As published in the April 11, 2013 York County/Poquoson Town Square section of the Daily Press, as well as The Morning Call (Allentown, PA) and WrestlerGirl blog site. The direct link can be found at:
Wrestling is the Prata family business, and as it
has been said, business is good.
Last year, Joey gained national attention while
compiling an 87-2 record with the Virginia Predators club. Prata’s
accomplishments allowed him to join the powerful St. Christopher’s HS squad in
Richmond where his freshman year accolades included a 50-11 record, Virginia
Prep League title and National Prep All-American honors at the 106-lb. weight
class.
Now it’s little sister’s turn.
Lauren Prata, a 12-year-old seventh grader at
Yorktown Middle School, recently
captured a national title on the mat, taking the 90-lb. crown at the recent
USGWA (Girls Wrestling Association) National Championships in Michigan.
Set up as a round-robin tournament, Prata earned a
4-0 record to win, holding two opponents scoreless and pinning another.
The transition to wrestling wasn’t easy. She enjoyed
watching her older brother in his matches, but had trouble finding her athletic
niche, trying “everything” including soccer, gymnastics and dance. In the end,
she “just became obsessed” with wrestling.
Although she has only been competing in the sport for
15 months, Lauren is quick to give credit to her coach.
Who happens to be her brother. Speaking of the
reason for her early success, she cites her older brother.
“Joey coached me,” said the soft spoken
youngster.
“Joey is her only coach,” says mother Shannon. “Her
trust in him is amazing. He tells her to do something and she just does it.”
Part of her mat education includes a progression
into the freestyle and Greco-Roman styles of wrestling, but father Tony
provides a word of caution. “We’re trying to take it slow and steady.”
Her rise to the top of the medal stand has not come
without bumps and bruises. In one match against a young man, Prata caught the
business end of a head butt, leaving her with a noticeable. black eye,
evidenced by photographic proof. “I couldn’t see out of it,” said Prata, adding
that she pushed on anyway to finish the match.
“I didn’t really feel it at the time.”
In part, it’s the adrenaline rush that inspires her
to continue. “I like the feeling after I win or have worked hard.”
Her goals for the summer are lofty, but attainable.
“I want to go to Fargo,” she says, referring to the large national tournament
held in North Dakota. “They have a girls division, but I have to win states to
go.” She made an attempt last summer, but found the competition to be
overwhelming. “The girls were three years older. It wasn’t pretty.” However,
one of the referees, Timothy Pearson, pulled her aside, counseled her and
provided encouragement. “He said not to give up and keep wrestling.”
She looks forward to moving up to the cadet, then junior,
age-group levels of her sport, but it’s her greatest expectation that provides
for a pause.
“I’d like to win a regular middle school state
title. Then the high school states.”
That would give her coach, who won the East Coast
Nationals title two weeks ago, a reason to smile.
(Editor's note: In the time since this article was published, Shannon Prata has released a note with further clarification.
I wanted to make a correction to this article. Although Joey was Lauren's only coach in Michigan at Girls Nationals and he has coached her several times on the mat at tournaments he is not her only coach. Lauren trains at Virginia team predator in Chester, Virginia under Coach (Mark) Strickland. Lauren also trains at Body by D Gym which has given her the strength to be able to compete and be competitive in the boys and girls division. Lauren's brother Joey has been a huge influence and impact on her life and they have an incredible relationship but her success is not only from all the help he has given her but also from the training she has gotten at Virginia Predator under Coach Strickland and Body by D Gym. In addition Lauren's goal is to compete at Fargo, North Dakota but she is not eligible to compete until she becomes a cadet. Lauren will not enter that age division for a couple more years.
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