(Secaucus, NJ––March 2, 2022) Amanda Pace, High Tech senior and veteran wrestler for the North Bergen Bruins, was crowned champion for her weight class in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Girls Wrestling tournament in February, announced Ms. Kathy Young, principal of High Tech High School.
This most recent victory for Amanda, who began wrestling at age 5, marks the end of a highly accomplished high school wrestling career, which includes three regional championships, four state finalist titles, and two state championship titles. Amanda’s success may be attributed to her dedication to sport—often training twice a day for two or three hours—and the support of her family and the community. Still, it has not been easy balancing school and sport, or dealing with issues relating to her gender in competitions. As such, Amanda’s journey to the top of the wrestling heap has given her wisdom to share. She offered this advice to other female athletes: “Never listen to the stereotype about girls [and] don’t listen to how other people view you. Set your own [goals] and drive yourself to reach them. Don’t expect it to come naturally or be easy. It will be hard and there will be challenges. Push through and work for what you want. You will be rewarded.”
This June, Amanda plans to attend Centenary University where she will study to become a veterinarian. Although she will not wrestle in college, she expects she may coach at some level one day in the future.
