Joseph Khai is quiet when speaking in English.

His poofy brown hair falls over his forehead as he adjusts it throughout the conversation, often unsure of what is being asked. That hesitation is understandable: The Catonsville freshman moved to the United States just last September.

But for Khai — and many of his teammates — wrestling has become more than a sport. It offers a connection to home while conflict continues thousands of miles away.

Catonsville’s wrestling team now includes a growing contingent of athletes from Burmese families who fled Myanmar amid a decades-long conflict in the country formerly known as Burma. Speaking with The Baltimore Sun, the wrestlers reflected on their shared heritage and the bond the sport has created among them.

“People should be grateful they live in a nice house,” said freshman Bawi Ceu said, who was born in the United States. “In Burma, people don’t always have food. Sometimes they can’t even eat meat. They live with very little.”

Myanmar has been mired in civil conflict for decades, with violence escalating in recent years as fighting between the military and ethnic resistance groups has displaced millions. Many families fled amid widespread instability, food shortages and persistent threats to civilian life.

Several of the wrestlers said their families first sought refuge in neighboring countries before eventually resettling in the United States. Maryland became home through a mix of circumstance and opportunity — access to education, established immigrant communities and proximity to Washington, which families viewed as a symbol of safety and stability.

“We want to show hope for our people,” Ceu said. “We want to let other countries know that our country is in danger.”

When Khai was 1, his family fled to India before resettling in Maryland last year.

He still speaks limited English, with freshmen teammates Thang Cin and Pau Tuang translating much of the conversation in Hindi and Tedim. Beyond the language barrier, Khai said that adjusting to the U.S. education system has also been a challenge.

He struggled at times to understand and respond to questions, but when asked what it meant to share the roster with other members of the Burmese community, he broke into a wide smile and gave a thumbs up.

While several of his teammates were born in the United States, Tuang offers another glimpse into how the conflict in Myanmar has displaced families across the region.

The freshman was born in Malaysia after his family fled Myanmar and later moved to the United States when he was 3.

Since then, Tuang said, there has been a steady influx of Burmese families settling in the suburbs of Washington and Baltimore — to the point that, at Catonsville, “Burmese students aren’t even like a minority group here.”

“I don’t feel separated. I feel like I’m in a group of my own people,” Tuang said.

Catonsville wrestlers Joseph Khai, left to right, Semeon Hmo, Pau Tuang, Bawi Ceu, Thang Cin and James Muan pose for a portrait. The wrestlers share a unique connection, as they're all from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. (Haldan Kirsch/Freelance)

The language barrier for Khai has been one of the biggest challenges as he adjusts to the program — and one coach George Dunn has needed to adapt to as well.

On the mat, instruction from Dunn has shifted from explanation to demonstration. Practices move slower at times, with coaches relying on repetition and visual teaching to make sure techniques are understood.

“A lot of it has to be shown,” Dunn said. “We demonstrate things over and over, slow it down and make sure they see it. You have to meet them where they are.”

While the wrestlers share Burmese heritage, their identities are shaped by different ethnic tribes — distinctions that matter deeply back home and still carry meaning in Maryland. For decades, ethnic minority groups in Myanmar have faced violence and displacement tied to military rule, with entire communities pushed from their homes as fighting has intensified.

Ceu belongs to the Hakha Chin tribe, while freshman James Muan and Cin, both born in the United States, are Zo and Khai and Tuang are Zomi — all subgroups within the Chin ethnic community, which includes dozens of tribes.

“Each tribe has their own language and traditions,” Cin said. “The tribes are what separate us Burmese people apart from each other. Each also has their own traditional dances.”

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For some, the sport became an entry point after struggling to find footing elsewhere. That pull toward combat sports was reinforced by the rise of Joshua Van, a Burmese-born UFC fighter whose success has resonated deeply within the community. The wrestlers don’t always stay up late to watch his pay-per-view fights, but they know what he represents.

“Joshua was my inspiration for combat sports,” Ceu said. “He came from the same background.”

Van’s presence has helped turn curiosity into commitment. One wrestler joins, then brings a friend. Word spreads through classrooms, apartment complexes and family networks. This season, the Catonsville roster includes nine wrestlers from Burmese families — and more are expected next year as middle school students move up.

That growth has extended beyond the mat. Several wrestlers said churches, such as Our Lady of Victory Parish, and community gatherings have connected their families and offer food, support and services in Burmese.

At school, wrestling has become another version of that space.

“Here, it feels like family,” Muan said.

Have a news tip? Contact Michael Howes at mhowes@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Mikephowes.

Catonsville’s Joseph Khai puts Piper Cantemiry in a hold during a match earlier this season. Khai is one of several wrestlers on the team from Myanmar. (Haldan Kirsch/Freelance)