If teachers have a hard time pinning down Northview High School senior Tatiana Padilla, it’s because the No. 2 ranked U.S. World Team wrestler has been busy collecting wins. Named the ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year this summer, Padilla took second at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas in June. Last April, she finished fourth at the U. S. Senior Nationals in Las Vegas. She is only the fourth wrestler to win three Junior National titles.
Tatiana has been featured in Wrestling USA Magazine (Oct. 1, 2007) and Wrestling International Newsmagazine (Aug. 10, 2007), where she credited her coach David Ochoa and her older half-brother, Chris Lopez, for her development.
“I’ve been wrestling since I was three and a half and seeing how close I am to where the other women are, I’m amazed. I want to be one out of a million, not one of a million. I want to be the unique person standing out. I want to be extraordinary.”
Because of her demanding travel schedule, Tatiana has worked on some of her coursework with Ms. Marilynne Jensen through Northview’s Independent Study program. Northview’s Assistant Principal Dana Craig says he is proud of Tatiana, not only for her athletic achievements but for her academic success as well.
"Tatiana has made us look that much better at Northview. To have arguably the most accomplished athlete in the school's history maintain a B- average and near perfect attendance with all the worldwide commitments she has had is truly remarkable. It is hard for any casual observer of this girl to appreciate the sacrifices she has had to make to do what she has done and still come through like she has academically. Tatiana has raised the bar at Northview High School for what it means to be a well-rounded, balanced, responsible, and dedicated individual."
Look for Tatiana to represent the United States in the 2008 Pan American Games, which will be held in Colorado Springs. Who knows – you might just see her on the U.S. Olympic Team!
If teachers have a hard time pinning down Northview High School senior Tatiana Padilla, it’s because the No. 2 ranked U.S. World Team wrestler has been busy collecting wins. Named the ASICS Girls High School Wrestler of the Year this summer, Padilla took second at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials in Las Vegas in June. Last April, she finished fourth at the U. S. Senior Nationals in Las Vegas. She is only the fourth wrestler to win three Junior National titles.
