KALISPELL — Kalispell Glacier wrestler Teegan Vasquez comes from a family of wrestlers. However, the junior is starting to make his own name after winning two Class AA state titles so far in his career.
"I have been wrestling since I was like three. I came home from the hospital in the singlet," said Vasquez.
And that passion for the sport has only grown as he has.
The word Vazquez's head coach at Glacier uses to describe him? Special. A quality created and cultivated through generations in the making.
"Yeah, like when I was little it was like watching my brother, my sister kind of grow up and wrestle, it was like a big thing," said Vasquez. "Going through the years of watching them wrestle was just definitely really helpful because now I'm like, hey, they already went through all of that, they have passed so much wisdom down."
"He has written his own story, he has learned along the way," Glacier wrestling coach Ross Dankers added. "He has grown up on those wrestling mats so he has seen all those things over the years who have made him who he is and he has put them together in just the right way."
But now it’s Vazquez's turn to inspire.
"I have a nephew right now who is kind of the same way," Vasquez said. "He looks up to me the same kind of way. And he's like, it's just a big deal. And I always tell him, hey, no, once you get to be my age, you'll have all this experience and like it'll just be like another mat."
Vasquez continues to take full advantage of his experience, hoping it leads to leaving Glacier with something that’s never been done before: Four individual state wrestling titles.
"That would mean so much. There has actually never been one in the (Flathead) Valley here so that would be super cool to be the first four-timer and get my name with the legends," Vasquez said. "I hope to also leave with a state championship and build a state championship team and have that atmosphere in the room."
"You just want to be able to harness all of that a kid like this can provide and leave a long time legacy," added Dankers.
