| Noah’s journey with wrestling began a couple of years ago. He was just sitting on the sidelines while his brother, Yadier, was practicing. There is a two-year age gap between the brothers, so while Yadier was five, Noah was still too young and small. As Noah turned four, his curiosity about wrestling began to show. During practice, he liked to get on the mat for tumbling, and whenever the coaches asked him to step on and wrestle one of the little guys, he was eager. Noah became a frequent practice wrestler but didn’t officially wrestle until the age of five. |
| |
|
Noah found success in his first year of wrestling. He won a handful of SNWA tournaments, showcasing his natural athleticism. He triple-crowned at State, taking first place in all three styles—Folkstyle, Freestyle, and Greco. With so much success early on, it was difficult for Noah to focus on technical development because his athleticism allowed him to thrive in matches and practices. He fell in love with the spectator aspect of wrestling, realizing that his athletic ability made for an exciting show. The environment of wrestling tournaments, surrounded by cheering fans, fueled his passion, motivating him to work hard in the sport. |
| |
| At six years old, Noah struggled with his commitment to wrestling. Like any kid, he wanted to explore other sports. He started competing only in bigger tournaments, where he still enjoyed the fan interaction. Noah continued to perform well, but he also became interested in many other sports. He became a 49ers fan all on his own, showed a huge interest in soccer—memorizing the top players—and, while drifting away from wrestling, became a WWE fan. His favorite sport to watch was UFC fights. |
| |
| Although he explored being a general sports fan, Noah eventually found his drive for wrestling again. He asked us to take the same approach with him that we had taken with his older brother, Yadier. He wanted to compete at bigger events and wrestle every weekend. His interest in wrestling grew as he began learning about the entire Penn State team and watching dual meets. Noah even rebelled against our household’s loyalty to the Hawkeyes, instead taking after his favorite person, Mia, and her family, who are Penn State fans. You can only imagine the atmosphere in our house during that dual meet! As his passion for wrestling deepened, Noah committed fully to his craft. He started private training sessions and worked with several high schoolers, including Centrel, Boyd, and Destin. He now attends all the camps that we take Yadier to. |
| |
| From ages seven to eight, Noah has accomplished some impressive feats. He became an All-American at Freakshow, placing sixth. He won the Preseason Nationals in Utah and received his first Outstanding Wrestler (OW) award. In Illinois, at the Midwest Preseason Nationals, he finished second. Noah competed at Beehive but lost in the blood round. He and his older brother were invited to wrestle for the Hawkeye Youth team under Marinelli in Iowa for an elite duals competition. At the Clash at Bullhead, he placed fourth in both Folkstyle and Freestyle. Most recently, Noah competed in the Western Regionals, where he won both Freestyle and Greco |
| |
| Noah has fully embraced the role of a performer for the fans, often becoming a crowd favorite wherever he competes. His bright personality in such a tough sport is something we hope he continues to hold onto and use to inspire others. He has a huge heart but has earned the nickname “Rhino” because of his favorite move—the violent blast double. Noah is truly starting to make a name for himself, and as his parents, we couldn’t be prouder. He trains hard while maintaining the perfect balance of fun. Noah continues to refine his wrestling skills with dreams of competing in college or, one day, stepping into the UFC. |
| |
