SAN MARINO — The dream for 100-pound nationally ranked Simi Valley native Olivia Munson wasn’t to win the CIF State Championship, although she would’ve liked to after placing third.
Even as a 6-year-old former gymnast who did flips on the balance beam, Munson seemed to have big dreams. Her dream as a gymnast, was to reach the Olympics.
“I don’t know where it comes from,” Munson said. “But I’ve just always had this desire and this hunger to win. Winning is an addiction.”
An addiction that has forced Munson to make the critical decision to leave her former school, Chaminade, and transfer to Monte Vista Academy in Simi Valley, an online learning program that will allow Munson to train more at Titan Mercury Wrestling Club in San Marino.
At Titan Mercury Wrestling Club, she can focus more on training in freestyle heading into her junior year. Her new schedule will allow her to drill more in freestyle, the discipline of wrestling used in college and the Olympics by women’s combatants.
Titan Mercury Wrestling Club has been responsible for helping the U.S. Olympic Women’s Wrestling team achieve success. The first American gold medalist, Tamrya Mensah-Stock, was part of the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club world team.
“It was a hard decision at first because I really loved my teammates and coaches,” Munson said. “That aspect of wrestling for my school was something that was so fun and it made competing bigger than myself. But ultimately, after deep thought, that this is something I know I need to do for myself in order to reach the next level in my development.”
She discussed the move and later settled upon it with her longtime Titan Mercury Wrestling Club coach, Mike Duran.
“When talking about long-term goals I asked her what those were,” Duran said. “Her goal has always been to make an Olympic team. And based on those decisions, we decided together that she take a year off from conventional school to home school so she can train.”
Munson took her first trip to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs with Duran in October for a developmental camp after placing in the top three at the Fargo Nationals last summer.
Munson was awarded a spot on the U.S. National Team after last summer’s placement. The desire to improve and grow as a wrestler became her obsession.
“There’s no limits to what I can do,” Munson said. “It’s right there and I have had a ton of great coaches along the way, like Mike, who have continued to help me get better.”
Duran saw the way Munson carried herself when she first made his 13/U team.
“The first thing you’re going to find out about Olivia is that she’s a leader,” Duran said. “Any time she comes into a room, her presence and the way that she carries herself is very much a leader. She’s going to support her teammates, she’s going to step out and she’s always working hard. Liv leads by action and she’s vocal.”
Now Munson is looking to make it known she’s truly the best in America when she competes at Fargo Nationals starting July 10.
Munson has trained with the best wrestlers in SoCal and found a training partner as well in Newbury Park, 130-pound state champion and future Sacred Heart athlete Madi Black, to strengthen her skills.
Winning isn’t the only thing Munson wants. Technical falls 19-0? Those are nice. As are pinfall victories in the blink of an eye.
“We have to balance technique with mindset and have a good mindset whether we win or lose,” Duran said. “We talk about that we can’t control outcomes. We are always going to control the things we can control, which is hard work, discipline, our eating and how much sleep we are getting. If we can control those things, it will lead to good outcomes.”
Munson’s desire is to win against the best. For her, a grueling 4-3 victory in sudden death against a tough challenger is what makes wrestling her sport.
“I want to be among the elite wrestlers,” Munson said. “The winning, the medals and the achievements are important of course. But I also want to win knowing that it was hard because that’s what this sport is. It’s the weight cuts, the long days spent in the gym and I want to achieve those victories and titles knowing I had to push every inch of myself to get there.”
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