Learning to Use Her Strength

The first time Lily Fitzpatrick ’25 stepped onto a wrestling mat, she was 12 years old and her brother’s coach let her try it to see how she’d fare. A much bigger boy picked her up and slammed her to the ground. She was stunned. The coach showed her some moves and then, armed with the same muscles but new knowledge, she turned the tables on her opponent.

 

Fitzpatrick, who grew up in a small Montana town 20 minutes from the Blackfeet Indian Reservation where her father was raised, has been learning to use her strength ever since. This February, she made St. Paul’s School history twice in one week — first, she went 2-0 in the 138lbs weight class to become the School’s first female New England champion, and then she pinned down the Big Red’s first female National Prep Wrestling Championship title in Maryland.

 

Congratulations all around — you’ve had quite a run!
Yeah, I would say so. I was pretty nervous for both championships, honestly, but so excited, too. I was mentally and physically prepared going into them, I just knew I was going to go straight through. I knew my strong moves and had practiced. When you know yourself, you're more comfortable. If you worry about your competition, then you get scared.

 

Besides the great outcome, how has your first SPS wrestling season been?
Montana’s been growing the sport and I'm used to having other girls with me. It was different being the only girl on the SPS team, but everyone was very inclusive and supportive. I don’t think it was a surprise to any of the guys that I was wrestling. It was just a big family, in my opinion. They made me feel right at home.

 

Wrestling is a tough sport, though. There were a couple practices when I thought I was going to quit. During those struggling times, I knew I had to slow down, take a step back, and push through. I love the sport and nobody’s going to do the work for me. I’m glad I persevered. Coach [Scott] Heitmiller gave some pretty good pep talks. He was a father figure, and it was nice to have that support considering I was taught by my dad.

 

Was your dad a wrestler? How did your interest in wrestling start?
My dad was a bull rider, football player, and wrestler in high school before going to law school, and he’s coached high school wrestling. Watching my brother wrestle, I thought it was awesome and wanted it for my own, so at one of his practices, I tried it. After that, my dad gave me lessons in the living room along with my brother. He was very good about teaching me how to stay safe, but he still worries about me.

 

I joined the wrestling team in middle school but only wrestled with the other girls up until COVID. I was also in a club with my brother, and we wrestled at bigger tournaments.

 

What makes a good wrestler?
Consistent training. My teammate Declan Casey ’22, who went to Nationals along with me and Alex High ’25, is a great example. He is so determined that sometimes he would run for an hour before our two-hour workout. I don’t know how he does it. Mental toughness is also a big component, but being able to go into a match with a calm mindset and having your moves planned is easier said than done.

 

Can you tell me about where you grew up?
I’m from north central Montana, about an hour south of the Canadian border. I’m Native American on my dad’s side. He’s a lawyer and head of tribal enterprises but raises cattle, too. So, I grew up as a ranch hand; I’d handle the medicine gun while he branded, or I’d be wrestling the calves. It gave me a different perspective than some kids here. I’m in 4-H and raised pigs for five or six years, then a steer. As I got older, my mom and I were involved with environmental things.

 

I’m used to open spaces with the plains and mountains. I’m glad I chose St. Paul’s, though, because it’s giving me new opportunities.

 

You shared that you’re Native American on your dad’s side. How do you carry that identity with you when you’re far from home?
I hold my background very highly. For Indigenous People’s Day in October, I collaborated with Rev. Wynder and Ms. Dickerson Wynder on a celebration, and I’m glad they did that. It was very inclusive. It’s nice to know that people are curious and want to learn about my culture while I’m also learning about others, but I hope to get a few other Native students out here because finding others to relate to is important.

 

Now that you’re here, what has caught your academic imagination?
In the fall, I took a painting class with Mr. Callahan, one of my favorites so far. For my final, I painted a landscape of the mountains behind my farm; I love sharing my experiences with my teachers. I’m a student who has to connect closely with the teacher to really engage in that class. And I’m really enjoying the math offerings here.

 

Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I played volleyball in the fall, will do track and field this spring and will swim over the summer at home, but I’m really looking forward to wrestling again next season and hope that more girls will come out for it. The coaches will be supportive, and the guys in the room, too. And people outside the wrestling room, for that matter — I've gotten so many congratulations from people I don’t know. That’s just what makes St. Paul’s such a welcoming place.