The decision to act is the first step. My daughter was a clumsy girly-girl her first day on the mat, and every exercise the coaches demanded was challenging. She flopped this way when she was supposed to flip that way. She had been a natural in the water, but was awkward on land, a tadpole learning to be amphibious. I saw her struggle to do things she found very trying. But she had decided to do this amazing thing called wrestling.

• Have fun while you're doing anything, even and especially when you're doing something hard.

Finding joy in the most difficult of situations is a talent coaches Aaron Sekulich and John Schmidtke cultivate in all their students. You can never be defeated if you have that lightness and joy in your spirit. My teenager became a true advocate of this number one rule in PAC-5 wrestling: You must have fun.

Strength and conditioning became a vital part of Natasha Bunin's life as she sought to improve her skills as a high school wrestler. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

When my daughter joined the PAC-5 wrestling team she had no idea that after her first season, Coach Aaron would be recognized as the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year.

John Schmidtke, the assistant coach, was no less inspiring in his striving to advance in the U.S. Amateur Wrestling Association certification process. My daughter didn't realize that even as a working attorney, Coach John makes the time to take workshops on the Mainland to be a better wrestling coach; he is on his way to becoming "Silver Certified," a distinction that would allow him to teach teachers and coach at national events. Yet without knowing any of this, she somehow sensed from the very first day that he and Coach Aaron, and all of their assistant coaches, were special. She saw in their dedication to the students and their commitment of time and energy to the team, that this endeavor was a worthy one.

• Don't seek immediate rewards. Diligence over time always translates into success, whether it's a medal, respect from your teammates for your dedication to the sport or an improvement in your skills that becomes a foundation for future progress.

My daughter learned from her PAC-5 teammates' histories that champions are made of consistent hard work. True self-esteem comes from a feeling of pride over accomplishments earned through hard work.

• Respect your body.

As a wrestler, Natasha understands the value of eating healthily, resting your body through sleep and exercising to keep up with the rigorous demands of wrestling.

• Know the importance of balancing sports with academics. As a scholar-athlete, Natasha has acquired an amazing ability to focus on each activity. To make time for wrestling practice, she learned to use her study time efficiently, a most critical skill for future success in college.

• Don't ever give up if you want something.

My daughter went winless her first season, and yet she picked herself up each time and went right back into training. Sometimes she felt like quitting, but she always returned to the mat. She continued to work hard not for the ILH Championship medal she eventually won her second year, or the trophy she received from her PAC-5 coaches, but because she wanted to prove to herself that she could do it. She showed me what it means to live without fear of failure.

• Learn from those who came before you and pass it on to those who follow.

My daughter learned from veteran PAC-5 wrestlers that generosity and compassion characterize true leadership. She learned that even when a team is composed of members from different schools, one can build a sense of community by caring about others and by sharing. Even in an individual sport like wrestling, each student's achievement becomes a source of team pride. Losses in life are easier to bear when friends are there for you; victories are more glorious when you share them with your teammates.

• Learn to let go.

Sometimes life is full of sadness and frustration, but when you release this pent-up energy in a safe environment, like a wrestling mat under proper supervision, it helps you let go and move on. Whether one is going through teenage angst or struggling through mid-life crises, the ability to move through change makes the difference between thriving and just surviving.

• There is a special satisfaction in being a trailblazer.

As proud as she is of becoming the first ever Waldorf ILH Wrestling Champion, she takes equal pride in being a wrestler from one of only two states in the country to sanction high school girls' wrestling. Hawai'i and Texas are the only two states where girls are acknowledged as competitive wrestlers in their own right, a fact not missed by journalists who cover women's wrestling. To compete as a girl wrestler is to honor the legacy of Patsy Mink.

• Live with passion.

My daughter, the PAC-5 wrestler, taught me what it means to throw your whole body and soul into something in the way she trained and competed. She taught me to live each moment to its fullest in the way she put her all into every second of every match. My daughter has shown me that wrestling is a discipline that strengthens one's physical, mental and spiritual core. Each and every season she teaches me these valuable life lessons and more.