FHS Wrestler Signs With Midland

There’s a lot to be said about Fairbury High School senior Makena Schramm, but the actions that helped write the history books will be able to speak louder than any word ever could.On February 9 Schramm signed with Midland on a wrestling scholarship.It was a time of celebration and reminiscing about what she’s accomplished so far in such a young career. A state runner-up, the first and only national champion to ever come out of Fairbury in any sport, undefeated 35-0 in her senior season with one last tournament.An athlete would be fortunate with one great coach having a connection with, but as it has been this year with the three coaches Schramm’s had on this journey with FHS head girls coach Dominique Cherry, Jonathan Fletcher and MaKayla Fletcher each were able to give their thoughts on what will serve her well in the next level, the memories they’ve had, and legacy she’s left.For Cherry it’s gone too fast as he would wipe away tear before speaking on the last two years, “Man when we think about it, we’re going to miss her, I’m going too miss her because she’s a sponge for this sport and it’s almost scary how much she wants to learn. You look at her and think she’s one-dimensional then she’s learned five different ways to pin you in under 30 seconds.“Sad to see her go, but I’m happy for the memories like every single head-throw that ended with a girl almost crying, to put it lightly, they were legal throws, but she did them so perfectly it was fun to watch. If anyone has a question about her legacy, look at that record board, they’ll see her legacy and what it shows hard work looks like.”For MaKayla Fletcher, in the second go around with Makena, it is no worries about the transition from high school to college, it is more about the person off the mat she’ll be missing most: “I’m going to miss her because she’s always so positive, and can make anyone laugh. Good or bad day, she’ll make someone laugh, she knows how to pick me up when I’m down and visa-versa so it’s been great to have that relationship. Her legacy is that regardless of anything going on, she always put 100 percent on the mat and that’ll follow her to the next level to great things.”Fletcher feels the next level is going to suit Schramm.“She’s a really hard worker, not only on the mat, with her schoolwork and everything in life. She’ll have no issues transitioning from folk-style to freestyle in my mind,” Fletcher said.A new addition to the team this year was assistant Jonathan Fletcher. Fletcher said, “She continues the work she’s done now and in the summer, she’ll be poised to have a great career at Midland University. It’s been really fun to watch her jump levels like she has in the short…I think three or four months I’ve been working with her.“I think she’s developed a lot of offense this last year. Reason for that as coaches is to prepare for her for that next level. She’s developed leg attacks, good throws, really good control of her hips, good control on the mat. She can really control the pace of the match and she’s been really good at it this year.”Why Midland? For her it was a simple choice, “I really like smaller campuses, and when I went on a visit it had just the campus, if that makes any sense? I love the wrestling coaches, their awesome and probably the biggest factor in what made my decision.”Though it’s inception for Nebraska having girls wrestling only being two years old, the career and memories for Schramm began much sooner, “First memories I have is probably the first time I stepped on the mat, I was going against a boy, just smiling away, I’m not sure why but I’ve always smiled when I wrestled. Just the fact I was so happy to wrestle I was smiling the whole even as I was getting pinned. That’s honestly the first memory I have. I love wrestling because I thrive to get better, I think that’s what keeps me going. The fact that we’re growing the sport, I love the fact that some little kids can look up to me, like wow, and women belong in wrestling too, that’s a big one. The fact I’m paving a path for younger generations to have it a little easier.”When it’s all said and done, the legacy Schramm hopes to leave, in one word it’s sportsmanship, “I hope they know, I don’t care if I win or lose, I love to compete which is why I love wrestling, and I think sportsmanship is the biggest thing. I want them to know that win or lose, I was a great person on and off the mat, she was nice, shook the refs hand, shook the coaches hands, her opponents hand even after a hard loss.”

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