At Regis Jesuit, Wrestling Takes Spirituality to the Mat

Segura followed her brother Antonio Segura ’21 into the sport and to Regis Jesuit, where their father Gary serves as an assistant wrestling coach. Antonio is a three-time state champion and earned Wrestler of the Year distinction in both 2020 and 2021. Both brother and sister received 2021–2021 All-State awards. Lexi aspires to make it to the Pan American Wrestling Championships in the next couple of years.  

Girls Wrestling is new at Regis Jesuit. Last year, Lizet Ramos ’21 and a few friends bravely stepped forward and asked to start a wrestling club. The school created the physical space and resources for a full-fledged sport, and now it is sanctioned by the Colorado High School Activities Association. Segura has come to personify not only the sport, but also equity for girls. 

“Being the ‘wrestler girl’ at Regis is exciting,” she said. “I get to help start the program and see it grow so it hopefully lasts beyond my time here. That’s cool.” She likes to inspire other girls who might wonder if they should try wrestling, or anything else that’s new and unfamiliar. “I tell them it’s okay to be scared. As long as girls stick to their goals and put in the work, we can do everything boys can do.” Her favorite subjects are math and theology, and she hopes to study marine biology one day. 

Bryan Zerr ’05 wrestled at Regis Jesuit all four years and now returns to “roll around on the mat with the team” as a volunteer. “I feel deeply rooted to the school because that’s where I became the man I am today. My desire is to stay connected and give back, whether with my time, treasure or talents. I hope I can inspire others to do the same.” 

Zerr sees wrestling as “an intensely spiritual sport” and one that cultivates discipline, focus and self-confidence, which can be especially important for girls as they navigate society’s norms of confidence, beauty and femininity. He credits wrestling for his success as an entrepreneurial real estate broker, husband and father of a toddler-aged daughter. “Wrestling pulls out and galvanizes the character,” he said. “It allows us to reach our God-given potential in other areas of life. There’s interplay between individuality—it’s you on the mat all by yourself—and at the same time, the solidarity of the team creates meaningful and transformative bonds.” 

Segura agrees. “Wrestling helps me find connection between me and God,” she said. “Sometimes I’ll pray for guidance, or to keep the wrestlers safe. But not for a wish to win. God doesn’t work that way.”