Jameson receives Governor’s Award for Excellence

It was a special moment for 8-year-old Kali Jameson of Lovell when she was sitting in the stands of Casper’s Ford Wyoming Center at the USA Wrestling state tournament on Saturday watching the awards ceremony portion of the event and the announcer began speaking about the accolades of this year’s female freestyle award winner.

Surrounded by all of her coaches, Jameson began to realize it was her accomplishments that were being described.

“This year, the award goes to a young lady who wrestles out of the North Big Horn club in Lovell,” the announcer said. “In Greco-Roman last year, she took second at the WAWA kids state tournament, third at the USA wrestling’s west regionals.

“She also took second at the WAWA state tournament and west regionals in freestyle at 62 pounds.”

She looked up in disbelief to coach Ty Hecker and said, “Is it me?”

Then the announcer said, “This year’s female freestyle Governor’s Award goes to Kali Jameson.”

She stood up, and her coaches cheered and encouraged her to go up and accept the plaque as coach Billy Harshman lifted her over the rails and she walked to the podium and the arena filled with applause.

“I thought it was crazy it was me,” Jameson said. “I was so excited and couldn’t believe it.”

Only one female wrestler receives the annual Wyoming Amateur Wrestling Associations’ (WAWA) Governor’s Award for Excellence in each of the three wrestling styles: Folkstyle, Freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Coach Shae Abraham said,”I can speak on behalf of all of her coaches that we couldn’t be more proud for her. I have coached her the past three years and you can really tell that she listens and has progressed.”

In her USA wrestling career, Jameson has a record of 59-20, with just eight of those losses being in girls’ divisions, coming at the hands of only two female wrestlers that have been successful in beating her.

“Anyone that watches her wrestle can see how great she is,” Abraham added. “I really enjoy teaching her, and she is so fun to watch. She is very coachable, and it is awesome to watch her succeed.”