Madison “MJ” Vigil CO – Listening to the Coach Inside Her Head

By Bill X. Barron

In the words of Ram Dass, “The quieter we become, the more we hear.”

Madison “MJ” Vigil’s life-defining moment arrived when she was just 7 years old and in 1st Grade in Pueblo, Colorado, when she failed the school hearing test. Her parents, Samantha and Steven, scheduled appointments with several doctors, all of whom confirmed the results.

For the Vigil family, supporting others is who they are. “Over time, by taking small steps, we worked out what would help her improve,” states Steve, her father and first coach. 

“She has overcome many of the challenges since age seven, so her hearing is now tolerable enough to communicate. She has also dealt with her own inner struggles.”

MJ’s charismatic presence has been life-changing, and not just for her. Her birth gave her father new meaning and purpose. “As my daughter, she saved my life. Once she arrived, my whole world changed.”

“At first, I told her, ‘No, Madison, you're not going to wrestle.’ At the time, my work schedule was two weeks on, two weeks off, so committing to anything new was difficult. 

“Despite my hesitation, Madison pleaded, ‘Dad, please. If I start and I don't like it, I'll keep going. Please just let me wrestle.’”

MJ adds, “When I visited my grandparents’ home, there was a room filled with medals and trophies. So, I asked, ‘Are those from my dad? He wrestled?’ Seeing that room made me want to earn big awards like those for myself.”

“When I asked how I could get my own hardware, Dad responded, ‘You'd have to wrestle.’ I said, ‘Okay,’ and that's how I became interested.” 

Her commitment and dad’s participation have inspired her younger brother, August (18 months old), who was “literally born in the wrestling room” and already knows how to sprawl and attack the legs. 

Steven admits, “I eventually relented, and Madison started wrestling. Of course, she ended up loving it. Later, I changed jobs so I could be home more often, and we could travel together because wrestling soon became so important to her.”

When MJ decided to wrestle, she experienced anxiety with headgear. At present, MJ's condition is manageable, so she does not require hearing aids. Nonetheless, she prefers not to wear headgear so she can better hear her coaches.

Despite the hearing challenges, MJ went 69-0 in 8U her first year, winning both boys' and girls' state championships in Colorado. That same season, at Tulsa, her first time competing against elite girls, she placed fourth.

“She learned quickly, was easy to coach, and took charge of her own progress. From that point on, she took the wheel and ran with it.” A natural athlete, MJ also received her school’s Most Athletic award in fourth grade, competing in both boys' and girls' categories.

MJ kicked off the 2026 wrestling season with the RMN Who’s Bad Classic in Pueblo, claiming victory in the 10U 65-pound girls' division and securing second place in the 10U boys' division also at 65 lbs. What we learn from our failures informs our future endeavors.

MJ cites, “While competing in RMN Events, I really appreciate the opportunity to compete in the boys’ division and to compete in multiple age divisions. The boys test my limits, pushing me in ways that help me grow as a wrestler, both mentally and physically. 

“The level of competition is tough, but that's exactly what makes RMN exciting and worth all the travel. Every match teaches me something new, and every challenge motivates me to keep improving. 

“Rocky Mountain Nationals gives me a chance to assess myself, step outside my comfort zone, and continue building into the wrestler I want to become.”

In the 10U 65 lb. boys' bracket at the 2025 RMN Monster Match, she bumped up five pounds, overcame setbacks to come from behind for victories, and was triple bracketed. 

Despite losing in an early match to the eventual champion, she made her way back to place true second. In her other two brackets, Boys 10U 60 lb. and Girls 10U 65 lb., she finished first and was awarded the Most Outstanding Wrestler in the girls’ 10-and-under division.

“I'm an aggressive wrestler,” asserts MJ. “On my feet, I love to do side-bys or use a push-pull set-up to secure a takedown. I'm rather good with these techniques, and I keep at it until I score. On top, I run a spiral ride, do arm chops, take a chicken wing, or ride the legs.”

“On the bottom,” Steve emphasizes, “our motto is ‘keep moving.’ Throw your opponent off balance. Throw them off our backs. Kind of like a bull, right? If a sit-out does not work, hit a switch.”

Steve grew up wrestling in a small Eastern Colorado town at the legendary Rocky Ford High, whose program began under National Hall of Fame coaches Charlie White (1969-89) and Allen Cutsforth (1965-2008) and whose winning ways have continued under Mike Jurney (1992 – present). 

Together, they created a continuous wrestling dynasty that has produced over 70 individual state champions, 12 state championship teams, and multiple All-Americans. One of those state champs was MJ’s dad, Steve.

“I love the fact that she's learned from so many coaches in just four years," Steve explains. “David Duran and his Pueblo wrestling club were her first experience, when MJ was but six years old. Dave's a hands-on, aggressive coach who's also unafraid to show compassion. 

“Next came Sal Gutierrez of Pomona, who was a super technical freak. Every move had to be done perfectly. When he left Pomona to coach the Cowboy Wrestling Club in Stillwater, Oklahoma, we transitioned to Black Fox WC in Parker, where Luke Morris tops it off by combining the best of each of her previous coaches.”

Dad’s own coaching philosophy focuses on the basics, emphasizing technique over strength. “Be smart first, fast second, and strong as needed. Keep it basic – basics win matches. 

“My whole life, I was always taught that the first takedown wins the match, and that's what I live by. For MJ, I rephrase it as ‘smart wrestling.’

“Technique beats muscle all day. So, we're always smart, first, fast, and, if we need to be, strong. We force the pace at all times. And then our strength is not muscle, it is inner strength, found only by digging deeply.”

Dad points out, “Strength means having the confidence inside oneself to dig deeply for the more meaningful wins and finding the confidence to be able to pull off a big win as she did at the Monster Match.

MJ’s coaches have emphasized technical wrestling, tactical learning, and pushing everyone to do their best. MJ comments. “They teach solid, old-school moves. They don't joke around; they just focus on technique. Their approach is that we’re here to wrestle, learn, and get better – to be the best we can be.”                                                     

“While wrestling,” the 10-year-old wisely states, “I visualize my match plan. At local tournaments, my dad lets me figure things out on the mat, offering only quick advice or hand signals in tough spots. 

“We've been in sync since he started coaching me. I think about my match as I'm wrestling it, inside my own head, where I hear what he has taught me.”

As Steve comments, “When we do local tournaments, I try not to coach her as much. Her coaches have prepared her, and she now figures it out herself when left alone. I let her go out and discover it herself. If she gets into a bind during a match, I'll shout, roll out, tell her something, or give a hand signal of what we usually do.”

“As a father, I grew up with a super tough dad and coach, and as a male, I believed that crying was only for girls. That's been my mentality my whole life. When I began coaching, I wanted my kids to have the killer instinct.”

“Recently,” Steve continues, “I've learned to become a father before being a coach. I don’t want to see my baby girl cry or get hurt, but I know that’s part of the sport. I've taken a big step back and put a lot of trust in the coaches. 

“Now, I feel comfortable dropping her off at the front door, allowing them to take care of her. I know that she will have a productive workout, where she will learn technique and grind the whole time.

“Just the same, I get emotional when watching MJ. It pains me to see her upset. In that moment after a match, instead of saying 'work harder,’ I have learned to hug her, then later collaborate with her to discuss and practice what she could have done better.”

“For those out there trying to be both coach and father, as a dad, remember you have a heart and feelings. As a father, you allow yourself to be more emotional than as a coach. It's hard to watch them lose, especially if that elite athlete is your own child. 

“Be there for them rather than add to the pressure on athletes who are already disappointed in themselves.”

MJ gives her all in every match and has been taught to treat every opponent equally, regardless of gender or division. While her coaches have prepared her to meet new challenges, it is also evident that she has developed her tough-mindedness naturally. 

After eventually becoming a state and Fargo champ, MJ wants to make the USA National Team, train in different countries, become a World medalist, and win Olympic gold. Significantly, MJ admires Helen Maroulis not only as an Olympic champion but also as a role model for overcoming head trauma to win Olympic gold.

Eknath Easwaran once said, “In silence, we often find solutions to problems we can’t solve in any other way.”

Through choosing to wrestle, MJ has learned how to turn a hearing deficit into a single-minded, purposeful appreciation of the effort she needs to succeed, on and off the mat.