Abbie Rivero (Wrestling, Murray State University) grew up in Stillwater. HelloNation asks student athletes one question about the place that raised them and records the answer on camera. This is Abbie Rivero’s, in full.
The question
What makes your community a great place to raise a family?
The answer, as recorded
Transcript. What follows is a transcript of the video above, in Abbie Rivero’s own words. It has not been rewritten, and no part of it was drafted for them.
What makes my community a great place to raise a family is how connected everyone is, how people generally care for each other here. Minnesota doesn't feel like you're just living in a town. It feels like you're personally bigger, where people will actually know your name and show up for you. At Surrey High School, that connection is really strong. Teachers don't just teach, they support you as a person. Students build friendships through classes, sports, and activities, and it feels like everyone is rooting for each other to succeed. When I won my state title my junior year, I felt so connected to the school and the community. The school spirit is real here, and it brings people together in a way that it doesn't matter who you are and you feel included. For me personally, wrestling with Calgary Wrestling Club has been one of the biggest parts of my life. Calgary Wrestling Club has taught me discipline, Calgary toughness, and respect. But even more than that, it showed me what real family means. You're not just teammates, you become a support system. Coaches push you to be better, teammates pick you up when you're down, and there's families there cheering for you through every win and every loss, on and off the mat. What makes us special is that in those moments, you build real relationships. You go through hard practices, tough matches, and even setbacks together, and that creates real bonds that you don't forget. Some of those people turn into lifelong friends because you've shared real experiences with them. That's what makes Stillwater feel like home to me. It's a place where people care, where communities are built through school and sports, and where you never really go through life alone.
Recorded by HelloNation as part of its athlete voices program and published by Hello Newswire, HelloNation’s good news newswire. The words are the speaker’s own.
Reported by Hello Newswire.