Addison Broxterman goes out with a bang for Washburn Rural girls wrestling
Washburn Rural senior wrestler Addison Broxterman wrestled in her last high school match last Thursday.
Broxterman finished third in the state in the 6-5A 125-pound weight class, her third consecutive year of placing at state, as the team won its third state championship.
As a four-year wrestler for the best program in the state since girls wrestling became a sanctioned sport in Kansas, she's been a key part of building Washburn Rural's program.
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Wrestling changed Addison Broxterman's life
Growing up, Broxterman played softball, basketball and soccer and wasn't interested in starting something new. Initially.
"Whether it's hard work, dedication, mental and physical toughness, everything she's ever done, she has exhibited those character traits," said her parents. "From the time she was little, she's just been super competitive."
Washburn Rural girls wrestling coach Damon Parker recruited her early on.
During Broxterman's freshman year in a physical education class, a combining of two classes saw the gyms open up for various activities. Football. Volleyball. Whatever the kids wanted.
Broxterman was one of a few girls that chose to play football.
"Addi just absolutely torched the dudes," said Parker. "I didn't even know who she was, I knew of her younger brother.
"I gave her the two-minute elevator pitch, and I'm sure glad she said yes. She has an infectious attitude and infectious work ethic. This program would have a completely different look without her."
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Broxterman's love for wrestling was immediate.
"I was like, 'This is the best decision I've ever made,' after the first practice," said Broxterman. "I had never been a part of a sport like this and loved it. I still remember putting on my shoes the first day. My little $20 shoes, because I didn't know what I was gonna do with (wrestling).
"Freshman year was one of the best years of my life. It changed my life forever. It was a fork-in-the-road moment."
Addison Broxterman's name will live on in the record books
Broxterman has left her mark for Washburn Rural and girls wrestling in the state of Kansas.
Broxterman finished high school with a record of 146-25.
She owns the program's single-season win record (45) and single-season takedown record (79) while being first in the program, and second in the state, in career takedowns (213).
On Jan. 28, Broxterman broke the all-time Kansas record for career pins and wins at a home tournament.
Broxterman finished her career with 146 wins and 132 pins. The state records for pins (116) and wins (124) was previously held by Great Bend's Breanna Ridgeway.
At Washburn Rural, Broxterman went to state all four years and placed in three of them — while not being a year-round wrestler as she played other sports.
As a freshman in 2019, Broxterman qualified for state and finished seventh. Broxterman said she was just thrilled to have more wins than losses.
"It was either facing someone who's never wrestled before or they wrestled for 12 years with the dudes," said Broxterman of her first state tournament. "Placing seventh was insane. Winning two matches at state? I was freaking out."
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Broxterman says she gets her competitiveness from her parents and brothers.
Seeing her name in the rankings when they split into 6-5A and 4-1A the next year made her realize it was expected that she win now.
Broxterman added that she knew it meant she had to focus and produce. She has, while still having fun.
After state runner-up placements as a sophomore and junior, her third-period pin last Thursday against Great Bend's Daizey Gomez clinched a third-place medal.
"It was my last high school match. I knew I had to give it everything I had," said Broxterman. "Afterward, I'm not a crier, but I was bawling my eyes out. I was giving so many hugs, and I'm not even a hugger either."
After shaking hands, Broxterman walked back toward her coaches and Parker lifted her into the air.
"That was pretty special," said Broxterman. "It was a really emotional but really good time."
Parker lifting a wrestler into the air is usually reserved for state champions, but this meant something bigger.
"The reason I picked her up and did the rocket ship," said Parker. "Her pin, against a girl who beat her earlier in the tournament, solidified our team's state championship.
"The wrestling gods just lined everything up for Addi to have that moment."
Addison Broxterman is most proud of never missing a practice
The thing that makes Broxterman the proudest is something that won't show up in the record books.
"I think my biggest accomplishment has been not missing a practice," said Broxterman of her four years in the sport. "I don't know why that feels so different than the medals, but I fully committed myself. I showed that in my third-place match. All of that practice built up to that and even though it wasn't first place I really felt — I don't know how to explain it. It was crazy, like chills.
"I even told my dad, I've never had a match where I ran and hugged my coach after because it's always been, either I am expected to win or I lost. It was the best feeling in my life."
For a program that's boasted the biggest numbers in Kansas since girls wrestling began, role models on and off the mat like Broxterman are leaving behind a legacy that will last.
"There's no way for me to express how happy I was for and for her to have her moment," said Parker. "I just cried, for how well she's represented our program, and everything that she's meant to us over the last four years.
"She will pass from wrestler to alumni to legend in very short order."
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This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Washburn Rural senior girls wrestler leaves mark on program
