NAPUTI TOOK ON WRESTLING DESPITE AUTISM

By Paradis Jolie Fejerang

The wrestling mat has become more than a place of competition. It has become a space for growth, structure, and belonging – especially for Southern High’s Jayton Naputi.

As an autistic student-athlete who competed in his second year in high school wrestling, Naputi continued to show that progress comes in many forms, not all of them reflected on a scoreboard.

The sophomore has been diagnosed with Level II (requiring substantial support) on the autistic spectrum.

“I introduced Jayton into sports because the school system has failed him. It was an approach to find something good in the challenges we as a family faced against GDOE,” Jayton’s father Tony Naputi said. “The rugby and wrestling programs (at Southern) grew into families since Jayton’s older sisters participated in the sports. He recognized the hardships and triumphs his sisters endured and wanted to partake.”

While Jayton doesn’t necessarily feel a dramatic leap from last season as a freshman, he recognizes that the hours spent practicing on the mats have made a difference. That steady improvement has been shaped by a team culture Naputi has grown comfortable in. He’s noticed how every wrestler, regardless of experience or weight class, received guidance from the coaching staff and support from one another.

“[My coaches] try to talk me up to not slack off, that way I can work better,” Naputi shared, giving major props to the coaches that he feels are always helping him on the mats.

Still, that encouragement extended beyond the coaches. Naputi enjoyed the dynamic within the Tuninos wrestling team, where teammates pushed each other while working toward the same goal, proving that a sense of belonging can be just as important as the competition itself.

Originally, wrestling was not his main focus. He joined the sport with his eyes set on rugby, believing that wrestling would sharpen the skills he needed most on the pitch, mainly tackling. What started as cross-training quickly grew into something more meaningful.

His parents credit rugby for first teaching Jayton how to commit to a team, but wrestling has reinforced that lesson in new ways. With older siblings who have competed in wrestling, the Naputi family already understood the discipline the sport demands and the value it can bring. His older sister Tiara just won gold in the 134-lb division at last weekend’s All-Island Meet.

Since joining Southern’s wrestling team, Naputi’s parents have noticed growth beyond athletic ability. They’ve seen improvements in his discipline, focus, and socialization – all changes they attribute to being part of a structured, supportive program.

COORDINATED MATCHES

“Jayton’s matches have been well-coordinated,” his dad said. “I would especially like to shout out the Tiyan coach and the wrestler (Joseph Jesus) who stepped in for the 120-pound division for giving Jayton his first pin.”

That moment came during a matchup against the Titans this season. The bout became a milestone not just for Naputi, but for everyone watching. In an act of sportsmanship, Jesus stepped in to give Naputi a competitive match, allowing a back-and-forth exchange that showcased effort on both sides. The bout ended with Naputi earning his first win by pin, his hand raised as the crowd acknowledged the significance of the moment, even as it meant a loss for the Titan grappler.

The gratitude hasn’t been forgotten. Naputi’s family and coaches have made it clear how much that gesture meant, offering their heartfelt thanks to the Titans for helping create an opportunity rooted in respect and competition.

For Naputi, the victory was more than a mark in the record book.

“I felt great after [the] win,” he stated before moving on to share that he believes his shots were a highlight for himself as what he did great in earning the win.

Those shots, the practices and repetition have all proven to symbolize something larger: confidence earned through effort.

Looking back, his father says the journey wouldn’t be possible without the collective support surrounding his son. “Everybody involved — Jayton’s teammates and coaches — have really helped him to commit and be part of something greater than just himself.”

As Naputi concluded his second season, the goals remain simple. Keep showing up. Keep learning. Keep working. Whether on the wrestling mat or the rugby field, Jayton Naputi’s growth is proof that progress doesn’t always need to be loud. Sometimes progress is built quietly, one practice at a time.

“Most would see Jayton as a ‘good kid’, but fall short of understanding the coordination it takes in order for Jayton to feel the ‘inclusion’,” his dad added. “Jayton already has a long story to tell, but it continues to be written to this day.”