More to Give: Samara Lerma Is Still Climbing

When Samara Lerma stepped onto the podium at last season’s UIL State Wrestling Championships, the medal around her neck represented much more than a fifth-place finish.

It was the culmination of three years of learning, losses, long practices and constant improvement.

It was a breakthrough for Harlingen South.

And for Lerma, it was another example of what wrestlers from the Rio Grande Valley can accomplish.

“Standing on that podium, knowing I was representing my hometown, my school, my family, and everyone who supported me, was something I’ll never forget,” Lerma said.

Lerma finished fifth at 115 pounds in her first trip to the state tournament, becoming the first wrestler in HCISD history to reach the state podium.

Now entering her senior season, she has her sights set even higher.

She wants to become a state champion.

But to understand how Lerma reached this point, you have to go back to when wrestling was still something new.

Learning a New Kind of Grappling

Lerma’s grappling journey began when she was 7 years old in jiu-jitsu.

When Harlingen South started wrestling in the fall of 2022, Lerma decided to give the sport a try as a freshman.

She quickly discovered that years of grappling experience did not automatically make her a wrestler.

In some ways, it made the transition more complicated.

“I started wrestling as a freshman, and learning wrestling was difficult for me at first because I had spent years developing habits from jiu-jitsu,” Lerma said. “I had to learn how to break those habits and adjust to a completely different style of grappling.”

The process came with plenty of losses and frustration.

But Lerma found that she loved wrestling enough to work through them.

She loved the practices. She loved the discipline. She loved competing. Most importantly, she loved seeing herself get better.

“Those losses pushed me to work harder, become better, and never give up on myself,” Lerma said.

As Lerma was beginning that journey, she had an example close to home of where it could lead.

Cassandra Medrano of Edinburg trained at the same gym Lerma attended at the time, Lightning Wrestling. Medrano won a state championship during Lerma’s freshman season.

Lerma remembers watching how Medrano trained and competed.

“She would go out there and wrestle like she belonged on the mat, and I really admired that about her,” Lerma said.

Seeing a wrestler from the Valley reach the top of the state podium made Lerma’s own ambitions seem more attainable.

“Seeing her success while I was just starting my own wrestling journey inspired me to set bigger goals for myself and made me believe that I could work toward becoming a state champion too,” Lerma said.

Three years later, Lerma has become a wrestler capable of providing that same example for someone else.

Built by the Room

Lerma is quick to make one thing clear: she did not reach the state podium alone.

Her family has been with her throughout the journey, spending countless hours driving to practices, camps and tournaments and organizing fundraisers to help make those opportunities possible.

The support has extended beyond her immediate family.

“The community has also been a huge part of my journey and has helped support me along the way,” Lerma said. “They have always found a way to help me chase my goals, even when it wasn’t easy. I truly wouldn’t be where I am without them.”

Then there is Deadshot Wrestling.

For the past three years, Lerma has trained under Coach Rudy Gonzales and Coach Sam Sepulveda. She credits both with helping transform her not only technically, but mentally.

“They have pushed me to become stronger, more confident, and a better wrestler,” Lerma said. “They have believed in me, challenged me, and helped me through the good days and the hard days.”

The room itself has become an important part of her development.

Lerma regularly practices with accomplished and experienced wrestlers who give her very few opportunities to get comfortable. She specifically credited Micah Lerma, Zion Vasquez, Ray Rios, Valeria Medrano, Zach Gonzalez, Leire Smith, Allie Salas, Hailyn Gonzales and Santiago Miranda for helping push her.

Training with the guys in the room has been particularly valuable.

“They challenge me, push the pace, and make me work harder,” Lerma said. “They have helped me improve my stance, positioning, strength, and overall confidence on the mat.”

Lerma has also worked with Coach Vlad Koulikov, who has helped expand her technical knowledge in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling.

Put it all together and Lerma has built an environment where improvement is expected.

“There are so many people who have been part of my journey,” Lerma said. “I appreciate every single person who has pushed me along the way.”

Learning From the Tough Moments

Lerma’s climb has not been perfectly linear.

One of the most important moments in her development actually came during her freshman season, when she failed to make weight for the district tournament.

At the time, it was a crushing disappointment.

Eventually, it became a lesson.

“That moment taught me that making weight isn’t just about stepping on a scale,” Lerma said. “It’s about being disciplined, prepared, and making better choices throughout the season.”

Lerma changed how she approached nutrition, training and preparation.

She has not missed weight since.

More importantly, she began developing the accountability and discipline that she now considers two of her greatest strengths.

Early in her wrestling career, Lerma said she frequently overthought situations, doubted herself and became frustrated.

Experience slowly changed that.

Losses became information instead of disasters. Tough practices became opportunities. Lerma learned to concentrate on what she could control and trust the work she had already put in.

“I never step on the mat thinking I’m going to lose,” Lerma said. “I believe I can win every time, and I trust the work I put in.”

That mindset became especially important last postseason.

Breaking Through

Qualifying for state had been one of Lerma’s biggest goals.

At the regional tournament, however, one loss suddenly put that goal in jeopardy.

“I’m not going to lie, I was scared,” Lerma said. “I was so scared that I was going to get eliminated and lose my opportunity to go to state.”

There was no way around the situation.

She had to wrestle her way through it.

Lerma regrouped, fought back through the bracket and secured her first trip to state.

“It taught me that one bad moment doesn’t define you,” Lerma said. “You have to keep fighting, even when you’re scared, because sometimes the biggest moments happen when you refuse to quit.”

Then she did something even bigger in Cypress.

Lerma won the match she needed to guarantee herself a state medal, coming through with a crucial takedown in the third period.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Lerma said. “I had actually made it onto the podium.”

She ultimately finished fifth.

For Harlingen South and HCISD, it was history.

For Lerma, it was proof of how far she had come.

“It wasn’t just a medal for me,” Lerma said. “It represented all the hard work, sacrifices, early mornings, long practices, and all the times I had to push through when things got difficult.”

It also gave another Valley wrestler a place on the state podium.

That mattered.

“I felt proud, grateful, and honestly a little emotional knowing that I had made history and hopefully opened the door for the wrestlers who come after me,” Lerma said.

The Next Goal

The circumstances surrounding Lerma are different now.

She is no longer the first-time state qualifier entering unfamiliar territory.

She is a returning state medalist.

Other wrestlers know who she is.

Expectations are higher.

Her goal is, too.

“I’m chasing a state championship,” Lerma said. “That is one of my biggest goals for my senior year, and I’m willing to put in the work it takes to get there.”

Being viewed as one of the wrestlers capable of winning a title does not change how Lerma plans to approach the season.

“Being a favorite doesn’t mean anything once you step on the mat,” she said. “I still have to go out there and earn it every match.”

That mentality fits the journey that brought Lerma here.

Three years ago, she was a freshman trying to replace jiu-jitsu habits with wrestling ones.

Now she is a state medalist chasing the top of the podium.

But Lerma’s goals for her final season extend beyond what happens at the state tournament.

She remembers being the young Valley wrestler watching Cassandra Medrano and seeing possibilities for her own future.

Now Lerma hopes someone else can look at her the same way.

“I want them to look at my journey and think, ‘If she could do it, I can too,’” Lerma said. “I want to inspire them to push themselves, believe in themselves, and never let where they start determine how far they can go.”

For Lerma, that is the legacy worth chasing.

“I want to leave behind more than medals,” she said. “I want to leave behind a mindset.”

There is still one high school season left to write.

And after climbing from a freshman learning a new sport to a place on the Texas state podium, Samara Lerma is not finished climbing yet.