Josie Larson is already making a name for herself and she’s only just a sophomore. Going into her freshman year, Larson would have never guessed she would be as far as she is today, not even two years later.

Josie Larson looks to continue her success in her junior and senior year. After just finishing her sophomore wrestling season, Larson has already made history here at Lakes becoming the third all state wrestler (along with current junior wrestler Ava Babbs) where she placed fifth in this year’s state event. In a recent interview with Larson, she was asked about her wrestling career. “I started wrestling my freshman year. My brother Dermot is the one who recommended it to me. Being a wrestler himself, he told me I would love the sport so I decided to give it a try,” said Larson. For Larson, her skills improved pretty quickly and she is already proving she is not only one of the best wrestlers in the program, but also one of the best wrestlers in the state.
Larson’s game is played very strategically which is a huge part in her recent success. “Most of the time I am an offensive wrestler. I will bring out the defensive moves only when I think they’re necessary,” said Larson. Larson got the opportunity to experience going to state that many dream of experiencing but never get the reality of it. She was put to the top test and her performance is one that will never be forgotten. “I was definitely very nervous. I love the sport though, so I had so much fun competing, spending time with the team and just getting the experience of being down there during that event” said Larson.
Coach Jack Troesch, the head coach of the wrestling team, had a lot of great things to say about Larson. “Josie brings great energy to the team, she’s a completely different person on the mat and I think that really helps her to succeed,” Troesch mentioned. Larson is as great of a teammate as they come. Troesch also explained he expects Larson to return next year on the same level if not better. “There’s always room for improvement, Larson is physically strong and doesn’t give up easily especially if she has an opponent on their back,” said Troesch. For Larson it’s more than just competing. She’s always there encouraging and cheering on her other teammates. “I’m a very supportive teammate, I love cheering for all of my teammates while they’re on the mat,” explained Larson. Having this type of bond with the team paves the way for the whole team and their chemistry as a whole.
With Larson’s sophomore wrestling season recently ending, she still has two more great years ahead of her to look forward to. Wrestling is more than just a sport for her, the bonds and friendships created through it are ones that will stick with her for a long time. “One of my favorite memories so far was when Ava (Babbs) got called for a match while she was doing a Tik Tok dance,” said Larson. Although their season is over, both Larson and Babbs have one more year of wrestling together to look forward to with many more memories to come. When asked about both Babbs and Larson, Coach Troesch had to say, “Both are very committed to being the best, it’s very impressive how they’re able to grasp their skills very quickly. Their wrestling IQ is very high”. Having that type of competition to compliment each other really helps them to improve their game together and the sky’s the limit for both Babbs and Larson next upcoming season.