Coming off a fourth-place showing last season in the Class 5A state tournament, Taylorsville wrestler Malia Meyer is aiming for even more this time around. 

Meyer, a senior in the 190-pound class is the top returning competitor for the Warriors, which placed 14th as a team last season. She is in her fourth year of wrestling and is eager to improve upon what has already been a successful career. Meyer also wants to help her teammates be at their best and see the team move up the standings at state. 

“I want to help get the girls to state and place and go teach them how to push themselves to be the best,” Meyer said. 

Meyer loves wrestling for the way it inspires her to work hard and test her limits. She has seen the results of hard work and understands what it takes to achieve goals. Though wrestling is a difficult sport, she continues to do it because she likes showing that girls can excel at the sport. 

“I love the mentality push that it gives me and how I’m able to push myself to be the best,” she said. “What motivates me is to prove to everyone that doubts me and to spread the word that girls can wrestle too.”

Taylorsville has a tight-knit group of wrestlers who support one another and urge one another. She also appreciates her coach, Maria Garcia, and the rest of the staff for their support and encouragement. 

“The best things about wrestling for Taylorsville are the closeness of the team and how we help each other,” Meyer said. “What I like most about the team is how helpful the coaches are and how motivated they are to get us to be the best that we can be.”

Meyer has a positive attitude and never gives up. She is constantly striving to get better. Her relentless mindset and grit are infectious and push her teammates, even when their backs are up against the wall and things aren’t going their way.

Though she has achieved success and accomplished many of her goals, Meyer isn’t satisfied. She is trying to refine her skills even more and develop more variety in her moves and technique. 

It hasn’t always been easy for Meyer, either. 

During her sophomore season, Meyer fractured her hip, which caused her to miss half the season. Still, she placed sixth at the state tournament after working tirelessly to rehabilitate and heal. 

This season’s state tournament will take place at Utah Valley University Feb. 14 and 15. Meyer plans on standing atop the podium and capping her Taylorsville career with a state title. She and her teammates are also vying to compete among the top teams in 5A. 

Once the school year is over, Meyer doesn’t plan on stepping away from the sport anytime soon. She’s excited to meet the challenges that lie ahead and wrestle at the next level at college. She’s also eager to continue her education. She wants to study to become a radiologist. λ