BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – I interviewed Alexis Schneider for the first time during football season, at that time I incorrectly thought she was a two-time state champion wrestler. I was one title short.

Schneider, without a moment of hesitation, looked at me dead in the eye, and simply said “Three.”

That’s the kind of mentality we’re dealing with in this week’s sports spotlight.

“I instantly know that the other girl is in trouble,” said Chris Wiegel, Napoleon-Gackle-Streeter wrestling head coach.

Schneider is the crown Jewel in the Imperial Wrestling Crown.

“She’s focused. She’s going to go out there and get the job done. It’s what she does,” said Wiegel.

“I mean, I’m pretty aggressive, I don’t just lay back and just stall. I just go out there. I know I can take anyone down in the state if I have that mentality,” said Schneider.

Before Schneider became a three-time state champ: girls wrestling was not a state-sponsored sport. She cut her teeth by wrestling with the boys.

“Yeah it was difficult, but it was definitely fun, I loved wrestling with the boys,” said Schneider.

She collected a record of 35-17 against male competition.

“It was a great experience, and it was very competitive. Going out there and being the girl and beating the boys was just fun for me,” said Schneider.

Since the establishment of girls’ wrestling, the wins and accolades just keep pouring in, but what sticks out the most is the growth of this sport.

“Being able to see our team grow, I know when we started we only had three or four girls, now we have 10, 12. It feels great to see this sport growing, and being able to help out when I’m needed,” said Schneider.

Schneider is pretty good at this, just listen to her coach.

“She knows what she’s going to be doing next, she’s such a good technique wrestler where you see her walking down the hall in the school, you don’t think that she’s this big buff wrestler or football player,” said Wiegel. “I just love seeing her come to practice on Monday and be like: ‘I think I’m just going to do this because I want different competition.’ It’s fun seeing that because now you’re coaching her different.”

Schneider plans to wrestle in college. Where she plans to do it remains to be seen.

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