“Technique, conditioning, and heart,” are words used by Kilsi Naanee, the co-head coach of the Franklin 2025-2026 men’s and women’s wrestling teams, to describe the December through February season. This year he is joined by Martin Rodriguez, and the two hope to encourage the growth and confidence of new competing wrestlers.
Naanee currently teaches Forensic Science 1-2 and Sports Medicine 3-4 (Advanced) at Franklin. In these classes, he applies his expertise from his previous work at Comprehensive Options for Drug Abuse (CODA) Inc., an opioid treatment facility where he conducted research and participated in running clinical trials. His expertise also stems from his Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Minors in Chemistry and History from Portland State University (PSU). While continuing his education at PSU, Naanee completed his Masters in Education while simultaneously holding an emergency teaching license at Franklin during the 2021-2022 school year. This was followed by a year of working as a substitute teacher for Portland Public Schools. Naanee additionally aids in coaching the Franklin Football and Track and Field teams . Naanee’s teaching greatly influences his coaching; he strives to bring encouragement and facilitate positive learning experiences. He says he “knows students need more than to be just told, so [he] teaches on the [wrestling] mat, like [he] does off of it, by showing and reiterating points clearly.”
Similarly to Naanee, Rodriguez’s outreach expands further than coaching. Off the mat, he can be found helping students find internships or jobs as the career coordinator at Franklin, making him part of the College and Career Readiness team located in the counseling office. He additionally works closely within the Student Union Network (SUN) office, working to support students and families who are bilingual in English and Spanish by providing educational workshops, resource connection, and US education system navigation support for immigrant families. In addition to this work, he appears as the staff advisor for the Latinx Club, which meets Mondays in room SS-216 and helps to support, educate, and advocate for students of color through workshops and promotional activities. Rodriguez’s goals for his first season as a head coach, after three years of assistant coaching, include unifying the men’s and women’s wrestling programs, and, most critically, “providing as many matches as possible for JV athletes to improve, with a focus on developing the junior and sophomore athletes to strengthen the team in the coming years.”
Naanee and Rodriguez both emphasized the importance of the community the sport creates; you don’t need to be experienced or skilled to join, but rather excited and able to be an enthusiastic and supportive team member. Rodriguez loves to watch wrestlers get cheered on by their teammates, saying, “Their confidence definitely grows,” and explaining that they may not always be offered that support and encouragement at home.
Franklin’s wrestling team opened the season Dec. 5 with the Kirk Morey Tournament at Reynolds High School, facing off against Ida B. Wells, Sunset, and West Salem. This was followed by the Rick Sanders Invitational at Lincoln on Dec. 13. They wrapped up 2025 with the Hadden Invitational at Sprague on Dec. 20.
The Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) only voted to add girls wrestling as an independent school sanctioned sport for the 2023-2024 season. Given Franklin’s estimated 48% female student body, their participation in sports like wrestling, which have historically been dominated by male competitors, is crucial to expanding the perception of the sport. Through a season based on opportunities for new wrestlers to build and refine skills, coaches Kilsi Naanee and Martin Rodriguez continue to shape the future of Franklin Wrestling. By blending hands-on instruction, new personalized tracking and training, and community support, they create an environment encouraging the growth and resilience of wrestlers of all expertise and genders, on and off the mat. As they continue their season, they will establish a sense of belonging and pride in the sport, reiterating that Franklin wrestling is more than winning matches; it’s about building athletes for years to come.
