By Ryne Turke
Photos/Elizabeth Cooley
Fresh off a runner-up finish at the Illinois Freestyle State Tournament, Jacksonville High School wrestler Maddie Cooley is headed to one of the biggest stages in amateur wrestling.
Held annually inside the FARGODOME in July, Fargo Nationals is the largest wrestling tournament in the world, bringing together the nation’s top men’s freestyle, Greco-Roman and women’s freestyle wrestlers.
For Cooley, the opportunity is the latest milestone in a wrestling journey that started by watching her older brother compete.
“I’ve always been around wrestling because my brother, Oliver Cooley, wrestled,” said Cooley. “He had so much success and I loved watching him compete. My sixth-grade year I decided to try it myself and I fell in love with the sport.”
When she was a member of Jacksonville Middle School’s growing girls wrestling program, Cooley quickly developed both the physical and mental side of the sport. Her hard work paid off with a third-place finish at the state tournament as an eighth grader.
That success carried into her freshman season at Jacksonville High School, where she credits coaches Austin Murphy and Zach Stout for helping take her wrestling to another level.
“They cleaned up my weaknesses and helped make me the best version of myself,” Cooley said. “It showed in my performances on the mat.”
One area where Cooley believes she has made major strides is her offensive attack and ability to dictate matches.
“I’ve really improved my snatch single-leg game,” she said. “I’m pretty good at hand fighting and when I’m in a neutral position, I’m not pushed around. Even though I’m smaller than most of my opponents, I use that as an advantage. I’ve worked on my stamina so that in the later stages of matches, I’m still wrestling at my peak.”
Despite spending much of the season competing against older and more experienced wrestlers, Cooley captured a regional championship and qualified for the IHSA State Finals in Bloomington.
The accomplishment was even more impressive considering she was battling through a PCL injury heading into the tournament. Cooley said the injury made it difficult to even walk at times, but she was proud of her performance.
The experience, she says, has only strengthened her confidence moving forward. Now, her focus shifts to Fargo, where she will test herself against the best female wrestlers from across the country.
Team Illinois is still finalizing its roster and Cooley is looking forward to meeting her teammates and representing the state on a national stage.
“This is a great opportunity for me,” said Cooley. “I’m taking it one step at a time and getting more exposure to different styles of wrestling.”
As Cooley prepares for the trip, she’s seeking financial support to help cover travel expenses, hotel costs and Team Illinois gear.
Community members interested in supporting Cooley’s journey to Fargo can do so through the QR code provided.
