In the physically demanding and traditionally male-dominated world of wrestling, Perry Meridian Middle School eighth-grader Amia Quarles isn’t just participating; she is dominating, making history and inspiring a new generation of athletes.
Quarles, who began wrestling in 2021, is quickly accumulating an impressive amount of accolades . Her 2024 campaign was historic: she captured a wrestling triple crown by winning USA Wrestling state titles in Greco-Roman, freestyle and folkstyle disciplines. She also won the middle school state championship, bringing her to a total of four state titles. She competed in three national tournaments, posting impressive records.
Perhaps her most groundbreaking achievement was becoming the first girl to make the boys’ varsity wrestling team at Perry Meridian Middle School, a school known for its strong wrestling program. There, she won most of her matches against male opponents.
“It feels good because I like to be an inspiration and a leader to people,” Quarles told the Indianapolis Recorder. “I do get a lot of younger ladies looking up to me; they may want to try wrestling, too. I get really excited because it’s like I could really start something great.”
Her journey into the sport was a family affair. “The main reason I did wrestling was because of my brothers,” Quarles said. “They wrestled before me, and they inspired me to start.”
Her mother, Helen Wagers, noted that having a supportive coach was also crucial. That coach, who had previously coached her older brother, leads the elementary program and actively encourages girls to join.
“Having someone else, a coach there, because some of the older coaches are a little… they’ll let the girls in, but they’re not the same way about it,” Wagers said.
Quarles’ success has built a profound sense of confidence. She said the sport makes her feel “strong and independent.”
“When I tell people I wrestle, they get surprised and excited and want to hear more about it,” Quarles said. “That makes me happy and gives me a lot of confidence because it’s like people out there appreciate it.”
However, the demands of the wrestling are as mental as they are physical. Quarles identifies the sport’s solitary nature as one of its most challenging aspects.
“Wrestling, all of it, is really challenging,” Quarles said. “The hardest is the mental part, like going on the mat and thinking you can either get demolished or win. It’s just you and one other person… It’s hard, and it’s just you out there.”
Her mother emphasizes that this is precisely what builds character.
“Wrestling is one of the toughest physical sports, but it is also a good self-responsibility builder,” Wagers said. “You’re going out there, just you and the other person. You can’t blame anyone else. If you want to get better, you have to put in the work. It teaches a lot about taking self-responsibility, which is a good life lesson.”
That life lesson is already shaping Quarles’s future ambitions. A strong student, she is considering a career in criminal justice, potentially as a detective or lawyer.
Her coach, Lewis Warren, affirms her profound impact on the Perry Meridian program.
“Amia represents what Perry Meridian Wrestling is all about – her smarts, toughness, relentlessness and competitiveness.” Warren said. “She is a role model for her teammates and the younger wrestlers coming up in the program.”
As a new wrestling season begins this October, Quarles has a fresh goal —to get her name on the school wall by going undefeated in the middle school conference — a feat her older brother accomplished.
For any young girls or parents inspired by her story, Quarles has simple advice: “Give it a try … It is not just hard wrestling; it can be life itself. But always keep going.”
With a strong family behind her, a growing list of accolades before her and a generation of young athletes watching her, Amia Quarles is proving that strength, discipline and greatness know no gender.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on Facebook and TikTok @HorsemenSportsMedia.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
