Who knew a pair of wrestling shoes could change a life? Madisyn Racine, a freshman at Minot High School, wasn’t originally going to wrestle, but a single moment at the Rattlers Wrestling Club changed everything. The club, hosting practices at Magic City Campus and Minot State University, is a place for wrestlers to improve during the off-season. Racine’s first experience with wrestling happened when she and her dad went to pick up her brother from wrestling practice. After watching him wrestle, five-year-old Racine told her dad she wanted to try it out. “Once I put on those wrestling shoes for the first time, I fell in love. I found my passion; my obsession. Wrestling has shaped me into the person I am today because of all the discipline, sacrifice, and commitment it takes,” she recalled.

Soon after, wrestling became more than just a sport for Racine. It became a way of life, drawing her closer to her family, friends, and faith. Growing up in a household where wrestling runs in the family, Racine learned the sport alongside her cousins and brother Evan. “Being the only girl, I wanted to stand out, but I also wanted to be tough just like my brother and cousins,” she said. Cohen, her cousin and an eighth-grader who wrestles on the boys’ team, became Racine’s first practice partner. “Once I started wrestling, my cousins and I became extremely close. We stayed late after Rattler practice to work on things we needed to improve on, woke up early to train with each other, and even though [we sometimes] beat up on each other, this sport made us best friends.”

Beyond practice, the lessons learned on the wrestling mat have carried into her everyday life. The lessons she learned are reflected in her dad’s saying: “If you’re not going to give your 100% effort, then you might as well just not do it.” She said that quote spoke to her because, “What’s the point of doing something if you’re not going to give it your all?” For Racine, this saying doesn’t just apply to wrestling. It applies to school, jobs, and everyday responsibilities. Effort, their family word, guides Racine. “There is nothing more my parents want than to watch me succeed,” she said. “Even when I lose, [as long as] they know that I gave it my 110% effort, they don’t care about the outcome.”

Handling pressure is another skill Racine has mastered. Her uncle is the head coach of the Minot United Boys Wrestling Team. He always reminds Racine that anytime she is nervous before a match, that “pressure is a privilege. If you feel pressure, know that you earned that pressure because that means that your coaches and teammates believe in you and know that you can do it. It’s just another match, you’ve wrestled thousands. Go wrestle YOUR match.”

Despite her history of success, including being a state runner-up in 2025 as an eighth grader and a runner-up in 2026 as a ninth grader, Racine’s motivation is rooted in what’s next. “I’m still motivated to continue wrestling and get better every day because I haven’t gotten what I want. And when I get what I want, I won’t stop because I will put another goal in front of me and continue until I accomplish that goal. That’s what happens when you’re obsessed,” she said.

This season, Racine had a clear goal: a state title, which was a part of her long-term ambition to win six state titles in her high school career. “Losing in the state finals two years in a row is definitely heartbreaking, but that is only going to make me even more hungry than I was last year. It’s all in God’s plan. I will do everything in my physical and mental strength to make me a better wrestler and whatever I can’t, God will do the rest.”

For Racine, wrestling is more than just medals and rankings. It’s about growth, community, and resilience. “I hope people know that I am hungrier than ever to succeed,” she said. This doesn’t just apply to the state championship. Racine wants to create friendships between her opponents and build a family in the state of North Dakota wrestling.

From her first pair of wrestling shoes to her ongoing pursuit of excellence, Madisyn Racine’s journey shows that wrestling isn’t just a sport, but a lifelong passion that shapes character, strengthens bonds, and fuels ambitions. For her, the mat isn’t just a place to compete. It is a place to learn, grow, and chase goals.