Three of Chavez’s student athletes  from the wrestling team have represented the Titans using the famous DOUBLE ARM PIN all the way to masters and even beyond!!

After the wrestling season the athletes had to go off to tournaments in order to qualify for Masters and ultimately State Championships. The tournament they had to participate in to qualify for Masters for both girls, Taydem Khamjoi and Jericka Renner was the Southern Regional’s and they had to place in the top 8 to move on to

Masters. Taydem won the tournament with a first place showing while Jericka placed fifth. In the placement for the boys league, John Carey, one of two boy competitors from Chavez had to place among the top 4 out of the 20 in his division to go to Masters; he ended up placing 3rd while Alexis Oliva placed 5th leaving him out of the Masters tourney. Masters results were solid for the group as Taydem took 3rd place, Jericka took 8th place, and John was one point from placing. Taydem would be the lone Chavez representative at the 2020 California State Championships.

After the Master’s tournament we at the Oracle sat down with freshman girl wrestler Taydem Khamjoi. Taydem’s 3rd place at Masters has qualified her for the California State Championships from February 27-29. Taydem will be traveling on Wednesday to the three day tournament.

In order to prepare for the State Tourney Taydem had to fit a few quick workouts in. She decided to run 5 miles on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday before she left for the Championships. After the workouts she focuses on herself by getting a massage to help her loosen up but will always start day by getting her hair braided before a match. The braids will allow her hair to stay out of the way when wrestling.

There are also traditions that she follows before every match with her parents and friends. With her parents she prays and asks for safety and to be watched over. As for her friends, she has a special handshake that she does with her teammate Aryanna Gonzalez.

Before every tournament Taydem is usually super nervous. She can feel her heart pounding and when she steps foot on the mat everything she feels disappears and her mind is focused on one thing, WINNING. At Masters she started off her first match with that focused win, but followed it up with a tough loss to a very good opponent in her second match. She then worked her way back through on her way to multiple victories and a 3rd place finish. At first her confidence disappeared because she had lost and everything she worked for (4 years prior) didn’t pay off, but ultimatley she stuck to her ways and came out victorious.

What an accomplishment it is for Taydem to have been one of only two freshman to make it into state and the only one from her team. She has been wrestling for four years already prior to her first year in high school. And all of the hard work, practice, and dedication has paid off. Taydem wanted students to know that even if others don’t believe in you, “Have confidence, and never hold back. If people don’t believe in you, use it as motivation and prove them wrong.” 

She used all the good and the bad as an anchor for self motivation to give it her best and make it HUGE even if its just her first year the experience is amazing and with help her in further preparation for her future. Taydem has gone far and it only being her first year ; who knows what the future holds for her.