Nalani Jordan

Nalani Jordan from Powell is out next Featured Wrestler!  She was a Ron Thon Champion last year and a state placer.  This young lady is going to go far in life!  Thank you Nalani for doing the interview and good luc the rest of the season!!

-Favorite thing about wrestling?
The best thing about wrestling is that you can always improve. You might plateau at a certain level for a while, but you can always work to improve and become more disciplined.   

-Favorite past wrestler/coach?
Some of my wrestlers are Helen Maroulis and Amit Elor. Watching Maroulis win against Saori Yoshida in the 2016 Olympics really sparked my interest in wrestling. She seems like a genuine person and is an aggressive wrestler. More recently, watching Amit Elor has been pretty inspirational to me. She is competing at a very high level from a young age, and she has definitely influenced my wrestling style.
I have had multiple coaches over the past few years, and they have all been great. I wouldn’t say I have a favorite, but I am grateful to have and learned so much from them. They push me to be a better wrestler and person. 

-Goal for wrestling, life, and career?
This year, I am working towards improving my technical skills and my mental toughness. I would love to earn another belt at Ron Thon and win a State title. I will be attending Brown University, and I just want to see how high of a level I can compete at. As far as life and career goals go, I’m not entirely sure yet! 

-If you could teach a younger wrestler one thing, what would it be?
If I could teach a younger wrestler one thing, it would be perseverance. You might have difficulties and failures, but if you have the discipline to keep working, to keep showing up, then eventually you will improve. 

-You were a Ron Thon champion last year and a state placer. Can you talk about your success last year and tell us about your wrestling background?  
After my basketball season freshman year, I wanted to try something different. I had wanted to wrestle since I was young but was told no because there was no future in girls wrestling. After Wyoming sanctioned girls wrestling, I went out my sophomore year and struggled to perform well. Last season, something clicked, and I had a breakthrough in my wrestling. I worked hard to get more conditioning and mat time and I think it paid off. 

-Powell has started the season strong. Can you touch on your team and what it means to be a Powell Lady Panther?  
I am blessed to have a group of determined and talented girls around me, a good coach, and a supportive community. I think our team has serious potential, and we are willing to work for it. I am super excited to see how our season goes. 

-Anything else that you would like to add or touch on?
I have started a non-profit in hopes to make wrestling more accessible in Wyoming. It aims to provide essential gear and hygiene products to athletes in need. We are just starting out, and If anyone would like to follow along, the instagram is @pinning_potential 

GPA: 4.0 

Coach: Jeriah Horsley