SAN ANTONIO – As the school year winds down and graduation season kicks into full gear across San Antonio, KSAT is proud to spotlight exceptional students in our Great Graduates series.
Among them is Burbank High School senior Gideon Sanchez, who is leaving behind a record-breaking legacy on the wrestling mat.
Sanchez, who will walk the stage at graduation on June 3, capped off an extraordinary high school wrestling career by placing 4th in the 132-pound division at the UIL Class 5A State Wrestling Tournament, the highest placement ever by a San Antonio ISD student-athlete in state competition.
It is hard to imagine that Sanchez, at one time, was not interested in participating in high school sports.
“I had an amazing big brother who said, ‘Hey, you should go and try out for the wrestling team. It’s really good.’” Sanchez said with a smile.
Inspired by her older brother, who also competed in wrestling at Burbank, Sanchez took a chance on the sport and quickly found her passion.
Over the course of four years, she became a four-time state qualifier, a three-time district champion and a three-time regional champion.
Along the way, she shattered school and district records, raising the bar for future SAISD student wrestlers.
“I believe that wrestling has really helped me grow as a person,” Sanchez said. “It’s helped me to understand my responsibilities as a leader and as somebody who takes pride in the community.”
That growth was tested when she suffered a serious shoulder injury during junior year. However, Sanchez made a remarkable comeback.
“I had a setback, and I came back this year, and that’s what made me so proud. If I could do that, if I could come back from that, that’s all that mattered,” she said.
Sanchez’s resilience paid off, earning her another round of district and regional titles this year. And she didn’t do it alone.
“I couldn’t have done it without my coach, the support of my brother, and my family,” Sanchez said.
Now, she’s ready for her next chapter. This fall, Sanchez will attend Schreiner University in Kerrville, where she plans to continue wrestling at the collegiate level.
Sanchez plans to major in kinesiology with a focus on sports medicine and physical therapy, a career path inspired in part by the physical therapist who helped her recover.
“My physical therapist played a major role in getting me back to where I needed to be,” she said. “And I fell in love with the science.”
