West Side Story: When did you first start wrestling?
Peyten Van Dyke: I first started wrestling in seventh grade when my brother did it and I got interested through him. My dad helped coach our team, and I went out with one other girl, so it was just fun to try.
WSS: Who has been your biggest mentor or inspiration on or off the mat?
PVD: Either my brother or my dad because my brother was a wrestler, and he was the one that inspired me, going to all of his like meets and stuff. Then my dad because he’s always there to coach me and help me achieve everything that I want to.
WSS: How has the transition been from junior high wrestling to high school?
PVD: It wasn’t that much different; probably just the competition level and making weight. Once you get it down the first time you’re, you’re able to get it down easily.
WSS: Have you ever been intimidated by the experience of your opponent?
PVD: Yeah, I’ve had a lot of tough matches, which they’ve shaved me to who I am right now, and I’ve only learned from them. But yeah, I definitely say that a couple of them were pretty scary.
Ticket PUNCHED! 🎟️ Congrats to West High’s Helen Orszula, Peyton VanDyke, and Trinity Myers on making it to state for Girls Wrestling! The tournament will be held on February 1st and 2nd at Xtream Arena. Best of luck girls!@ICWPrincipal @ICWestAthletics @IowaCityWestHS pic.twitter.com/pIe0EbQphJ
— Iowa City Schools (@IowaCitySchools) January 31, 2024
WSS: What’s the biggest thing that you’ve learned this year?
PVD: Wrestling is a team sport, which I kind of thought before in junior high was individual, but once I’ve gotten to high school and realized so much of it is team-oriented, and you have to help your teammates so much to get better, and that only helps you.
WSS: What do you think is the most significant accomplishment that you’ve achieved this season?
PVD: Just being able to compete with a lot of the other good, really good girls, because I know at the beginning of the year I wasn’t winning as much. I wasn’t able to compete with girls who were even around the same skill [level] as me. I think having a lot more matches and having good partners in practice has helped me be able to compete at a higher level, and be able to win some of those matches too.
WSS: Where do you see yourself in the future with wrestling?
PVD: One year hopefully I’ll win state, or get third or something. But in the future, I probably want to wrestle in college. Maybe if not in college, then I’ll just be a coach or something like that because I still want to be a part of the sport.
