Marissa Rumsey recently earned a spot on the Team USA freestyle wrestling team and is headed to the Pan American Games in the 132-pound weight class. 15-year-old Rumsey grew up in martial arts, participating in boxing, where she is 3-0, and training in Brazilian Jui-Jitsu. She began training at the age of five with her father, Lewis, a professional MMA fighter with Team Vicious in Williamsport. “I started in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with my dad, and then that same year I tried out wrestling, and then I fell in love with the sport. I have been wrestling ever since,” said Marissa. “I usually work with her on days she doesn’t go to school and club practices,” said dad Lewis. I connected with the Rumseys for an interview between their training sessions to find out what is next for this amazing athlete.

Dave: First of all, congratulations. What was it like throughout the season?

Marissa: Throughout the season was great. I got to be part of a great team. We won districts and then took 4th at team states. Training was tough. Coach [Brian] Nasdeo pushed us to our limits every day, and he is part of the reason why I have done so well this year.

Dave: Did you expect to make it to the Pan American games?

Marissa: I honestly didn’t think about what was on the line at the world team trials. I was just there to wrestle and have fun. My goal was to place, and I wasn’t sure how I was going to do. I knew I had a lot of tough, nationally ranked girls in my bracket.

Dave: What were your matches like leading up to the finals?

Marissa: They were all tough matches. The first girl I wrestled was a girl who won the 15U Nationals, and I was able to pin her. Then I had the #20 nationally ranked girl, and I also won by pin. In the quarterfinals, I wrestled a girl I lost to two weeks prior and was again able to pin her. In my semi-finals match, I beat the #1 Nationally Ranked girl by criteria 4-4.

Dave: What were you thinking about heading into your final match? Did you have a strategy going in?

Marissa: No, I didn’t really have a strategy. I was just going to go out to have fun and wrestle. I knew the girl I was wrestling was very tough. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the result I was hoping for. If I won that match, I would have wrestled at the world championships, but second place still earned a spot on Team USA, and I get to wrestle at the Pan American Games in Argentina. I’m very excited about the opportunity.

Dave: You qualified for the national team. What’s next?

Marissa: I will first head to Colorado Springs for training camp at the Olympic Training Center at the beginning of June, and then I will go to Argentina on June 22-26.

My goal is to win gold at Pan Ams. Then I’m going to wrestle at the USMC 16U and Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, in July.

Dave: I’m sure, like everything, traveling and competing are expensive these days. How would someone sponsor you if they are interested?
Marissa: We started a GoFundMe for Pan Ams to help pay for travel, lodging, gear, etc. The link can be found by going to Marissa Rumsey on Facebook, then clicking on Help Marissa get to the Pan American Games.