I wanted to give our graduating seniors on the team a small opportunity to share part of their story of the past 4 years beyond just wrestling. So I asked them each a set of questions about the time that they had at Millikan as well as the past and the future that surrounds them. Each of these seniors helped to shape the experience of each other, the athletes around them, and most of all the legacy left in the room itself. The past 4 years have been filled with extreme accomplishments and sacrifices by each of these young adults to prepare them for the life they will have after high school. Our coaches and younger athletes myself included all have been impacted by them in some sort of way and I wanted to allow them to share that as well.

The story of our seniors

Yo, I’m Daniel Kroll, and I’m 17 years old. After high school, I plan on going to Biochemistry at UCLA or UCI. In high school, I learned what it means to be a leader and to be disciplined. Being captain of the wrestling team, building inseparable friendships, and challenging myself have all been privileges that I am grateful for. When I was 10 years old I had no idea of my self-worth, and I believe now at 17 that my 10-year-old self would be impressed by the individual that I have become. If I could talk to myself as an incoming freshman I would say that high school is the place where you can find yourself, and learn that you shouldn’t aim to just “get through the day” but strive to enjoy it even when not everything goes your way. High school has been the prime years of my life, I believe it has done a lot to prepare me for what is ahead, but then again it’s just another stepping stone toward the next thing.

I’m Andrew Talbot, and I’m 17 years old. After high school, I plan to get my EMT certification and become a firefighter. One thing I am proud of from my 4 years is staying consistent and disciplined in one of the hardest sports there is. I believe that my 10-year-old self would be proud of what I’ve accomplished and what I am doing. Something I wish I could tell my freshman self before coming into high school is to be a selfless person but never to the point that you start to sacrifice your morals and who you are. The biggest lesson I have learned from high school is that nothing lasts forever, don’t get stuck in the past, appreciate it, learn from it, and then move on.

My name is Madi and I’m 17. After that, I plan to continue my education at LBCC for 2 years. One thing I have accomplished in high school is becoming a 2-time moor league champion. I think that if my 10-year-old self could see me now she would be impressed with who I’ve become and what I have accomplished. If I got the chance I would tell my 14-year-old self to enjoy wrestling more and not put so much pressure on myself to win. And after everything, my biggest takeaway from high school is to slow down and enjoy the moment.

I’m Jesse Rodriguez and I’m 18. After high school, I plan to go to college and continue my education. My biggest accomplishment from high school was surviving. I think that my 10-year-old self would be proud of who I am and who I’m becoming. If I could give my freshman self any advice I would tell myself to be more honest. The biggest takeaway I got from high school is learning to know who to trust.

I’m Edson. I’m 18 years old. After high school, I plan to work on the docks. Something I am proud of from high school was my academic comeback. I don’t think my 10-year-old self would be proud of where I am at right now. If I could give one piece of advice to my freshman self it would be to avoid doing drugs. And the biggest lesson I have learned from high school is that life is boring so you might as well make it fun.

My name is Travis Costello, and I’m 18. After high school, I joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Something I am proud that I accomplished during high school was becoming a moor league champion and proving everyone wrong. I do think that my 10-year-old self would be proud of the person I am becoming. Something I wish I could tell my freshman self would be to focus on yourself and your goals. The biggest takeaway from high school for me has been that life is hard but your mind will break before your body does.

My name is Helen Martinez, I am 17 years old. I plan on going to CSULB to study or I am supposed to major in drawing and painting. One thing that I achieved while in high school was being in a chamber orchestra. I’ve done it for the past 2 years and I’ve enjoyed being able to perform music at such a high level. It’s given me an appreciation for the work I’ve been able to put into it, and it is such an amazing experience performing. I would like to imagine that my 10-year-old self is proud of who I am because back when I was 10 there wasn’t much I was doing, so now doing different passions brings color into the “boring” life I had. I would tell my freshman self to only take AP U.S. History (I love Ms. Gombrich), take more advanced art classes, and create an art portfolio. My biggest takeaway from high school is to figure out what I love to do and understand that everyone is different and that whatever happens happens.

My name is Audi Reynoso, and I’m 18 years old. After high school, I plan to go to college at LBCC for the first two years and then transfer to a university. I plan to work in the medical field or the technology industry. Something I am proud of is being able to do more than I have ever done before high school. I have been more social, and I have done my time to keep myself busy with things like sports, clubs, and more. Doing all of this has boosted my confidence and made me more of a social person. I think my younger self would 1000% be proud of who I am becoming. All of the things I have done in my span of high school career were everything I’ve always wanted as a kid. Not only that but when I was young I was often confused and lost of what I wanted to do with myself and now I feel in myself and what I have planned. I would tell my freshman self not to put yourself in places where you’re not welcomed, and to stick with the people who have been there for you since day one because one way or another they have helped shape you. My biggest takeaway that I found from high school is finding a community that I will always love and cherish for the rest of my life which is my teammates, I can see these connections lasting a long time even outside of high school hopefully even seeing the younger ones grow up and see the accomplishments they can achieve, I have high hopes for them all.

I’m Hailey Fernadez, and I’m 18. After high school, I plan to attend a 4-year university. Something I’m proud of was going through the struggles of high school and overcoming them to persevere. I think my younger self would be proud of where I am although there is a lot of stuff I need to work towards and on. I would tell my freshman self to never give up no matter how hard it gets and always remember who you are, never allowing anyone to change you. One takeaway I got from high school is being open-minded to new things.

My name is Isaiah Rivera and I’m 17 years old. After high school I plan to fight professionally, one of the things I am proud of accomplishing throughout the past 4 years was winning my Muay Thai fights and several of my wrestling matches. I don’t know if my younger self would be proud of where I am and where I am going but I think maybe, If I got the chance to talk to my freshman self I would tell him to focus as much as possible, and the biggest thing I learned from high school is to not stress on the little thing.

I’m Aaron Mata, and I’m 17 years old. I plan to study kinesiology and maybe be a physical therapist, my biggest accomplishments in high school were being captain of the wrestling team and having a 4.3 GPA. I think my 10-year-old self would be really happy with how everything turned out. If I could tell my freshman self something it would be to join wrestling as soon as you get to high school and don’t be afraid to fail. The biggest takeaway I got was everything happened for a reason so enjoy every moment of what happens.

My name is Trey Culwell, I am 18 years old. My plan after high school is to go to college and study some type of engineering. Within high school, I have accomplished getting a 4.0 all four years. I do think that my 10-year-old self would be proud of who I became because I have become more confident and have been able to do some pretty cool things if I got the chance I would tell myself to be more outgoing and meet people because there are a lot of cool people I have met in high school and I wish I would have gotten to know them sooner. My biggest takeaway from high school is making lots of friends and meeting new people.

Hey, I’m Ryan Caven. I am 17 years old. After high school, I plan to be a firefighter and during my time off I’ll do commercial air-conditioning. I would also like to compete in some sort of CrossFit games and jujitsu while I am in college. One of the things that I accomplished was just enjoying my time in high school Because there were a lot of unwanted aspects (BS) and I managed to go all 4 years without caring about it or letting it affect me. My 10-year-old self would be hella proud of who I am now because all I wanted when I was 10 was to have abs so I could say my bar was set pretty low. Something I would tell my 14-year-old self going into high school would be to start going to the gym and eating right, and not to care what anyone thinks. My biggest takeaway from high school was the memories I made with my homies on and off the wrestling team. I had dope four years guys. Thanks. 

I’m Nataly Cardenas and I’m 17 years old. After high school, I plan to study law as an undergrad at a 4-year college. Then potentially study at a law school to get my JD. During high school, something I was proud of was making it to Masters. My developed discipline, determination, and work ethic played a big part in my achievement. If my 10-year-old self was able to see me she would see an entirely different person that she never thought she would become. 10-year-old nat would be very proud of who we are and where we are headed. If I could go back and give my freshman self advice I’d tell her to enjoy the process of working towards your goals. Because the years go by faster than she would think and they will. My biggest takeaway from high school is that I don’t have to prove myself to anyone but myself because I’m the one living my life, not everyone else.

To our seniors, love the team

Every senior on this team had an impact on their fellow teammate and I wanted to let them express that, so I asked if any of the other members of our team would like to comment on just how much these seniors meant to them and this is what was said:

Hi, my name is Milad Sharif. This is my first year wrestling at Millikan High School and I want to thank all the seniors for helping me throughout my first year here. A particular shout out to Danial Kroll and Aaron Mata for teaching me a lot of moves and mentoring me through my wrestling journey here at Millikan. I hope you and all of the other seniors have a great life and I hope you guys know the impact you made on not only me but everyone in the wrestling room. -Milad

All the seniors were very nice but Aaron Mata was always outstanding, he always made me feel welcome and like I was a part of a family not just a team. All my milestones as a wrestler are thanks to him and I’m truly grateful he could impact my life. -Aidan

I love all the seniors and they were all super nice, Haily and Helen welcomed me my freshman year and helped me with a lot of stuff as I was just starting the team, Nat helped me so much sophomore year as well, Nat has had a huge impact on my wrestling experience and just life in general, its going to be so sad when she’s gone because to me it doesn’t even feel like she’s a senior and it’s going to feel weird without her. Danial and Aaron too, it’s going to be weird not having all the seniors around because it’s like I’m used to them all being there and around me and they’re all just gone. -Maddie

hi seniors,

I wish you luck in the upcoming years. Each of you is inspirational, especially Nat. I admire your wrestling and your hard work. It was something I looked up to this year, and I am extremely grateful to have had you in my life, on the mat and off. not only are you an amazing wrestler, but you’re an amazing friend. You always make me feel welcome, and it feels like I can talk to you about anything, regardless of the age gap. I’m sad that you’re leaving, but I’m excited to see what the future holds for you. -Abby

I want to thank my senior teammates for the opportunity to learn from and grow with you. I’ll always cherish the memories and experiences we shared. I wish you all a smooth and successful journey ahead, and I hope our paths will cross again soon… Except you Edson. -Jason

I want to thank Grant Evans  because he gave me a friend who influenced my attitude and my dedication to the sport and made me look forward to practicing every -Wyatt

 I feel like my brother Daniel set my example for the team and did a good job of constantly keeping me accountable and in checking me on and off the mat I know he will go somewhere great. -Nate

I wanted to say thank you to Aaron, my brother because he was always a positive leader for the team and showed what it meant to be dedicated. -Josh

All of the seniors on the team impacted me as a wrestler and a person because of their dedication and resilience to the sport and the mental fortitude that they had and showed me, each senior on here showed leadership and set an example of what we should try to be -Robert

Two seniors who impacted me were Daniel and Aaron because they showed me what hard work meant and how to build the legacy of a dedicated leader -Mason

Take you to our captains for the hard work that they showed and good luck to Stuvinal -Logan

I would like to give a big thank you to Hailey, she always pushed me to be my best self and has been the person to teach me every area that I lacked, she has been a person for me to admire on this team and the way that I look up to her will carry with me. I wish her the best of luck and I know she will go on to great things -Callie

Before I was even a freshman at Millikan I was fortunate enough to be taken under the wings of our amazing girl wrestlers. I will never forget how kind, patient, and encouraging you were to me and the other wrestlers. I cannot imagine the season without you and the examples you set. You consistently led the team and helped all of us annoying freshmen throughout the year. I appreciate and will miss you all so much! Good luck in whatever you choose to do (I know you’ll dominate) and please come back to visit.  -Gaby

The seniors’ determination and dedication to this team have heavily encouraged me as a wrestler. Many of these seniors have pushed me to work to the best of my abilities and persevere through challenges. I want to thank the seniors on the girls’ team this year, Nat, Helen, Haily, Madi, and Audi. They have greatly supported me in my first 2 years of wrestling. As a freshman, they welcomed me to the team, and as a sophomore, they have continued to guide me. I am very thankful for the Captains Aaron, Daniel, and Hailey. They have shown amazing leadership and always made a point to motivate the team. I am so proud of all that the seniors have accomplished and wish them the best of luck in their futures. -Jaelen

I wanted to particularly thank Andrew, I was lucky enough to meet him before I got into high school or even officially joined the team. Andrew always inspired me to work towards being better and I got the chance to grow a bond with him and some of the other seniors like Trey, Ryan, and Edson over the time. I am so grateful to have gotten the friendships with these seniors that I did and I look forward to working to complete the legacy that they left for me, the impact they had on the team and me was something I will continue to carry with me. -Chris

The Millikan Wrestling team season was a display of true grit and sportsmanship. Our seniors led the charge, showing what it means to be both fierce competitors and extreme leaders. As they move on to new challenges, we wish them all the success in the world. -Ozzie

The seniors on the team were one of the biggest reasons why I loved this first season. Each of them impacted me as a wrestler and a person. Hailey, Helen, Audi, and Madi all gave me a place on the team showing and telling me things they had learned throughout their time here and they gave me older girls to feel protected by with the majority of the time being the youngest girl competing alongside them. Seniors like Trey, Edson, Rhyan, and Jessie never fail to brighten up the atmosphere of the room or make a comment that always was able to make me smile even on the worst days. Travis and Isaiah who I could never thank enough because they were the first people to ever put a camera in my hand and are the reason I love taking pictures so much. Andrew was one of the first seniors I knew well enough to truly look up to and see as one of my examples and as a role model of a standard I would hold myself to inside and outside of the room. Daniel and Aaron’s whos impact on me could never be replaced or understated, One of the biggest thank yous I could give to Daniel who pushed me further than I thought I could go, you helped me surpass every limit I expected of myself as an athlete, so much of my success this year is thanks to you and the discipline and hard work you helped install in me is something I will carry on with me throughout my career. And Aaron who off the bat made the room one of the most welcoming places he could, Aaron set an example of the work ethic that not many people had and he was able to set a bar that I would strive to reach, Aaron has always been one of the older kids that I have been able to feel comfortable with and made the team feel like a family. After a big loss, Aaron would always be there to tell me what I did wrong but also remind me of how young I was and how much I was capable of he never let me beat myself up over it for too long. Both Aaron and Daniel have been people that I can see have wanted such great things for me and I couldn’t be more grateful to have had them as my captains. Most of all Nat, Nat was the first person to ever introduce me to wrestling, she was my first training partner, my first time being pinned, and my first example. Nats’ exemplary hard work and dedication to the sport was what sparked my love for wrestling, she gave me someone to chase and to live up to and that is why I owe so much of who I am to her. Nat never felt older because I always felt so connected to her on such a personal level and the memories I made with her this year were so important to me. The relationship I found with Nat this year was more valuable to me than any tournament. I didn’t just find a friend in her, I found an older sister. Good luck to every senior going on to great things and thank you for everything you have left us. -Nohea

From Coach

As the last message to the seniors I wanted to allow our coaches to say their last farewells to the graduating class and reminisce on the memories they made in the past 4 years

I’m Blake Lovato. I am the head coach of Millikan Wrestling. I have been coaching at Millikan for the past 10 years. Out of those I had been head coach of the girl’s team for 3 years and the current boy’s team for 3 years. Some of our biggest accomplishments within these past 4 years were making it to the quarter-finals with the girl’s team, their first year of CIF duals with only 7 girls, making it to CIF finals 4 times, and helping to win an Individual team title, and Being the coach of the year 5 times. Some of the seniors I would like to highlight are Helen, Daniel, Aaron, Trey, Ryan, and Andrew. These seniors were committed to the team’s success over their individual accomplishments and none of these athletes placed themselves over the teams, they represented our team well and showed what the Millikan team was meant to embody. These seniors left great records but most of them left the legacy of embracing the Millikan wrestling cutter, they led by example throughout adversity and challenges, the hard work they put in and the integrity they held were the biggest legacy left by the team. I have been made incredibly proud by these seniors, watching the relentless sacrifices for something that they cared about and seeing them come out stronger after all the challenges and defeats both physically and mentally. My final message to all of these seniors is “Don’t let me down, follow your dreams, and I’ll always be here when you need me, you all are ready”

I’m Daniel Lopez, I have been coaching at Millikan for 16 years, I am able to call myself the current head coach of the girl’s team and have been for the past 3 years. My biggest accomplishments with these wrestlers have been developing and molding these girls to their capability and trying to live up to the tradition of Millikan wrestling. I believe we succeeded with these girls. Our wrestlers that I would like to highlight are Helen Martinez our state qualifier had tremendous growth these 4 years, Haliey Fernadez for leading our girl’s team as a captain, Natly Cardens for the growth she has had within just the past 3 years, Madison Oliver two time league champ and masters qualifier, and Audi a two-time league champ. I feel that these wrestlers have truly embodied “we train to be champions” and the hard work that they put in, each of these graduating wrestlers brought into our program and it showed with the tremendous success they had this last year. I was made extremely proud by the character and work ethic these seniors have developed these past 4 years, which I believe they can carry with them throughout their lives. “Continue to set the bar high, keep growing and adapting to each change as you have these past 4 years, In the words of Dan gable “Once you’ve wrestled everything in life is easy” Keep carrying that message and I know you all can achieve great things”