Her mother wasn't exactly thrilled with her daughter's plans.

“My mom told me I couldn't compete—girls aren't supposed to wrestle,” Whitbeck recalled.

However, her mom quickly changed her mind, and Whitbeck joined the school’s modified wrestling team. She also began practicing and competing at local wrestling clubs outside of the regular season at her mother’s insistence.

“My mom made me practice in the off-season, so I could get better,” said Whitbeck, “and so I wouldn't get hurt.”

Whitbeck wrestles year round, and because there are not many female wrestlers in the Capital Region, she travels extensively for competitions and training. She credits her success to the support of her family and coaches.

This summer, Whitbeck placed fifth in the world at the FILA Junior World Championships in Beijing, China, where she traveled with the USA Junior World Team.

“It was really tough,” said Whitbeck. “I think it was so hard because I was in a lower weight class and I wasn’t used to wrestling that low.”

Whitbeck has won female wrestling tournaments in many locations throughout the nation and in Puerto Rico. She is currently the number one ranked female wrestler in the nation at 105 pounds.

Some of her other accomplishments include winning the FIIA Body Bar Female Nationals for the past three years, where she has also won the most outstanding wrestler award.

After capturing silver medals in 2005 and 2007, and a bronze medal in 2006, in the female national tournament in Fargo, North Dakota, Whitbeck earned the opportunity to train free of charge at the Colorado Springs Olympic training center. She has also trained at the Lake Placid and San Diego Olympic training centers with other top-notch female wrestlers and world coaches.

She’s won local and national freestyle and folk-style wrestling tournaments and numerous other competitions. Whitbeck is also an integral member of the Duanesburg High School wrestling team. Currently, the team is ranked number two in New York State for small schools by the New York State Sportswriters Association.

“Last year, Amy was the first female in New York State history to advance to the state championships, become a sectional champion and represent her section at the NYS Public High School Tournament,” said wrestling coach Joe Bena.

She won the Section II Class D Championship by forfeit for the second year in a row because her male opponent was uncomfortable wrestling a girl. Whitbeck moved on to the state competition after defeating a male Hudson Falls wrestler in the final state qualifiers.

In addition to wrestling, Whitbeck works with her personal trainer, participates in weight lifting competitions and volunteers at the Wildwood Center with mentally challenged teenagers. She also volunteers at the Schenectady YMCA where she is a part of the Schenectady Special Olympics basketball team.

“I’m not that good at basketball,” Whitbeck confessed. However, she has fun and enjoys the camaraderie.
In between wrestling, school and outside activities, Whitbeck has little time left to barrel race with her horse, Sandy, which she used to do often.

Next year, Whitbeck plans to wrestle at the college-level while studying social services or special education. Her top choices include colleges in Oklahoma, Michigan or Kentucky, all of which have female wrestling teams.

Her ultimate goal is to become a member of the United States Olympic Female Wrestling Team and compete in the 2012 Olympics. “It’s not going to be easy,” Whitbeck said. But she’s going to try.