Wrestling means more than gold for one little girl

By: SCNow Staff | SCNow
Published: August 06, 2008

At St. James high school on a Tuesday wrestlers take to the mat. All the grapplers spar against their own weight class with partners around their own age. Yet not all the wrestlers at the Grand Strand Wrestling Club are male.

Allow me to introduce Mackenzie Tecco, at nine years old Mackenzie is following in her Father Tony and Brother Kyle’s footsteps. Kyle currently wrestles for the Sharks at the 112 lb. weight class, while Tony wrestled in high school in his native Ohio.

“She watched the high school practicing, and watched coach (Matt) Anderson, she had natural ability and I just let her go with it,” said Father Tony Tecco.

“Every one thinks I’m small, cause I’m the smallest person in my class, they don’t think I’m the strongest person. So I started wrestling,” said Mackenzie.

Mackenzie’s natural ability shined through right away, beating every boy she went up against in her first tournament. The fourth grader captured the gold medal at the Summerville Classic earlier this year.

Yet wrestling is worth more than gold to Mackenzie, a year ago she was diagnosed with Celiac disease.

The disease debilitates the digestive system from breaking down wheat, barley and rye. The strict regimented diet a wrestler utilizes to stay in their weight class works perfectly with Mackenzie’s daily life.

“Being a wrestler builds her confidence that she needs,” said Shawna Tecco.

“The individualistic sport of wrestling helps her; she’s the only child in the area that has this disease.”

Mackenzie builds that confidence every time she’s involved in competition. The 9 year old often dismisses the snickers and hazing of being called a boy, but she is one to quickly silence her critics’ weather they’re a parent or an opponent. Mackenzie usually is the one walking away with a smile, while her opponent leaves with some resentment.

“They get mad when they get pinned by a girl.”

For more information on the Grand Strand Wrestling Club: Please contact St. James Wrestling Coach Matt Anderson at St. James High School. The club meets on Tuesday and Thursday night from 5-7 p.m.