Let The Enjoyable Start! Lyric Hetzer Finds Pleasure In Wrestling

Ohio’s Lyric Hetzer loves wrestling greater than something, and all her family and friends are singing the same tune.

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Video Transcript

Kyle Clingman with FLW Wrestling.

Our visitor is Lyric Hetzer.

She is a Fargo All-American, U15 Pan Am champion, two-time folkstyle nationwide champion.

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She’s been wrestling numerous co- faculty opens despite the fact that she’s going into her sophomore yr of highschool.

Lyric, let’s speak about that.

You have a singular scenario.

You’re homeschooled.

You stay close to Cincinnati.

What’s that been like permitting you to coach freestyle solely and simply get competitors that means?

You know, I completely like it.

I like how my companions transition into freestyle with me too, despite the fact that they’re folkstyle.

You know, my mother trains me down at Women of Wrestling Training Center, so we’re all freestyle.

Even once I go to folkstyle practices, all of us practice freestyle, so I like it ‘trigger I like throwing individuals.

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So, you realize, it is, it is fairly enjoyable throwing individuals and going to varsity opens, seeing all these faculty coaches, attending to know individuals, particularly the older ladies.

I’ve actually robust connections with them, so once I see them at school opens, you realize, I get to speak to them, I get to see them.

I like it.

Tell us about this membership, Women of Wrestling, is that what you mentioned?

Yeah.

I’m sporting the shirt.

Oh, cool.

What- It’s a, it is a coaching heart you gotta inform us about that.

Oh, it is, it is down in Franklin, Ohio.

We have, it is an all freestyle year-round.

So we, we simply began, like, two months in the past, however it’s, it is getting there.

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Like, we’ve got, yesterday we had, I believe, 12 ladies.

Like, it is, it is rising actually quick.

So we attempt to, we get all freestyle ladies.

You know, the, the women in there are good.

We have Heather Krall, Olivia Krall.

Them two, them two I like scrapping with.

I’ve scrapped with Olivia and Heather for couple years now.

Definitely, they’re undoubtedly good.

I like coaching with them.

Tell us about that transition from going to public highschool to being homeschooled.

How does that work?

What’s a day-to-day seem like for you while you’re in highschool being homeschooled?

When I used to wrestle folkstyle in class, it was lots totally different as a result of I really feel like I used to be managed lots, and I needed to do folkstyle a ton.

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So I might go from folkstyle and going into freestyle, and I had that little tiny bit I did not know what to do.

So I made a decision to go all freestyle as a result of it is the Olympic sort, it is the world sort.

You know, I wanna give attention to Olympic and worlds.

So once I transitioned into freestyle, my whole sport simply, like, switched, you realize?

So I did like going folkstyle for a bit as a result of it did, you realize, progress me into scrambling lots as a result of I like scrambling, and so I needed to put that into freestyle perspective as properly.

So, you realize, doing ankle passes however not attempting to show my again, doing, you realize, cartwheels as properly, so undoubtedly, undoubtedly suggest being homeschooled and freestyle.

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How about your day-to-day classwork?

What do it’s a must to do there?

I’ve about six hours, so I can go each time I would like, what time I would like.

I might say, I, I imply, I have not set an alarm for varsity in a really very long time, so I kinda simply get up each time I would like.

I am going to highschool.

I’ve coaching.

I do faculty for about six hours.

Do coaching or go for a exercise.

I attempt to get two practices in, however we attempt to get better my physique and have little much less.

So I might do faculty, go to observe, come house, possibly perform a little bit extra faculty if I did not have sufficient at first, however, you realize, I, I’ve numerous freedom.

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I can do no matter I would like through the day, so yeah.

Your mother, Heather, has been extremely invested in your wrestling.

What has she meant to you?

She means the world to me, you realize?

She has, she has put all the things in, into me, so along with her simply touring with me and her I, I do not, like, phrases cannot describe how a lot she means to me.

Like, she’s accomplished a lot for me, you realize, opening up the room, touring with me, taking me to practices.

Like, I would not be precisely the place I’m proper now if she did not come to my nook and do the issues that she does for me.

How did that wrestling relationship kind?

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Did you might have conversations early on about desirous to be in wrestling?

I used to be, like, a loopy cheerleader, so, like, we, I went on a soccer discipline they usually had been enjoying, like, flag soccer, and they also invited the cheerleaders, and I used to be like, I used to be like six.

And so then I used to be, like, bulldozing by means of these boys, after which the wrestling coach needed me, you realize, stepping into wrestling, and I have not left since, you realize?

I’m not, I’m not so good on my blast double, however at the moment, I used to be, like, I used to be, like, peak.

Like, I used to be actually good at my blast double.

So I went into that, after which, you realize, I threw just a little sprinkles on there.

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I did some gymnastics, boxing.

So now I do boxing and wrestling as properly.

So it is like wrestling’s just like the ice cream, after which the sprinkles are boxing.

You know, I attempt to get just a little little bit of one thing else in there so my thoughts is not all wrestling, as a result of I take into consideration wrestling on a regular basis.

Like, that is my, it is my factor.

I give it some thought.

I daydream about it.

So if I simply sprinkle on one thing else, then it will get me calm.

It will get me having enjoyable with my sport, you realize?

I haven’t got it at endlessly, so simply have enjoyable on the market, you realize?

Now, does your dad like wrestling?

He, he, he watches me on a regular basis.

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So he, his work is, like, actually scheduled, so he cannot make tournaments, however, I imply, he is, like, my primary fan.

He activates the TV, after which he simply watches me.

And, like, there would make sure matches, I bear in mind after profitable U15, trials- I textual content, I used to be with Bella and I texted him.

I’m like, “I won.”

And he is nonetheless watching the match as a result of it’s- Huh it is a, it is just a little delayed, so he is watching the match and I’m like calling him.

He was like, “What are you doing?

You’re wrestling right now.”

And I’m like, “No, I just won.”

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And that, that match was actually shut, and I wrestled Winter West, after which me and her are identical to greatest associates.

Like I, I, I like Winter.

She’s such a tremendous individual.

She simply received Fargo.

Me, Mazie Elliott, and her, we’re identical to, we’re simply, we’re simply, we’re enjoyable to be round collectively.

So Winter’s an superior human.

Mazie is an superior human.

I, I like them each.

What does a Lyric Hetzer wrestling daydream seem like?

Can you inform us or articulate what that might be?

I, I take into consideration all the things, you realize?

Everything that’s in wrestling, I, I actually need to be a world champion, an Olympic champion, so undoubtedly daydream about that lots.

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Anything that, like I simply wanna be, I, I’m in pursuit of being the very best model of myself.

So even when it is just like the little issues, you realize, making your mattress within the morning or going for a run while you’re drained, like I, I simply, I, I need to be higher.

It looks like you are extremely invested within the sport in any respect ranges.

What in- pursuits you about different elements of it?

You talked in regards to the College Opens, however do you observe faculty wrestling?

Are you watching the Olympics and the world championships?

Are you checked into all that?

I, I’m.

I like wrestling, I like watching boys wrestling just a little extra.

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I like Oklahoma State lots.

I like watching them wrestle.

Girls, I like Yu Sakamoto.

She’s actually good.

I undoubtedly like her type as a result of it is much like mine.

It’s nice seeing faculty wrestling in individual as properly as a result of, you realize, you see it on Flo, you see it on all these USA Wrestling issues, and I like seeing it and I’m like, “Oh, I really, I really wanna be in there.”

And so having the ability to go in College Opens and truly compete with the faculty ladies is simply wonderful.

When you first bought concerned with wrestling, do you know this was the game for you and that this was gonna be your path?

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Oh, yeah, undoubtedly.

Definitely.

Ever since, ever since I stepped within the room I used to be like, “I’m not leaving.

I’m not leaving.”

How’d you realize?

Was there simply one thing inside?

It was simply, it was simply one thing.

You know, I, I went on the mat and I liked the bond between the women.

You know, I, I like seeing ladies’s wrestling develop, so once I went in there, there wasn’t so many women wrestling on the time.

And I used to be a ve- I’m like an enormous martial arts, like I did jujitsu, I did judo, like I used to be, I used to be, I used to be huge on that sort of stuff.

So once I went in there, I simply appreciated, I simply appreciated fight.

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So once I went in there, I sort of simply let free.

You know, once I go into wrestling, I kinda, all my ideas simply go away and I simply have enjoyable on the market.

Did you inform your mother, “I’m interested,” after which she bought ?

Or was she earlier than you?

I believe firstly it was me, after which she began seeing it and he or she was like, “Yeah.”

This, like proper off the bat she was like, “She, she’s gonna be good.

She’s gonna be good.”

So I, I did not depart, and I like it.

I like it.

Because now your mother’s hooked, she’s concerned.

How has she continued her journey in wrestling and gotten higher and simply extra educated in regards to the sport?

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She has undoubtedly gotten ladies to develop much more.

So in our membership as properly, we’ve got some new ladies, however they’re so keen to be taught freestyle, so my mother coaching them as properly has constructed up the game a ton.

Like she’s a, she’s, she’s an amazing coach.

You know, when Women of Wrestling was doing duels and all that, we had been simply having enjoyable.

We had been enjoying music, doing TikToks.

So we undoubtedly all the time need to have a smile on the women’ faces, and he or she does that properly.

She does actually good on that.

How have you ever developed so many relationships on this sport?

That’s an excellent one.

I, they’re identical to, how I developed it’s that a lot of the ladies that I’ve met by means of wrestling, like all of them have been by means of wrestling.

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They’re simply wonderful individuals.

They have the identical objectives as me, in order that’s sort of the circle I wanna be round, you realize, individuals which might be decided as me and need to wrestle on a regular basis as a result of I, I, I do not like leaving the mat, you realize?

That’s, it is like my house.

So once I discover somebody that’s that decided, I simply, I do not wanna depart them, you realize?

‘Cause, you realize, if we’ve got the identical objectives, I wanna preserve you round.

So while you stroll right into a event, does it really feel like Lyric is right here, everybody desires to speak to you?

Is that the vibe?

I do not, I do not attempt to give that vibe.

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I, I simply, like I like everybody on the event.

I haven’t got any dangerous, dangerous blood.

I simply have enjoyable, you realize?

I used to get actually nervous at tournaments, like couple months in the past even, like World Team Trials, Pan Am Trials, I used to get so nervous.

Like, I used to be like, “Oh, you know, what if this girl’s good?”

And I’m like, that, what if this lady’s good?

Like that is, that is what I search for.

So over the summer time, my mindset has switched a lot that I’m simply having enjoyable, you realize?

I haven’t got my whole life to be doing this, so would possibly as properly, you realize, simply have some enjoyable and, you realize, the wins will come when you might have enjoyable.

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How’d you alter your mentality?

You know, there was, once I was at World Team Trials, I misplaced and I bear in mind my mother taking me to the aspect, and he or she was identical to, “If you want me to like train you and put my full, full vision into what I think you can be, you know, let me train you.”

And I used to be like- Okay.

You know, I’m gonna, I’m gonna begin it.

And so in that two weeks from World Team Trials to US Open, I used to be, I used to be coaching laborious and I bought my mindset higher and, you realize, there was an enormous distinction from my US Open efficiency and my World Team Trials efficiency.

And then after US Open, I targeted on my mindset lots.

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And so now I do not give attention to the opposite ladies, I give attention to myself and the way I could make myself higher, as a result of I can wrestle any lady.

It does not, like, it will not matter, however I attempt to put my focus into myself as a substitute of, oh, what does this lady have?

What does this lady have?

You know, what do I’ve?

Like, what can I put out within the match?

So mindset is certainly an enormous factor in my look.

There was an interview that you simply and Bella Manno did together- Mm-hmm and also you had been requested who’s higher, and also you guys went forwards and backwards.

What is it like having a pal like that the place you can provide one another a tough time?

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Well, okay.

She, she did not tech me.

She did not We had a match at World Team Trials, and I teched her and, however she tore my ACL that match, so then I went to my finals and I completely, like I did so dangerous.

So after that yr, we wrestled at World Team Trials collectively and made the crew, after which we went to Guatemala collectively and it was identical to We bought, we bought the most important room, too, prefer it was simply wonderful being And then we each received gold, so it was nice.

She, she’s been doing actually good, I do know that.

Like, she simply received Fargo, so I’m very pleased with her.

How did you construct that bond, then?

If you are opponents, how do you simply cross over?

Was it simply that U15 Pan Ams?

No.

No, it was earlier than.

It was when she tore my So we, we began understanding one another from Gail Sullivan, so we began being associates and, properly, after we wrestled one another, after which we be- we simply turned shut and, you realize.

Even although we wrestle one another, if we do wrestle one another, you realize, we’re nonetheless associates, simply on the mat we’re simply two totally different individuals, after which out of the mat we’re associates once more.

So I do not, I do not attempt to have that friendship the place we’ll wrestle, so we won’t be associates.

Like, I do not consider it like that.

Like, it is a match, we’ve got some enjoyable.

You know, whoever wins, we’re, we’re not enemies off the mat, we’re associates.

So as soon as we step onto the mat, it is a complete totally different mindset.

You know, we’re wrestling, we’re not gonna deal with one another like we’re associates, so yeah.

How lengthy after the competitors is over are you able to change into associates once more with considered one of your opponents?

I imply, stepping off the mat.

Like, proper off the mat, proper after we shake fingers, you realize.

It’s, it is enjoyable, you realize?

The, all these ladies, I, I, I’ve actually shut bonds with numerous ladies, so a few of them are in my weight class, a few of them I’ve wrestled, and I, I do not take it as that, you realize, that we’re not shut after the match, you realize?

Me and, if you realize Alexa Thomas, we have wrestled, and we had been associates, like, proper earlier than the match.

We had been, like, pacing be- behind the stage earlier than we went up.

We had been simply smiling at one another, after which we, after which we wrestled, after which after we simply frolicked, so.

Injuries.

You’ve had them, you have needed to overcome them.

What’s your technique to simply get by means of a tough patch of anybody’s athletic profession?

I’ve had my ACL harm.

I’ve not had surgical procedure, however I’ve constructed the muscle up a lot that it does not damage anymore.

I might undoubtedly say it is extra mindset as properly, as a result of should you go right into a match considering you are going to damage one thing, you are going to find yourself hurting one thing, so I attempt to get my thoughts off that, give attention to one thing else.

So undoubtedly numerous, I might say cupping, like all of that dry needling.

Definitely recovering it as a lot as attainable.

I got here again in, I believe, three months.

Like, I used to be, I used to be again on the mat ‘trigger I, I missed it a lot, however it did not damage.

So I nonetheless shield it.

You know, I, I undoubtedly suggest nonetheless defending it if there was no surgical procedure.

Even with surgical procedure, I might shield it as properly.

When you are homeschooled, you are in all probability simply taking a look at faculty opens.

Is that what you are interested by for the upcoming season along with your competitors schedule, is simply faculty opens?

Super 32.

I might say Super 32 as properly.

Really need to wrestle in who’s primary.

I, I noticed, I noticed it is in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

That’s my I wanna, I’m an enormous Oklahoma State fan, so Super 32, undoubtedly.

I’m very, I do know I’m ready for the tournaments developing, faculty opens.

So I, I weigh round 116, so my weight isn’t laborious to make.

I do not like reducing.

I, I finished that a few yr in the past as a result of I really feel like reducing weight drained my physique.

I’d exit within the matches, my legs can be drained.

So I discovered that reducing weight for me is lots helpful, so I simply go on the market.

Weigh outs are simple as a result of I do not minimize, so I like having faculty opens, undoubtedly.

I’ll, I’ll be attempting to hit all these up.

Then, I imply, after faculty opens, I’m making ready for World Team Trials.

You have such an amazing first title.

Is there a narrative behind it?

My dad and mom like, appreciated music, in order that they referred to as me Lyric.

My sister, Gracie.

I do not know why they name her Gracie, however it’s G-R-A-C-I, with out the E. Lyric.

I’m a music individual, however not good at singing in any respect, so you realize, I stick with wrestling.

Right now, what’s preserving you motivated?

What’s thrilling you in regards to the subsequent step of the, of the game, whether or not it is extra schools including or simply the freestyle crew, the Olympics developing, what’s getting Lyric Hetzer excited?

I might say simply wrestling usually, however undoubtedly Olympics developing.

I imply, we’ve got two years, le- possibly even lower than two years.

So I’m simply, I’m, I’m all targeted on that, all targeted on Worlds.

So my whole mindset, you realize, I’m attempting to eat, I’m consuming clear, I’m doing, I’m doing issues proper simply to organize for Olympics as a result of, I imply, it is shut, it is shut right here, so very enthusiastic about that.

I’m actually enthusiastic about Worlds, World Team trials.

I undoubtedly need to make the World Team this yr, and I’ve been coaching actually laborious and I believe I’m, suppose I’m prepared for that.

Do you observe all the universities including ladies’s wrestling?

It’s such a cool factor.

Is that one thing you are checked in on?

I do know Mercy, Mercyhurst, they only added a D1 program.

I, I met, I met them on the, there was this camp two weeks in the past.

They are so good.

I actually like the women coach.

She’s, she’s very nice.

And I believe her husband goes into the boys’s, like she, he is going into the boys’s.

So I undoubtedly like them.

I do know Gigi Bragg goes there, so I bought to coach along with her a bit.

She’s, she’s superior.

I l- I actually like Gigi.

How about for you so far as simply exterior of the mat?

You speak about simply interested by wrestling on a regular basis.

Are there stuff you like different than simply the game?

I like boxing.

Boxing’s enjoyable.

It’s only a bit totally different as a result of my stance, my ft have to alter.

So my left leg must be in entrance when I’m boxing as a result of my proper hand.

So it undoubtedly is lots totally different than wrestling.

I do like cooking as a result of I like meals.

I like meals.

Definitely high quality time with my household, my associates.

So it is laborious as a result of I, I like w- I like wrestling a lot that it is laborious to discover a totally different interest.

So I used to be sort of, I needed to do boxing.

I needed to do another sport as properly, simply, only a tiny bit.

Like, I solely do it like as soon as every week, and I’ve observe the identical day.

So I attempt to get just a little one thing totally different than simply wrestling on a regular basis, despite the fact that that is, that is actually what I take into consideration lots.

But I believe lots of people bought to know that, you realize, you might have a life exterior wrestling as properly.

You know, you are going to become old, after which wrestling’s going to have to go away you at some point.

And so I take into consideration that lots.

You know, I preserve my grades nice, and I stick with my household, and m- we’re simply actually huge on our household.

So yeah.

So most people you see in any given day are going to be at a wrestling observe.

Is that proper?

So- I, I do not, I do not ta- I do not actually discuss to individuals, like exterior wrestling.

Like I, I do not Because I’m all the time at wrestling, so m- all of my associates are wrestlers.

So individuals, as a result of I’m homeschooled as properly, I do not actually have individuals that do not wrestle.

But it is, it is nice having wrestling associates, you realize?

You bought to simply inform me about your room right here, although.

Like, I see these medals over right here.

I see a TV.

Like, what, is that this all Rudas stuff again right here?

Oh, yeah.

It’s Rudas.

Okay.

So I bought the medals over right here.

These, okay, this one needs to be downstairs.

I’ve like, that is all gold, however this one, like, this one means lots to me as a result of I bought second.

I do not like dropping.

And we’ve got all of those, after which again right here we’ve got some cease indicators, after which Rudas posters hung up, after which downstairs is like the place the enjoyable really is.

Like there’s, there’s numerous stuff downstairs.

Really?

So that is the wrestling room.

So we’ve got all like, two of them like fell down, however that’s a few of my brackets, after which we’ve got the TV that I watch some wrestling on, some awards all again right here.

I’ve the flowers from Pan Am nonetheless.

I by no means removed them as a result of I like them a lot.

And then we’ve got the sauna, after which we’ve got this factor that my dad makes use of a ton.

But undoubtedly I exploit, I exploit the yoga ball a ton, after which we’ve got all these.

So yeah, it is lots.

Oh, after which we, we’ve got just like the, the Ultimate membership.

We have one, two, three, 4, 5, 5, what do you name them?

The, the issues that like fireplace.

So yeah.

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