A local wrestler will represent Canada at the up-coming USA Cadet Pan-American Championships.
Erin Geddie will compete at the Cadet level because of her age, but her next step will be the senior level competition which serve as an Olympic qualifying event in the sport of wrestling.
Geddie, who lives in Esquimalt, has shown extraordinary dedication to her sport, even going so far as making a daily trek to Campbell River so she could attend a high school with a more developed wrestling program.
She’s been wrestling for six years, after initially joining the Esquimalt High School wrestling team in Grade 8. Since then she has honed her skills to the point where she is considered a rising star in the wrestling community. Her personal goal is to represent Canada in the Olympic Games.
In April, Geddie competed in the Cadet/Juvenile Canadian Wrestling Championship in Calgary where she captured silver in free-style wrestling, despite competing with a sprained ankle. The victory earned her a spot on the Cadet National Team, locking in her participation in the Pan American Games in Lima Peru, from July 1 to 3, and the Ontario Cup in Guelph, Ontario on July 10.
In preparation for those competitions, Geddie recently participated in the Las Vegas open championships, where she captured a gold medal. With that competition behind her, she’ll now be increasing her training schedule in anticipation of the Pan American competition where she intends to distinguish herself as one of the best female wrestlers on the continent.
Geddie’s participation in the sport has already garnered her the attention of several universities who have approached her with scholarship opportunities.
“I’m looking at those offers right now and trying to decide what my best move will be. I need a school with a great program, because in the long run, I want to represent Canada in the Olympic Games...it’s my dream,” said Geddie.
For now, an immediate obstacle to achieving that dream is the lack of funding for her participation in the sport.
“I have to pay my own way down to Peru, and before then I’ll be training five days a week with frequent trips up-island to Nanaimo and Port Alberni, and nearly weekly trips to the Lower Mainland and the USA to participate in training camps. I need to make sure I’m training enough so I can compete at the top of my game,” said Geddie.
To cover the costs the training, Geddie established an internet crowdfunding site where she has posted a goal of $7,000. To date, she has had about $2,400 donated by friends, family and supporters of her efforts to represent Canada in wrestling.
“Wrestling isn’t a sport traditionally associated with girls, but I love it and I’m proud to be able to represent my country in these competitions,” said Geddie. “It’s opening the door for some amazing opportunities for me, and even though it’s a lot of work, I’m just so thrilled to be out there, doing my best.”
To contribute to Geddie’s cause, visit gofundme.com/eringeddie.