OAKLEAF - It was kind of a dare that Krystal Montalvo got on a wrestling mat as a Texas high schooler that later became a profession that keeps her hopping around and slapping the floor.
"When I was in high school in Texas; Rio Grande City High, a friend of mine said I wouldn't go out for the new high school girls wrestling team," said Montalvo. "He was wrong because I don't like being told what not to do."
Montalvo, for the past three years, has been a mainstay in Florida high school wrestling mats at Clay High and at the FHSAA state championships with her very high-flying, fast-moving style.
"I like to be right in the mix of the match and stay engaged with the wrestlers," said Montalvo, 35, and now living in Oakleaf with her family. "At first, there was some chatting about me hitting guys fast with pins, but I can see when the pin is coming and I move faster to get in position to make the final look. The chatter has stopped pretty much as athletes and coaches kind of respect my style."
As a high school wrestler in Texas, Montalvo was no slouch either as a sixth placer in 2007, and a state qualifier three times, but, unfortunately, without a senior season due to injury.
"I wish I could have said I was a four-year state meet qualifier, but got injured," said Montalvo. "I was in the  Navy until 2016, met my husband, William, also in the Navy, had some kids; two boys; William and Jayden, and I got to be a stay-at-home mom."
Montalvo came to Florida via husband William's military deployment after seven years refereeing Texas wrestling and the move to Florida wrestling was imminent.
"The one thing about the referees here is that a lot of the male referees work out to referee," said Montalvo. "Most referees understand the workout regiments of the wrestlers they are officiating and they do the workouts so they can keep up themselves on the mat. For me, the confidence from the workout transitions onto the mat as a referee."
As one of a handful of female referees, Montalvo noted, in general, especially with girls wrestling becoming a big part of wrestling in Florida, she gets a lot of commentary or questions only because she is the only female.
"If there is a girls' wrestling side of a big invitational, the meet officials automatically send me to the girl's mats," said Montalvo. "And, while I understand the thought process, I get a lot of the female athletes approaching me for questions like where is the trainer or when we start when there are three or four male refs in the same area. I see that they will be more comfortable coming to me. I think my presence in my position is good for the sport; boys and girls, and very good for the girls wrestling."
One thing that Montalvo has compared to her Texas days is that Florida wrestling is much faster and much stronger.
"Florida wrestlers wrestle the whole six minutes and beyond, they don't get gassed until the very end," said Montalvo. "The wrestlers here are very serious about being competitive to the final whistle and beyond. In Texas, when it was new, there were not a lot of three-period tough matches. I've been amazed at the energy of matches going two or three overtime rounds."
For now, Montalvo says her refereeing will continue in Florida unless her husband William gets sent elsewhere.
"I'm hoping he sticks around Jacksonville for a while," said Montalvo. "It's exciting here right now. I have a pretty good following from wrestling moms that my presence is a good thing for their girl wrestler."
Montalvo noted she recruited 10 female officials before she left Texas.