Coeur d’Alene High School Athlete of the Month: Chaise Baca

Coeur d’Alene High School senior Chaise Baca has been wrestling for the past five years, and his accomplishments include beating a second-ranked player in the state plus being awarded most improved varsity player last year for the sport.

He has devoted his time and energy to wrestling because of its physicality. “I like how physical the actual sport is and also the competition – it’s what makes you strive to be the best,” Chaise said.

Wrestling is not without its challenges: losing weight to make his weight class proved to be one of Chaise’s most difficult hurdles to overcome. He had to lose 8 lbs a week. “I overcame this with hard work and determination for the sport, and my team also helped me push through till I got down to my weight,” he said.

Eventually, Chaise wants to pursue an associate’s degree from North Idaho College and become a firefighter because he likes helping people in need and serving the city, he said. His work ethic comes from his coach, who told him to do his best not just in wrestling but in life as well.

“The biggest life lesson I learned from my coach is to be the hardest worker in the wrestling room and outside of it, [including] school and work,” he said.

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