absolute most of his opportunity through relentless dedication. He joined a club and showed up every single day. That first summer wasn’t filled with victories. In fact, success came slowly—but he kept showing up.
Working with Coach Frank, Eduardo embraced his creativity and developed a unique “funk” wrestling style. While that scrambling, risk-taking approach sometimes led to shortcomings, he refused to abandon it. Instead of backing away from the positions that exposed him, he leaned into them. After practice, he stayed behind, asking questions and drilling situations over and over again until they became strengths.
By senior year, everything changed.
At the Nevada 5A State Championships, competing at 150 pounds, Eduardo stood on the podium as a 4th-place finisher. Just one year earlier, he had been a junior varsity wrestler in his first season ever. He hadn’t won JV Zones. He went 0–2 at Regionals as an alternate.
But none of that defined him.
That 0–2 performance didn’t discourage him—it fueled him. He took it personally. He made a promise to himself that he would never feel that helpless again. Through discipline, consistency, and belief in his own style, Eduardo transformed from a timid newcomer into a state placer.
His journey wasn’t built on early success. It was built on resilience.
