KALISPELL — Bella Downing is hard at work at the beginning of her senior wrestling season with big goals set for herself.
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After coming up just short in last year’s state title match, Downing is eager to end her high school wrestling career on top.
“It was sad, but it was definitely motivating me because I put in the work last year, but definitely needed to put in more,” Downing said. “This year I've definitely put in all that work times five already, and it's the third week of the season.”
Although Bella won an individual state title her sophomore year and came up just short in her junior year, her coach, Amber Downing, is not letting her get complacent in her senior year.
“You can never think that you've got it in the bag because that's the moment when you absolutely don't,” Amber Downing said. “So she's got to work hard every single day. I've seen her battle through illness and injuries, so I think she's definitely got what it takes, what it takes to achieve that goal.”
Not only is Downing keeping herself at a high standard, but as one of the senior leaders on the team, she is working to ensure the rest of the girls live up to their full potential.
“It's really motivating to be one of the older girls on the team and definitely having the newer girls and helping them be as good as you are or even better than you one day,” Bella Downing said. “It's fun to be able to build them the way that you were built up.”
Even with a recent commitment to continue wrestling at the next level at Ottawa University in Kansas, Downing’s main focus is to bring home a team state title for the first time since 2022.
“Every year that I've been in high school, we've gotten second or third at state,” Downing said. “Last year we got second, so I'm hoping we get first this year because I really believe that we can get up there.”
Even with that mindset, Downing is still excited for the next part of her journey in wrestling.
“I’m excited to continue my wrestling career beyond high school,” Bella Downing said. “Hopefully, as a freshman in college, go to nationals and do all the stuff I couldn’t do in high school.”
