Wrestling: Girl's run puts Utes in spotlight
Whenever a news photographer is circling Uintah High junior Candace Workman, her wrestling teammates like to play a little game of "Who's that guy?" That activity is when you see a developed picture of you and your friends and in the background stands a random person, looking so out of place.
A couple of Uintah wrestlers did that when a Salt Lake Tribune photographer was taking shots of Workman before her historic semifinal match against Cedar's Dallas Gale in the 103-pound division at the Class 3A championship on Friday afternoon. One Ute wrestler tried to stay behind her wherever she went on the mat, hoping to steal just a fraction of the spotlight.
But the boys are mostly joking and just playing along with the attention surrounding her historic run.
"They all know that I don't like it," said Workman, who is just one win away from being the second female wrestler in the nation to win a state title. "I don't think they're jealous of me. They mess around and think they're funny."
It seems like almost every time a media member asks a Uintah wrestler the whereabouts of Workman, he would point her out and then say, "Are you going to interview me?" Again, they're probably just joking -- maybe the gesture is their unique take on the hoopla about Workman, with them thinking the whole thing is not a big deal since she's just one of the guys.
The thing is, she's not just one of the guys.
Last season, Workman became the first female wrestler in Utah history to qualify for the state tournament. So everything she did -- a win, a pin, a takedown or an escape -- was history-making. The then-sophomore placed sixth. For a girl from the school in Vernal, Workman said, the attention was overwhelming. The cameras followed her every move, the reporters seeked long interviews with her and her coach, Gregg Stensgard, knew any time he was approached for an interview he had a good idea what it was for.
Workman is used to all that now.
Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot of media coverage for Workman's semifinal match -- one in which she won with a 5-4 decision. Maybe there will be more coverage in today's state final showdown against Delta's Chasen Tolbert, a very confident wrestler who has beaten Workman twice this season.
Though she'd rather not be in the spotlight, she knows the significance of her every step forward in the state tournament. That is, if you keep asking her what this all means and what kind of example she thinks she's setting for other girls in one of the most conservative states in America.
That's when she appreciates the spotlight, when she realizes she's doing something very important.
"Not many women have done this before," Workman said. "So it'd be a pretty big deal. Especially in Utah, it's a lot more conservative in the state. Hopefully by winning the championship, maybe that will influence a lot of other girls to try it."
Workman's match
Class 3A
103-pound final
Today, 4 p.m.
At UVSC's McKay Events Center, Orem
Candace Workman, Uintah vs. Chasen Tolbert, Delta
-- Chhun Sun
A couple of Uintah wrestlers did that when a Salt Lake Tribune photographer was taking shots of Workman before her historic semifinal match against Cedar's Dallas Gale in the 103-pound division at the Class 3A championship on Friday afternoon. One Ute wrestler tried to stay behind her wherever she went on the mat, hoping to steal just a fraction of the spotlight.
But the boys are mostly joking and just playing along with the attention surrounding her historic run.
"They all know that I don't like it," said Workman, who is just one win away from being the second female wrestler in the nation to win a state title. "I don't think they're jealous of me. They mess around and think they're funny."
It seems like almost every time a media member asks a Uintah wrestler the whereabouts of Workman, he would point her out and then say, "Are you going to interview me?" Again, they're probably just joking -- maybe the gesture is their unique take on the hoopla about Workman, with them thinking the whole thing is not a big deal since she's just one of the guys.
The thing is, she's not just one of the guys.
Last season, Workman became the first female wrestler in Utah history to qualify for the state tournament. So everything she did -- a win, a pin, a takedown or an escape -- was history-making. The then-sophomore placed sixth. For a girl from the school in Vernal, Workman said, the attention was overwhelming. The cameras followed her every move, the reporters seeked long interviews with her and her coach, Gregg Stensgard, knew any time he was approached for an interview he had a good idea what it was for.
Workman is used to all that now.
Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot of media coverage for Workman's semifinal match -- one in which she won with a 5-4 decision. Maybe there will be more coverage in today's state final showdown against Delta's Chasen Tolbert, a very confident wrestler who has beaten Workman twice this season.
Though she'd rather not be in the spotlight, she knows the significance of her every step forward in the state tournament. That is, if you keep asking her what this all means and what kind of example she thinks she's setting for other girls in one of the most conservative states in America.
That's when she appreciates the spotlight, when she realizes she's doing something very important.
"Not many women have done this before," Workman said. "So it'd be a pretty big deal. Especially in Utah, it's a lot more conservative in the state. Hopefully by winning the championship, maybe that will influence a lot of other girls to try it."
Workman's match
Class 3A
103-pound final
Today, 4 p.m.
At UVSC's McKay Events Center, Orem
Candace Workman, Uintah vs. Chasen Tolbert, Delta
-- Chhun Sun
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