Amidst the year of change, Millard West added many new programs and clubs for the school year, one of the most popular activities among them all was girls wrestling. Our girls wrestling program became very successful by competing well in local meets and sending several of our athletes to the State tournament.

Throughout her four years of high school senior Mason Klein participated in many activities such as French Club, Computer Science Club, Political Roundtable, wrestling and many more. Prior to November of her senior year, Klein never saw herself as a wrestler, but decided to give it a try. 

“Once I stepped on the mat, I knew I was in the right place,” Klein said. “There was a manageable learning curve, practicing all the moves, remembering the rules and working out the right way to be more athletic than my opponents. I finally hit my stride the last few weeks of the season after dropping two weight classes.”

Klein had been on a few college tours before with bigger schools and felt that the larger schools would be a better fit for her, but nothing had felt right until she stepped on Doane’s campus. Doane is home to a high ratio of student athletes, and that’s where Klein felt like she fit in. 

Klein’s support system has been there all throughout her high school career. Her parent’s have always encouraged her to participate in as many activities as she could and to be involved inside and outside of school. Having the opportunity to watch their daughter excel at a talent she took up so late in her career has brought a tremendous amount of joy and pride. 

“We were able to witness Macy commit herself 100% to learning about a new sport, embracing the challenge of pushing her limits and finding a way to pick herself up after not getting the outcome she had worked for,” Macy’s mother Pam Klein said. “Doane wasn’t on our radar because Macy was leaning towards warm and sunny schools. On paper, Doane is impressive but the very small town worried us initially. We toured the campus and fell in love with the way it was laid out around the lake. After talking with other students, coaches, professors and department heads, there was no question. Macy was waiting for something to feel right, and she knew almost instantly that it was home.”

Klein’s support system wasn’t just within her family, but with her coaches, too. Coaches Lynn Sorich and Scott Townlsey were always in her corner before, during and after the season. 

“The opportunities are huge right now to get scholarships to wrestle even if you are new to the sport,” Sorich said. “It is so up and coming that colleges are eager to get their programs off the ground. I know college wrestling was not originally on her radar, but I also know her and she was just getting in the groove, mastering her wrestling skills and her final season ended just as quick as it began. I feel like Macy felt like she had some unfinished business and when she was approached by Doane, she felt she needed to check it out and ended up falling in love with the wrestling program and the college.Her words: ‘She felt like it was home.’”

Klein will take the lessons and skills she learned through her first year of wrestling into college with an open mind and ready for a challenge. She will be a part of the Computer Science program where she will get to continue her love for programming which will lead her into a career she enjoys.