Cataline’s comeback
Once considered the No. 1 women’s freestyle prospect in the country, she has made a strong return while balancing wrestling and motherhood
By Richard Immel Jackie Cataline figured her wrestling career was over. After being away from the sport for five years and giving birth to two children, the once-promising women’s freestyle prospect never expected to lace up her wrestling shoes again. But inspired by her son, Cataline lost over 100 pounds to make an amazing comeback to the mat last year. Now she’s a U.S. Open champion. The California native defeated 2005 World champion Iris Smith of the U.S. Army by fall in the first period of the U.S. Open finals on April 19 in Las Vegas. Cataline’s U.S. Open win at 75 kg/165 lbs. has cemented her place once again as one of the best in the nation. “It still hasn’t really sunk in yet,” Cataline said of her first U.S. Open title. “It’s really amazing actually. It’s been long overdue. Since I was in high school I’ve been running at it. It was my year and that’s what I told myself before I even got here and I got it.” Cataline was a high school standout on the women’s wrestling scene back in the 2005 and 2006 seasons. She won two FILA Junior National championships, a FILA Cadet National champi- onship and a Junior National championship. In 2006, Cataline was named the ASICS High School Female Wrestler of the Year.
She also made headway on the Senior level in 2006, winning the Pan American Championships and placing third at the U.S. World Team Trials. Beginning in 2008, Cataline was absent from the wrestling scene, taking time off to focus on her life away from the mat and start a family. Cataline is the proud mother of two children, five- year-old Adam and two-year-old Alyssa. Due to weight gained from bearing her children, Cataline deemed a return to wrestling unlikely. But she was inspired by her son Adam’s interest in the sport to make a return of her own.
“I missed wrestling and I wanted to come back, and I wasn’t going to come back unless I would be on top,” Cataline said. “Seeing my son take an interest in wrestling really motivated me to make a return and be an inspiration to him.” Two years ago, Cataline decided to get back in wrestling shape and make a return to the mat while setting a positive example for her children to follow. After losing the weight, she elected to compete at the 2013 U.S. Open to gauge her readiness for Senior level competition once more. Cataline placed second at the Open and was ready to strive for greatness again.
Growing up with a high school wrestling coach as a father, and five brothers by her side, wrestling was ingrained in Cataline’s blood. She began wrestling at the young age of 12, competing against boys and being extremely successful in her
Continued on page 13 12 USA Wrestler
Jackie Cataline celebrates after capturing her first U.S. Open title on April 19 in Las Vegas. John Sachs photo.
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