Gold medal wrestler
A gutsy gold medal performance by Nevaeh Pine of Whites Pines Collegiate was the highlight for a group of Sault Ste. Marie high school wrestlers who recently competed at the Ontario Federation of Schools Athletic Association championship tournament in Ottawa.
Pine, who is a grade 11 student at White Pines, went undefeated over the course of the two day event. She did not surrender a single point en route to wrestling away the OFSAA gold medal in the 95 kg. weight class.
Pine, who hails from Garden River First Nation just outside Sault Ste. Marie, told Sault Business Matters that she felt “incredibly happy” to stand on the OFSAA podium and receive her gold medal.
“I have put a lot of work into this but it wouldn’t be possible without the support of my family and so many others,” Pine began. “Going into OFSSA I was just happy to have qualified. And when the meet was over and I was standing (on the podium) all I could think of was how happy I was for my family and that I was bringing the gold medal home.
“There are so many people I would like to thank besides my family,” Pine continued. “There’s my head coach at White Pines (William Basawa) and there is the training I received at the Algoma Wrestling Club. And there is Brent Fryia from Steel City MMA (Mixed Martial Arts.) Training with Brent at Steel City MMA really prepared me to become a high school wrestler.”
Pine’s older brother, Malcolm, was also a high school wrestler and she said it was him who first got her interested in wrestling.
Meanwhile, PIne’s head coach at White Pines, William Basawa, had plenty good to say about his gold medal wrestler.
“Nevaeh is a very determined young athlete and I truly believe she is only just learning her true potential in the sport,” Basawa relayed to Sault Business Matters. “Neveah is consistently working on her technique both here at White Pines and through the Algoma Wrestling Club. Nevaeh is well respected by her teammates and her fellow competitors, which as a coach is one of the best things to see. It is one thing for a wrestler to make the podium at OFSAA … it is another thing to come first and not be scored on during the entire run of the tournament. She exploded through her opponents’ mistakes during her wins and completely exhausted her opponents in her win because of her technique.”
Basawa also noted the character and caring attitude of Pine.
“Nevaeh does so much locally through her advocating for Indigenous issues, and I believe she is a tremendous role model for our young female athletes,” said Basawa.