Another high school wrestling season is entering its version of the playoffs, both individually and as teams. As I reflect on the season I'm reminded that wrestling is the toughest sport on the planet physically and emotionally. Think about these things:
* You walk on the mat in a singlet that hides nothing. You face an opponent who wants to hurt you. For six minutes (if there isn't over-time) you are in hand-to-hand combat with another wrestler. At the end one will be the victor, one will be the loser--one will have his hand raised in triumph, the other will inevitably lower his head in defeat. There is no one to praise, but you--there is no one to blame, but you. And this is just one of 30-50 matches a high school wrestler will endure. But the matches isn't all there is...
* Every day after school you go to practice. You run, you drill, you learn, you wrestle, you bleed, you sweat, you vomit and some dislocate and break. You do this for 2-3 hours everyday during the season. But practice isn't all there is...
* You go home or to the gym and lift weights to get stronger. You go home and you ride the bike or run to shed every ounce of excess fat. But the extra work at home isn't all there is...
* You diet--like a madman. Wrestling season is during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. While everyone else is eating and drinking, you're watching what you put into your body, carefully calculating how it will effect your weight and performance. But diet isn't all there is...
* At night you lie in bed unable to sleep even though you're exhausted. You're wired from turning your body into a fat burning furnace and muscular machine, so you lie there thinking. You think of your last match--what you could have done better--what worked and what didn't. You think of your next match and what you're going to do. And this is just during the season, not to mention the off season when the real work takes place...
So if you're a high school wrestler I salute you. You are the toughest men to walk the earth.
I was never involved in competitive sports, never was a fan of wrestling in high school..I simply did not understand it.
ReplyDeleteFast forward a few years and my oldest boy says he wants to give wrestling a go. Ok, let's see what all this is about.
I have come to respect the sport immensely. As you said, it's all about you, the wrestler. You lose, it's all you. If you win, all you again. A test of pure strength and heart.
It's heartbreaking and extremely rewarding depending on the outcome..and that's just for the mother! Christian has cried, he's suffered, he's been over the moon with pride in himself and his abilities. He loves it all and so do I.
I appreciate you recognizing these boys, they have far more heart than they get credit for.