By Derrick Smith
Frankie West is an outstanding multisport athlete at Catoosa High School. While she has won her share of awards and honors because of her hard work and dedication, she has now placed herself in the Catoosa record books. She is the first girls wrestling state champion in school history.
“Being the first female state champion at my school means everything to me,” West said. “I also love that it’s a sign for other female athletes who are thinking about joining this sport or who are already doing it—that it’s achievable to be a state champion and that when you work hard and don’t give up on yourself, you can make history.”
Throughout her career, Frankie has spent countless hours working on being her best when she competes. She says that the key to being a successful athlete is really simple.
“My honest answer is not giving up,” she stated. “This sport knows how to push you even when you feel like giving up. Wrestling, by far, is one of the most mentally challenging sports, but it’s also the most rewarding. To be successful in this sport, I had to learn how to not give up even when it felt like all the odds were against me. I also had to put in the work, constantly showing up to all the practices and asking for help when I didn’t understand something.”
Frankie’s coach, Andrew DeArmond, is a former standout wrestler at Catoosa. He is proud of what West has accomplished and he knows that she has opened the door for future female wrestlers at Catoosa.
“As a former wrestler, I can say that it takes everything to become a state champion,” DeArmond said. “It requires managing your weight the right way, getting the proper treatment for injuries, working hard daily, doing extra work, and most importantly, believing in yourself. Wrestling is a sport where it’s all on you. There’s nowhere to put the blame if you lose a match. It’s just you and another wrestler toeing the line every single match. It’s easy to lose confidence in this sport and start to doubt everything you’ve put in, especially in a state like Oklahoma, one of the top wrestling states in the country.
Frankie has qualified for the state tournament all three years of her wrestling career but never reached her goal of making the podium. She didn’t let this define her; she came back her senior year and got to work. In her junior year, she fell short of making the podium. After the match, I found her under the stairwell in Jim Norrick Arena. If you know anything about Oklahoma wrestling, you know those hallways have witnessed every emotion known to man. I sat with Frankie and shared those emotions as her season ended, reminding her that she was paving the way for Catoosa Girls Wrestling. I told her she now had two options: give up and never achieve her goals, or remember what she was feeling right then and let it drive her every day to become better. I think it’s easy to tell which one she chose. Frankie ended her season with a 30-1 record, recording 28 pins and two tech falls and forever left her mark as the OSSAA 5A 135lb State Champion defeating a defending State Champion in the finals.”
Along with all the hard work and time that she has dedicated to wrestling, Frankie has had a support system that is there for her, supporting her, and helping her to keep pushing forward.
“I mostly want to thank God, my family, friends, and my coaches,” she said. “I’m so blessed to have such an amazing support system around me, especially in this sport. When I joined, my family was nothing but supportive, and they continue to push me to be my best and to work hard. I’m so grateful to have my boyfriend around because he’s listened to all my rants, been a shoulder for me to cry on, and has always been someone I could count on. I really wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it weren’t for Madison Compton, Katie Pruett, and my coach, Andrew DeArmond. They’ve been there for me these last three years and made my last year of wrestling the most memorable. I don’t think I could ever repay them for the love, support, and wisdom they’ve given me. I will forever be grateful to them, and I can’t wait to see them all succeed in life.”
