When the Missouri High Schools Athletics Association first sponsored girls wrestling four years ago, Maelynn Sundlie didn't give a hint she would one day join her brothers and father on the mat.
"She grew up going to tournaments, but never showed any interest until last year," Ozark coach Tod Sundlie said.
"Secretly, I kind of was (interested)," Maelynn said.
She was in the seventh grade when girls wrestling got its start statewide, but volleyball remained her only sport. As fate would have it, Ozark didn't field a girls team until interest perked up last school year, just in time for Maelynn's freshman season.
"Tori (Dunn) told me she was doing wrestling and I said, 'That's awesome, my Dad is super excited about having a girls team,'" Sundlie said. "After talking to her, I was like, 'Maybe I should look at it and try it.' I also saw other girls were going to do it. There was an opportunity, so I thought I would join in with them and we would all be on the same level. I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. I ended up loving it."
Upon first stepping onto the mat, Sundlie actually had a bit of a head start on most of her teammates. After all, she had already attended more than her share of matches while watching her brothers compete.
"I didn't have tons of knowledge," she said. "But I knew what a cradle was and whether or not they got a takedown. But I didn't know the names for a sweep or a pin combination."
Maelynn's oldest brothers, Preston and Riley, both wrestled for Ozark and another older brother, Brock, is a senior for the Tigers this year. With there being a younger brother, sixth-grader Trevor, the Sundlies are in the middle of what could be a 14-year stretch in which at least one member of their family is wrestling for Ozark.
Maelynn is now confident talking wrestling with her brothers.
"It's interesting, I feel smart now while watching wrestling," she said. "I can watch my brother and, not that I give the best advice, but I can say, 'Oh, do this instead,' because I understand what is happening.
"I like the cradle," she added. "I've been trying to work on other takedowns. I'm trying to widen my skills."
"She came in and fell in love with (wrestling)," Tod Sundlie said. "It’s been exciting to see her enjoy some success."
Maelynn is 34-6 as a 120-pounder this season and is fresh from a COC Tournament championship. She'll look to earn a berth to State at Districts, to be hosted by Ozark this weekend.
"I'm going to give it my best," she said. "I wasn't expecting the season to be this good. I think I've become more confident in our training and become more prepared."
