R.F Staples School wrestler Haley Heffel is competing with Team Canada at the 2013 Cadet Pan Am Championships in Medellin, Colombia Aug. 9-11.
Heffel earned her spot on the team after winning a bronze medal in the Juvenile Women 65 kg division at the ASIC’s Cadet/Juvenile National Wrestling Championships in Saskatoon between April 4-7.
“The first match was a really, really, really close match,” she said. “Like, it was third round, and I lost it in the last 10 seconds, she scored a point on me.”
Despite her success, the 16-year-old wrestler said having a birthday in the winter put her at somewhat of a disadvantage.
Heffel competed against wrestlers that were as much as two years older than her during nationals and when she turns 18, she won’t have the opportunity to wrestle in juvenile.
“I’ll have to wrestle in juniors because of the month I was born in so I think that puts me at a disadvantage sometimes,” she said. “Even though my body type is OK in Alberta, there’s a lot of other short, stalky girls. When I compete at nationals, I’m the odd one out because the other girls are tall and muscular — I’m more compact.”
Heffel typically competes under 65 kilograms and spends roughly 15 hours a week training with wrestling clubs at the University of Alberta and R.F. Staples. In addition to regular practices, she does weight training too.
“My walk-around weight is at 63-64 kilos comfortably,” said Heffel. “That’s why I wrestle at 65, so I don’t have to do big weight cuts, and I’m comfortable at that weight class. Now I’m going down to 60 so I’m going to have to cut for it. It might cause a problem because I’m going to have to make the right weight assuming I make the (Alberta) team. Then when the Pan Ams come around, I have to be up at my normal weight so I’m still bigger for my weight class.”
In addition, Heffel successfully completed the first stage of trials to join the Alberta Team and will do the second on April 20. If she is successful in joining the team, Heffel will compete in Quebec this August for the Canada Summer Games.
“I’m excited,” Heffel said. “I think I’ll have a lot of fun with it.”
