Hinsdale South wrestler Callie Carr had a simple motivation that helped drive her perfect 39-0 record, which was capped off with a state championship.
“I never expected to have an undefeated season but I do hate to lose,” Carr said. “There was always constant pressure, but I don’t think it was because of my record; I think it was because I was just ready to go and wanted to reach my goal already.”
And Carr’s biggest goal was to win a state championship.
“I didn’t think I was going to reach that goal, but I do know I was training like any state champ would. I just wanted to be more dominant than I ever have been, and really prove to everyone that I can make a name for myself.
“As I went into postseason, I didn’t even look at my record. When I saw it, I saw 0-0. The postseason is a whole different mindset, as each match is different, and anything can happen, and I was just ready to prove myself.”
Carr qualified for the state competition by winning both regional and sectional championships in her 155-pound weight class. Her state title came March 1 when she defeated Kiyah Chavez, of Oswego High School, 6-0.
“It felt so surreal,” Carr said. “When the clock hit zero, everything that I did leading up to the state finals was worth it. In the moment, I didn’t believe it was real and was still gathering my thoughts, but as time went on it sunk in, and I couldn’t have been happier.”
Carr said she first became interested in wrestling while watching her older brother, Griffin, compete during a meet.
“He had been doing it his whole life, and I would always go in and bother him during his middle school practices, but I never really thought of doing it until my 8th grade year. My mom told me, ‘You’re either all in or you’re all out,’ and my dad and I went and bought wrestling shoes, and it kind of just took off from there.”
Carr said she didn’t really think about the impact being around her brother had on her until recently.
“I hadn’t thought about it that deeply until he was sitting in my chair at state,” she said. “Having my brother with me in the moments of my highs meant the world to me. He has seen me at my lowest of lows and has never once doubted me. He knew I could come back stronger and be more dedicated than I ever was.
“Griffin is truly the definition of a brother who would move the heavens and the earth for me. He made a huge impact on all of my accomplishments, and I honestly don’t believe I could’ve accomplished them without him. He has been my rock and the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Encouragement and support weren’t the only factors that Griffin, now a sophomore in college, contributed to Carr’s development as a wrestler.
“He has been my training partner at times and my warmup partner at nearly every meet,” she said.
Until this past season, Carr was on her own as a Hinsdale South wrestler. The Illinois High School Association added girls wrestling for the 2021-22 school year, making the recently completed season only the fourth. But while Carr represented Hinsdale South during the previous two seasons, the school did not field a team.
She competed against boys during her freshman year, until the postseason. During her sophomore season, Carr wrestled girls from schools in the West Suburban Conference Gold Division, along with competing in some girls tournaments.
Hinsdale South’s boys wrestling coaches worked with Carr during her first two seasons, before the girls team was added this past season and Mike Uhlir became the coach for the Hornets.
“What I knew about Callie when I began coaching is what she told me about her past wrestling achievements,” Uhlir said. “My expectation for Callie for her junior year was to do better than her previous years and to achieve the goals she made for herself.”
Uhlir said Carr became an undefeated state champion because of her dedication and commitment to wrestling.
“She knew if she won or lost it was all on her,” he said. “She is not only a great wrestler, but a great athlete and person. It is her approach to life to work hard at everything she does and to accomplish perfection. She is successful because she is not afraid to fail, believes in herself and knows perfection can be achieved.”
Coming up with an encore as a senior to her perfect junior year will be a significant challenge, and Carr admitted feeling some pressure as she looks ahead to her final year of high school.
“I would be lying if I said I didn’t, but also, if I just go out there and wrestle my way, I hope to have the same results as I just did. But I know some people are probably going to come out to give me a challenge, and I’m ready for it.”
The bad news for next season’s challengers is that Carr plans to continue working hard to be even better next year.
“I have a lot of room to improve,” she said. “Although I was happy with the results of my finals match, I felt so poorly about the way I performed, so I’m ready to get back to training harder than I did this year and just get straight to work.”
That attitude doesn’t surprise her coach.
“She will train hard, approach everything with passion, she respects all and will enjoy her senior year,” Uhlir said. “If it is sports, school or life, she loves a challenge and has a hunger to compete. Whatever the task is, Callie wants to be the best. Win or lose, she enjoys what she does, and because she enjoys what she does, Callie is a winner every time.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
