When Brooke Tarshis started wrestling 10 years ago, she never dreamed it would lead to this.

The Pine Bush High School rising senior will join 11 of other U.S. wrestlers, nine from New York alone, on the 2023 American Kintaro World Team/Immersion training program from October 11-19 in Japan.

The program gives participants the opportunity to live with host families, study, embrace a new culture and compete against International talent.

“It’s a huge honor,” Tarshis said. “I’ve never thought I’d be able to wrestle over there, or basically any place other than the U.S. I’m very shocked and very excited.”

She is one of two Section 9 wrestlers to attend. Minisink Valley’s Jaida Macaluso will also attend. Overall, seven Sections in New York will be represented in the team. There is also a wrestler from Texas and from Florida.

Minisink Valley graduate and alum of the program Mia Macaluso has been named to the coaching staff.

The whole thing started with Macaluso, who reached out to Tarshis’ mother to start the process, gauging Tarshis’ interest and letting her know that only 12 girls would be picked.

“I was very interested,” Tarshis said. “It’s a big cultural experience and a big wrestling experience to wrestle on the other side of the world.”

Tarshis certainly has the credentials and the history, as she started wrestling when she was seven years old. She made the boys’ varsity wrestling team as a 12-year-old eighth grader.

In that time, she was named a 2021 Women’s Nationals U15 All-American. She is a two-time Section 9 girls’ wrestling champion. She won the Women’s Eastern States Classic in her weight class, and she was a runner up at the first-ever New York State Public High Schol Girls Invitational.

She’s excited about the trip to Japan but also nervous, as she will be going without family, but will have her teammates with her.

“It’s just the girls and the coaches,” Tarshis said. “But I have a few of my friends on the team, so I’m a little better. Not as nervous.”

Wrestling is in her blood, as her brother wrestled as did several of her cousins, one of whom, Dustin Greer, a former Pine Bush High School wrestler, was the youth coach.

“He was like, ‘come on, we’re going to get you wrestling,” Tarshis said. “So, I did the practices at first and my first tournament ever was when I was only wrestling for three weeks. So, I felt like I was always around it when I was younger. I tried it, and I love it.”

She’s also enjoying tremendous community support. In addition to the support she has received from her coaches, including Macaluso, Pine Bush coach Patrick Sause and Deep Roots Wrestling Club coach Ricky Scott, the most help came from her employer.

She’s been working at the Third & Company Lakeside Restaurant in Walker Valley, which is owned by Joseph Russek.

He was onboard immediately.

“He was like, ‘we’re going to make a post. We’re going to raise you money. We’re going to get you to Japan,’” Tarshis said. “He just took over everything and helped me out with everything. I didn’t think so many people would support me.”

Third & Company set a goal to raise $4,000 toward Tarshis’ trip, which he posted on Third & Company’s Facebook page. Russek also pledged $1 for every “like” the post received, $3 for every heart and $5 for every share.

As of midnight Thursday, the post received 407 shares, 496 hearts and 284 loves, taking care of most of the goal. Deadline to donate is September 13.

“I didn’t think so many people knew me, and knew me as a wrestler,” Tarshis said. “I’m actually surprised how many people looked at the post. Even my post. I have nobody on Facebook, and everybody was sharing mine.”