Sarasota Athlete of the Week: Caitlynn Beausoleil

Junior Caitlynn Beausoleil of Booker girls wrestling topped the podium for the 115-pound weight class Feb. 13 at the FHSAA Class 1A-District 11 championship. She went on to place fourth at the 1A-3 regional championship Feb. 21 with wins over Braden River's Presley Vogt, Lely's Lea Berkley and Strawberry Crest's Danniela Pizarro-Aponte. Beausoleil is the Athlete of the Week.

What are you hoping to accomplish at the state meet?

My only goal this year was to be a state qualifier, so my goals have been entirely met. Anything else is a cherry on top. I'm excited to go put everything I have into states and hopefully reach even higher as a state placer.

How are you a better wrestler now than you were at the beginning of the season?

At the beginning of the season, I was definitely weaker. I wasn't as prepared for the hardships of facing the losses and facing the tougher opponents that would definitely require more effort. I definitely wasn't up there in my skill set — I needed to refine some techniques that I've been struggling with. I've just remained dedicated and consistent throughout the year and during preseason to build my skills to what they are now.

When and why did you start wrestling?

I started wrestling when I met my father (Booker wrestling coach Shane Hamm) when I was 6 years old. I fell in love with what he was doing for the kids and the sport itself. There's beauty in leaving everything you have out on the mat, and it being entirely your responsibility. I just knew I wanted to do it ever since I was in maybe sixth grade. I decided that this was something that I wanted to pave the way for, for women.

Why have you stuck with the sport after all these years?

Most of what convinces me to stay with it is discipline. I don't always have the motivation to stick with it because it's such a challenging sport, but that's part of why I fell in love with it. It's what you put into it when you have no more motivation that really proves where you're going to shine through in the sport, and who the real diamonds are. That became my motivation — to see where I really fell in the lineup of who is the best of the best.

Is there a quote or piece of advice that you've always carried with you?

I definitely lean a lot on my faith in Jesus, and I rely a lot on my belief in Christianity to propel me and motivate me to keep going. Whenever I feel stuck or uneducated in something, I just look to the Lord for that guidance and that strength.

If you could meet any professional athlete, who would you meet and why?

I would personally like to meet Sarah Hildebrandt. She is a professional women's wrestler and she's just done amazing things for women in the sport — drawing attention to it and growing it. I would just like to tell her how grateful I am to have her as a role model and ask her for any piece of advice on how I can improve mentally in the sport.

What word or phrase describes you best?

Perseverant or dedicated. I've definitely dealt with my own hardships throughout this sport. I've had medical issues and I've had injuries that have held me back and definitely stuck with me mentally. I've just leaned on my father and the Lord, and it helped make me who I am now. I've grown that much stronger in my belief in myself in this sport.