DUBOIS — Local boxer Aviana Gillaugh faced many trials and tribulations at Nationals in Lubbock, Texas, this year, and had triumphs and heartbreaks in equal measure. But above all, she learned many lessons on her first trip on the national stage.
At the end of it all, she was tied for fourth in the nation.
After arriving in Lubbock, Gillaugh, 15, said the ordeal became a learning experience from the start.
“I experienced everything from fear to excitement. As soon as we got to the hotel, we started working out right away. When we got to the venue, we checked my weight and we met a bunch of people there: pro boxers and other national champions. We found out what was going on and who I was fighting,” Gillaugh said.