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Wrestling icon shares positive message
By Andrew Calliou
Special to the Parklander
Monday October 31, 2005
Hinton Parklander — Christine Nordhagen-Vierling has encountered many hardships and triumphs during the course of her 34 years.
Nordhagen-Vierling, a pioneer of women’s wrestling, now shares her experiences on a tour of Alberta schools, including an Oct. 24 chat with students at Crescent Valley School.
“You’re not born a winner, you’re not born a loser, you’re born a chooser,”she told students. “Look for the role models out there.”
Nordhagen-Vierling, who was born and raised in the rural Alberta town of Valhalla Centre, remembers her time in middle school, when she would wrestle boys in the yard, pin them down and then plant a kiss on them.
From that humble beginning, she became one of the most decorated women’s wrestlers in the world, claiming 10 Canadian women’s wrestling titles and six world championships.
“If someone from my little town can win then why can’t someone from Hinton?” Nordhagen-Vierling asked the crowd.
In 2001 she finally heard the word she had been dreaming of since entering the sport 10 years before at the University of Alberta -- women’s wrestling would make its debut at the Athens Olympics in 2004. She battled nagging knee problems through 2002 and 2003 but fierce training and hard work got her through Olympic qualifying and earned her a spot in Greece.
“I started to think about where I came from and it was overwhelming,” recalled Nordhagen-Vierling when she entered the Athens Olympic Stadium. “I started crying.”
She warmly remembers her Olympic experience despite her disappointing ninth-place finish.
“I remember looking in the stands before my final match and seeing my family there, cheering,” she said.
Nordhagen-Vierling is blessed with a dynamic energy and impressive physical stature that captivated her audience.
Harkening back to the days when she used to wrestle boys in the schoolyard, Nordhagen-Vierling picked student Matt Geisbrecht out of the audience for a little wrestling demonstration.
Just like in middle school, the boys were no match for the now distinguished international competitor.
“It was fun getting picked up and thrown down,” Geisbrecht said with a laugh.
Nordhagen-Vierling also talked to students about moments less carefree, when she was forced to make life-altering choices.
One such moment was in junior high when she refused an offered cigarette while hanging out with what she called the cool girls.
“If I can inspire one child to stay away from the dangers then it was well worth it,” she said.
She has visited schools all over Alberta as part of what is called the ‘Be Your Best Tour’, which is sponsored by Conoco-Phillips.
Nordhagen-Vierling says she gets great joy out of trying to steer children down the right path.
The irony of her new role as a motivational speaker is that, at one point in her career, a motivational speaker had a profound impact on her life.
That speaker was none other than fellow wrestler, and future husband, Leigh Vierling.
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