Jerzie Menke of Bridgeport has enjoyed lots of success in her 12 years of wrestling, including winning a championship in the girls state wrestling tournament in February. She’s even earned an opportunity to wrestle in college at Dixie State University. But while being successful on the mat is important to Menke, she’s just as focused on setting a good example for other people, especially females, through her determination, perseverance, hard work, and uplifting attitude.
JEFF FIELDER Editor
BRIDGEPORT – One day her second-grade year, Jerzie Menke brought home a flier from school that provided sign-up information for youth federated wrestling in Bridgeport.
Menke talked to her younger brother, Steven, about it, and they decided they both wanted to join the club. Their first big challenge, though, was persuading their mother, Marsha, to let them wrestle.
“At first, my mom wasn’t for wrestling at all. She hated it when she was in high school,” Jerzie said. “She was really iffy about it. But my dad [Darell] had wrestled in high school, so he was all for it. Fortunately, we were able to convince my mom to let us try it.”
Jerzie was excited to wrestle, even though she was the only girl on the youth team.
“I didn’t have any goals or expectations,” she said. “I just wanted to learn more about the sport and have fun wrestling.”
Jerzie sat out the first tournament her second-grade year. But she competed in the rest of the tournaments on Bridgeport Federation’s wrestling schedule.
Unfortunately, she didn’t win any matches.
“I was absolutely terrible,” she said.
She had fun, though. And she was eager to get better.
“I wasn’t going to quit,” she said. “I don’t like to quit.”
You can read the entire story on Menke in the May issue of Nspire Today! magazine. A one-year subscription (12 issues) is only $15. You may sign up for a subscription by sending $15 to Nspire Today!, P.O. Box 454, Scottsbluff, NE 69363, or you may pay with a credit card by calling 308-220-8865.
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