Darya Ispolatova Is Dominating The Ring

Sports are an integral part of the high school experience for many students. Some fondly remember their days playing football, others devote their time to soccer or basketball or really any number of other sports.
For junior Darya Ispolatova, that sport is wrestling.
Ispolatova began wrestling her sophomore year at the urging of Highland PE teacher Lance Cooper; not having anything else to do, she jumped right in.
“He just said, ‘you should try out.’ And I was like, ‘the tryouts are today,’ and he was like, ‘give it a go,’ and I said, ‘sure, why not,’” Ispolatova said.
Wrestling is a beast of a sport. Consisting of long, grueling practices and meets that last for days, it’s something that only appeals to a very specific set of people
“I mean, look, this school has 1,800 people in it and there’s only 40 wrestlers in the school, which says something,” Ispolatova said.
But those few people love it.
“When you get your hand raised at the end of a match, when you win, that’s the best feeling ever because it just means everything,” Ispolatova said. “All that work you put in, all that time you spent; working your technique, drilling, doing everything, putting in your best effort into something, it all amounted to something. And I think that is probably the only reason I actually stay in the sport.”
Wrestling takes a lot of grit, something Ispolatova has in abundance.
“It’s difficult. There’s so much physical demand for it,” Ispolatova said. “There’s a saying: ‘embrace the suck.’ Because that’s basically all you’re doing five days a week, every day after school, and then competitions. You’re sacrificing your weekends, sacrificing your free time. It’s a huge commitment.”
This determination allows her to also maintain a very busy schedule outside of wrestling.
Ispolatova is taking five AP classes and maintains a 4.0 GPA, alongside the demands of her sport. Doing so is by no means an easy task, but Ispolatova takes it in stride.
“Motivationally, I just know I have to get it done,” Ispolatova said. “So, you get home, and you just have to do it. You just have to sit down, and you just have to do it even if you’re tired, you just know you just have to do it. And that’s the same philosophy for wrestling practice. You’re tired. You’re cutting weight. It sucks, but you have to. So, you just gotta get it done.”
This motivation will serve Ispolatova well in the future, something she’s already planning.
“I’m thinking just a typical four-year college route and then I’m probably going to go into either engineering or medicine, but I haven’t decided which one yet,” Ispolatova said.
“I like to design things, and I like auto stuff and engines and things like that. And I think that [engineering] would be a good fit,” Ispolatova said. “But the thing is, I don’t really like working at a desk and I think that would deter me from engineering, which is why I’m thinking medical because it’s still very mechanical and stuff, but you’re on your feet a little bit more and there’s more hands on, which I think I would like in a job more. It’s still complicated, still challenging, you know. It’s not just like a dull job.”
She’s aided by a global community. Born in Canada, Ispolatova is a true citizen of the world — having lived in Canada, Australia, and the US, she’s learning French and Russian, thus firmly connecting her with the rest of humanity. She uses this to explore what’s out there.
“You can basically go anywhere; anywhere you want,” Ispolatova said. “The whole world is open.”
Despite the lofty path waiting for her, wrestling has shaped her high school experience and is something she encourages others to give it a shot, as long as they’re also willing to embrace the suck.
“If you’re looking for a sport; you want something super challenging, you want something super fun,” Ispolatova said. “It’s an amazing experience, it’s a great time; then by all means, wrestling is for you.”