10-Year-Old Wrestler Honor Smoke Featured on Sports Illustrated Cover

From Home Wrestling to State Champion

• 🤼 Honor Smoke, a 10-year-old from the Tanowanda Seneca Reserve, discovered wrestling three years ago after wrestling around at home.
• 💔 Initially, her mother found it heartbreaking to watch her lose every match in her first year at age 7.
• 📈 Through dedication and extra hours, Honor improved significantly, learning and applying new techniques.

Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Success

• 👦 Honor now competes against boys, understanding their aggression and their reluctance to be beaten by a girl.
• 🏆 She won the 2024 New York Wrestling Association for Youth State Championship.
• 🏅 The previous year, she placed fifth at SACE, making her first-place win the following year a significant achievement.

Sports Illustrated Cover and Inspiration

• 🌟 Honor became the youngest athlete ever to be featured on the cover of a Sports Illustrated special edition.
• 📣 She hopes her story will inspire girls to be themselves, pursue their dreams, and believe they can achieve anything.
• 🌎 The recognition brings pride to her community, as she proudly represents her indigenous roots.