As a freshman at Spring Lake High School, Braelyn Flemming and sophomore Teegan Rose were not taking themselves seriously by joining the wrestling team.
“As a joke, we went in and did it, and I didn’t realize where it was going to take me,” Fleming reflected three years later, after closing out a historic state-run career – “a lot of firsts for me.”
This March, Flemming placed third in the state in the Girls Division, after reaching the final match in the heavyweight class as a junior. While falling short of the state title was a let down for the wrestler, Flemming, a senior, has plans to continue the sport in college.
Despite being one of two girl wrestlers for the Lakers – as MHSAA only added the single-division sport when Flemming joined as a freshman – she hasn’t been alone in her victories. Athletic Director JT Hogan arranged to play the live broadcast of her state match during the lunch period in 2024, and the student section at a home basketball game chanted, “Let’s go Braelyn!”
Flemming said she wasn’t aware students were watching her match from the lunch room, but was encouraged by the support: “That’s actually kind of cool.”
The progress was gradual as Flemming stuck with the sport. After finishing 0-2 in the state tournament as a freshman, she climbed to runner-up as a junior, and capped off the third-placed finish this season. Battling a Claire High School wrestler, Anne Marie Green, over the years was a highlight of her career, going 1-1 against one another in the semifinals and regionals in subsequent years.
In Spring Lake, the youth girls program has grown steadily. Flemming helps the group out and encourages girls to consider the non-traditional sport. She also said girls she babysits were inspired to join.
“If you’re thinking about doing it, then just do it,” Flemming said. “A lot of people don’t come out their freshman year. They don’t like to try anything new. Seniors normally quit everything. Keep an open mind about everything.”
Weighing options for the future, Flemming hasn’t decided on a college yet, but the offers have started rolling in. No matter her path, wrestling won’t become a distant memory.
“Now that it’s done, I don’t want it to end yet.”
