The River City Duels are underway at Post Falls High School. Dozens of men are competing in the wrestling tournament, but so is Cierra Foster.
“I’ve always been the girl to not quite fit in to what people think,” said Foster.
Being the lone girl on a team of teenage boys means Foster is ready for anything.
Foster’s dad was a wrestler, which sparked her love for the sport. She has been competing since she was young, going up against guys most of the time.
When Foster was in 8th grade, she began receiving some pushback.
“It was the first time I ever had guys forfeit to me. They said it was against their religion to wrestle girls,” said Foster.
Since her freshman year, she has been on the Post Falls team and she makes it clear that her coaches and teammates have her back.
For the last two years, Foster has gone up against and beat boys from other high schools.
“I wrestle in the guys room and I’m always getting pushed to the level of them. So when I go out there, I wrestle with a different mentality and I don’t break as easily because I’ve been through practices and hard workouts,” Foster said.
This year, things are taking a different tone. By her own choice, Cierra is only wrestling girls.
However, there are no other girls in North Idaho to go up against.
Foster has been going to Washington competitions to go up against other female wrestlers.
That does not change the fact that she is on the Post Falls team and that she will go up against the guys in practice.
“I wanted to. And nothing was going to stop me from wrestling,” said Foster.
Courtesy of: KREM