Because her older sister Dyanna was wrestling since she was a freshman, Ashlee Gutierrez thought that it looked really fun.

“I wrestle in the 116-pound weight class,” she said. “I only wrestle girls.” That restriction has been beneficial for Gutierrez who has place in nearly every tournament she has participated in. “In my first competition – it’s called Novice – I pinned everyone and took place,” she said. “It was fun!”

Like her sister, she practices both Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Judo. “I compete a lot in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu where I am an orange belt,” she said.

For students contemplating getting involved in sports, Gutierrez said that she would tell them to “go for it and try-out because being a part of a team is really fun and meeting new people in high school is always good, too,” she said. “Also, winning is definitely satisfying.”

She said that Dyanna and their father are her role models because they have taught her so much. After graduation, Gutierrez hopes to become a nurse.