Triple Threat Talent
Candice Matson, a senior at Cowan High School, is June’s Female Student Athlete of the Month, sponsored by IU Health. Matson is a versatile athlete with an adventurous attitude. Her love of sports and enjoyment in participating are evident. During her high school career, she has played basketball, softball, and been on the cross-country and girls wrestling teams.
During Matson’s junior year, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) approved girls wrestling as a competitive sport at the high school level. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, it’s the fastest-growing sport in the nation.
Lady wrestlers from Indiana have role models to look up to. Two Hoosiers, multi-time world and Olympic medalists Sarah Hildebrandt and Kayla Miracle, made the Olympic team in 2021 and continue to be a major force in the sport.
“I played basketball from sixth grade through my sophomore year. When wrestling became a sanctioned sport last year, my good friend Emma Jones and her dad talked me into joining the team. I found a lot of joy in it. It’s the first girls wrestling team Cowan ever had,” Matson says.
During her senior year, Matson had a successful wrestling season. She qualified for the IHSAA Regionals and finished in fourth place.
However, softball is her favorite sport. She plays in the outfield in the center field position. Situated between the right fielder, who is by first base, and the left fielder, who is by third base, Matson sees a lot of action.
Center field is the most demanding defensive position. It requires lots of speed and the ability to anticipate where the ball is going. A strong arm is needed, and being able to move very quickly is important. Center fielders are often one of the best athletes on a team.
“I first started to play softball when I was nine or 10. It’s my favorite because of the overall environment and the fact that it is a team sport. When you are playing, you must be on your A-game. During the time I’ve been on the high school team, we made it to sectionals twice and once to regionals. When I was a freshman, a senior, Miranda Bowling, encouraged me not to be scared and to show what I could do. That year we made it to finals,” Matson says.
Matson shared that a highlight during her softball career was during her sophomore year. The team had lost a lot of skilled seniors who had graduated the year before. Going into sectionals, they were the underdogs, so it was thrilling when they ended up being the winning team.
“I’ve run cross country since sixth grade. I also did track in middle school, but I couldn’t do that and softball at the same time. Running the long distance of the 5K event is a challenging training process for sure; it’s very mental. During my time on the team, we went to regionals three times,” Matson says.
Matson finds time to participate in other extracurricular activities as well. She is a member of National Honor Society, on student council, and is on the Student Athlete Leadership Team. She also works as a certified nursing assistant at Signature HealthCARE of Muncie.
Half of Matson’s school day is spent at the Muncie Area Career Center, where she takes courses for the Health Sciences pathway, a dual-credit program. Last year, she acquired her CNA certification. Currently, she is studying for the exam to achieve status as a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant. After graduation, she plans to continue at Ivy Tech and acquire her registered nursing degree.
“It is challenging to balance everything. I work on schoolwork anytime I have free time during the school day. There’s also time to do schoolwork before and after practice and before I go to bed,” Matson says.
“My advice for anyone who wants to play sports in high school is to not be scared; go for it! Try to improve what you know you can do. At the end of the day, know that it’s not majorly serious. Just go out there and have fun,” Matson says.
