Linn-Mar’s Ally Jelinek shows ‘grit’ on the wrestling mat

MARION — She might’ve been down, but she wasn’t out.

Linn-Mar senior Ally Jelinek trailed all but roughly the final 30 seconds of her match Tuesday night against Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Olivia Hallam.

Hallam jumped out with a 7-0 lead and in Jelinek’s mind, it wasn’t the best start, obviously. But that wasn’t going to stop her.

“In wrestling, you aren’t out of it, until your mind is out of it,” Jelinek said. “I knew I had all the technique to beat that girl, but I had to get my head right. Once I got up, I said she wasn’t getting any more offensive points. I was going to score and win that match.”

Trailing 12-10, Jelinek let Hallam up with just under 45 seconds left, before she sealed the deal with a takedown.

Jelinek knew a ride out was all she needed for the win.

“On that last takedown, my body was hurting, and I was tired,” Jelinek said. “But I knew I couldn’t let her up. In my mind, I knew I had to fight through the last 30 seconds to get the win for my team.”

Linn-Mar did indeed get the win over the Cougars, 51-30, marking the program’s first dual meet victory over Kennedy, according to Jelinek and first-year Linn-Mar coach Kelly Seery.

Thinking about Jelinek’s come-from-behind win Tuesday night, Seery had just one word to describe her effort on the mat — gritty.

“She got down early,” Seery said. “She had to be gritty in that last period to score that last takedown and get the ride out. We expect that from Ally — she’s a veteran. She’s just really gritty.”

Jelinek’s grit, mindset and work ethic are a few of the many qualities that make her an ideal leader on this year’s Linn-Mar team.

When it comes to Jelinek’s impact, Seery isn’t surprised at her desire to make those around her better.

“The girls really look up to her, especially a lot of the younger girls,” Seery said. “They want to do the stuff she does. She leads practices and warm-ups a lot. She’s always been a good leader and that’s something you need, in order to have a good team.”

Not only does Jelinek empower her current teammates, but the team also is working to continue growing numbers within the Lions’ program. During her freshman year, Jelinek said there were six girls out and now, Linn-Mar nearly fills each weight class.

The growth in girls’ wrestling at Linn-Mar would not have been possible without Jelinek and several other wrestlers and supporters who work with and engage younger wrestlers.

“We have been out recruiting every year,” Jelinek said. “Ninety percent of girls who have gone out have ended up loving it. That’s how we’ve gotten to the team we have today. We have gone into the middle schools and shown them how it’s done. We want them to love the sport like we do.”

Tuesday night’s comeback wasn’t the first for Jelinek and is something she isn’t a stranger to.

Having been injured during the final match at last year’s Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s state qualifying meet, Jelinek has had her sights set on her final season donning the red and black.

“It was heartbreaking,” Jelinek said. “I knew it wasn’t the end of my story. I knew I had to come back and prove that I deserve to be at state. One injury wasn’t going to set me back.”

With her senior season in full swing — and being healthy again — Jelinek is locked in on one particular feat this year.

“My goal is to make it to finals at state,” Jelinek said.

As for Seery, he’s fully confident the Linn-Mar senior can reach the top of the podium by leveraging her gritty mindset and passion for wrestling.

“I want her to reach her goals, and she has some pretty high ones,” Seery said. “She can do it, if she works hard and has the drive for it.”