Even in a pair of jeans and in front of an audience in the middle of a school day, Kaydence Golding has no problem slamming her wrestling buddy.

Wrestling has always brought a smile to her face.

What You Need To Know

  • South Colonie fifth grader Kaydence Golding is the next up and coming wrestler in the Capital Region

  • Golding has already won three national championships in her age group

  • Golding is following in the footsteps of her mother and father, who dominated on the mat as well

“You get to see your friends, you get to kind of be in the moment," Golding said. “It’s really comforting and really fun.”

She’s just 10 years old, but Golding is already up to big things in her young career. She’s a three-time national champion in her age group, most recently bringing home the gold this past year. Every win means just a little more than the last. And every medal is a realization of all the hard work.

“It’s really cool to come back with this," Golding said as she looked at her medal. "When you look at the medal, it’s shiny. When I look at it, what it kinds of means to me is all my hard work, all that I’ve done. That’s what it means.”

Golding’s hard work will bring her places she never could have imagined. But in her back pocket, Kaydence has two secret weapons: her mother and father, Amy and Eliah Golding. The two met on the mat years ago. Amy has been a trailblazer as well, as she is the first female to ever win a Section II championship during her days at Duanesburg.

“It’s really amazing for me as a mom and female wrestler to have my daughter wrestle," Amy said. "There are so many more opportunities now than there was when I was wrestling. It’s really exciting for me.”

At times, Amy and Eliah serve as coaches to their daughter but more importantly, role models, and provide a sense of security for Kaydence.

“They’ve been there," Kaydence said. "They know what it’s like to be on your back. They know what it feels like. They understand it. It’s a lot better to have someone there. It’s cool to have someone like that.”

Their presence calms Kaydence, her parents said. Amy said her daughter is willing and able to outwork anyone on the mat, no matter their size.

“She really made the switch from it being a fun thing to a serious thing when she was maybe 8 years old, so that was two years ago, but she’s put in so much work since then," Amy says. "Her work ethic is impressive for a 10-year-old.”

Kaydence says she wants to win an Olympic gold medal.

“She’s a straight-A student as well," Amy said. "She’s really, really smart. She can do anything, get any degree she wants.”