Wrestlers Larresha & La’Rissa Bryant-Coleman, High Schoolers, Had an Exceptional Year Two

We’re going to start this story about two national-placing female high school wrestlers, a couple of years out from the youngest one graduating, who both get props for their character, on-and-off the mat, by letting their mom, who hears those compliments too, paint their THEY ARE HERE picture.

Wanita Coleman said her family always watched WWE wrestling and her little daughters would copy those moves. Fearless, they climbed up bunk beds when they should’ve been afraid. “I knew they were going to do something scary for a girl, but not for them,” Wanita said. With nothing but women in the house, there was never talk about gender, just about ability. Doing.

While wrestling for New Haven High School last season, sophomore La’Rissa Bryant-Coleman won a state title in her 182 lbs. weight class and junior Larresha Bryant-Coleman placed 2nd. There weren’t competitors in Larresha’s weight class so, without gaining any extra weight, she competed against 220 pounders at 195…and came in second.

Both placed 1st at Regionals. Both placed 3rd at Nationals, without their regular coach who couldn’t make the East Coast trip.

All total, and they had to think about this one…they’ve only wrestled 10 girls in two years, and only at the regional and state levels. Almost all of the time, the sisters are squaring up against boys, who are heavier, swoll is the phrase La’Rissa emphasized, and are motivated in their hearts and by their dads to not lose to a girl.

Or, at least, to lose with some dignity to “the strong girl,” as Larresha was and is called by fans who want to break the ice and meet one of two wrestling celebrities. Her first year was…rough: 17 losses. She never got pinned though; she lost on points every time. Then she got the compliments about being strong for a girl. Larresha did win one time. Gave the dude a nose bleed.

The Colemans are STRONG. Three years ago, they were homeless, living out of hotels, but La’Rissa fought through a learning disability and brought her grades and GPA up and Larresha maintained her 4.0 GPA.

The junior is the soft spoken one, who only thought about wrestling when she worked as a manager for Paul Harding Middle School’s team, where her little sister was already competing. She had no love for football…that was also her sister’s thing. It wasn’t until high school when she was out-lifting her high school friends in a gym elective that everybody, including sister La’Rissa, who saw her strength, pointed her to the mat. “When I started, I came here fresh, not knowing anything,” Larresha said, who was scared at first.

She’s the oldest, closer to graduation, so she’s getting scholarships offers for wrestling and for academics with her 4.0 GPA.

Sophomore La’Rissa described her older sister’s wrestling style as patient. Her mom described it as slippery. Larresha will wait until you get tired then come with the patented finishing move. La’Rissa’s style is aggressive. Her mom pantomimed her mat persona with animated arms all flexed. Most of her matches end quick. She had a 19-second bout at State and just missed a pin record with a nine second victory.

When La’Rissa wanted to play football with the boys at Paul Harding Middle School, mom didn’t balk but fortified her kiddo, told her if she was going to be out there, she had to look the part in attitude, not to be middle-school distracted with gnats and the dirt.

She can laugh at it now but La’Rissa didn’t know squat about football when she began…didn’t know the quarterback is the thrower; coach put her on the line quick. She played center and defensive back.

Mom wanted her youngest to stand out for the right reasons; her frame and movements had to look like them. But her play had to differentiate. And it did. New Haven High School’s football coach asked middle schooler La’Rissa to come work out with his team; he was disappointed when she eventually focused on wrestling, after only one season.

She was the first girl to win a wrestling match at Paul Harding. Both sisters are the first New Haven athletes to place at State in any sport. Both want to go to the Olympics and compete.

The two female wrestlers faced blowback, the way racism sneak attacks. They’ve felt it; some matches don’t get called quick enough and it makes them wonder. Opposing coaches’ trash will cross the line. Whispers. Glances. All is heard and seen. So mom tells her daughters to not only win but destroy. Leave no doubt. Wear a toy WWE championship belt on the podium because it’s fun. Make a door and leave it open for the next them.