Razia Le’iato appears to be just another athlete, involved in volleyball and track. However, Le’iato is part of the small community of female wrestlers, one of only five girls on the RNE team.
Being one of the only girls on the team creates obstacles, but Le’iato believes it has allowed her to grow as an athlete. She often has to practice with boys who outweigh her. “I get better reps since the boys I wrestle every day weigh more and are stronger than me,” she said. “Although the workouts and drills are more difficult with them, at the end of the day, this is benefiting me much more than I’d imagine.”
Wrestling is a new sport for her, but knowing her brothers were on her team made her feel more comfortable at first. However, when she entered her first official match, she felt a mix of nerves and anticipation.
That first match quickly became a turning point. “My first match was pretty amazing, I actually won,” Le’iato said. “What stood out to me was the competition. What I noticed was that wrestling isn’t focused on who’s stronger than who, but it’s more about technique and endurance.” Realizing this, she started to look at wrestling differently. She started to think about strategy, training, and control as opposed to size and strength.
However, wrestling provides Le’iato with something even greater than competition. She has a sense of belonging. Initially, she was afraid of being the odd one out as a girl new to wrestling.
Instead, she was met with support, motivation, and respect. The team culture plays a major role in her growth. Teammates push one another daily, creating an environment where effort matters more than differences. For Le’iato, that shared commitment has turned the wrestling room into something that feels like home. As the season continues, Le’iato remains focused on improving her skills and learning from every match.
She isn’t wrestling to prove she belongs; she already knows she does. “Everyone respects each other and pushes each other past their limits,” she said. “They all just treated me like I’m part of their family.”
