How to raise a champion
Please let me introduce you to Naomi Roby Duenas. I first met her at a family birthday party. She was smart, articulate, beautiful and gently fearsome.
My interest in meeting Naomi, who is now a senior at Golden Valley High School, was piqued by my son Sean and his wife, Yvonne. The two would provide me updates on how well Naomi was doing wrestling for the Golden Valley High School Bulldogs. “She is really good,” they would both say. Naomi is the daughter of Sean and Yvonne’s best friends, Flower and Jairo.
Wait. Girls can wrestle in high school now? I am so far behind in everything. When did that start?
Apparently, since 2011. Plus, girls high school wrestling continues to experience rapid growth and popularity.
I wrestled the 165weight class at South High School in 1966. The Rebel wrestling team was Valley Champs multiple times under the tutelage of legendary coach Joe Seay. Many of my teammates with names like movie characters — Wallace Williams, Eugene Walker and Preston George — made South High wrestling proud. Back then, not a Shirley, Alice or Mary to be found anywhere in the wrestling team practice room.
I never made it on to the varsity or junior varsity team, though. I was on the eternal “practice squad,” which meant when any varsity wrestler needed someone to practice a half-nelson, armlock or a figure-4-leg lock hold, I was the go-to guy. On my first day of wrestling practice, I was disappointed there wasn’t a raised squared circle ring with turnbuckles and ropes in the gym room. How was I supposed do the iconic Jimmy Superfly Snuka dive off the top ropes?
I have always felt wrestling was the most difficult, challenging and truly individual high school sport with arguably the most dedicated athletes.
Wrestlers lived a gladiator style of existence on campus. Conditioning, steam room and making weight were constant mental and physical companions that separated them from what many would suggest as normal activities for pizza-eating high school students.
I checked with Naomi, and she agrees. Wrestling is still the most difficult sport. And Naomi would know. She is a multi-sport star athlete in volleyball, soccer and basketball.
Naomi has recently appeared multiple times in The Californian, on local television sports broadcasts and numerous state high school websites. Her accomplishments are many, including her recent Bakersfield Jockey Club award. Wrestling on the girl’s team seems to have brought the most accolades to Naomi. There are numerous titles, awards and activities for Naomi I could list. But after meeting her, the title of being a great sister, daughter and friend to many would be her own self-proclaimed highest award.
She credits her coaches, mother, father and brothers for any achievements she has earned.
“Growing up, my brothers CJ and Johnny never gave me any slack,” Naomi said. “They treated me like their brother. They said I would be the very first girl NFL quarterback.”
Flower, Naomi’s mom, said, “Watching her grow up, I had no clue she was a natural athlete. She was smart, quirky, and funny, but an athlete, no.” And Dad? How did he feel about his daughter going out for a once non-traditional girls sport?
“I watched her confidence grow,” Jairo said. “Naomi is strong-willed. She always strives to be her best even the few times she lost a match. She learned each time from her losses.”
Being more involved with Naomi helped her parents better understand the rigors of wrestling. “Her daily chores were still important but after 12-hour days of traveling, matches and homework, I better understood how tired she was when she came home,” Flower said.
“It’s priceless, watching your child do what they enjoy doing,” adds Jairo.
“I love my parents. I love my entire family. I would not be able to do what I’m doing without their support,” Naomi said.
And there is the reason for today’s column.
The power of family and how being a parent who lives as an example of respect, integrity and compassion helps shapes your children, sometimes even into state wrestling champion, or even better ... a great kid.
Hopefully one day you’ll get to meet Naomi and her champion family.