Wrestling Moms

When I started wrestling in grade school as a fifth grader, my best friend's mom used to take us to tournaments.  You see moms can have a lot to do with a wrestler's success.  Those early tournaments were tough for me because I didn't know a lot of moves or good technique.  But, I got used to the competitive atmosphere, sense of pride from winning matches, and the sting of losing matches.  Those early experiences were important to me so I was fortunate that someone's mom was ready to drive us to those youth tournaments.

My mom had to watch me cut weight when I became a high school wrestler.  She probably wasn't thrilled with what I was doing to my body and yet she knew how much I loved the sport and how much I wanted to compete successfully on the varsity team. 

I cut weight for the first time when I was a sophomore.  It was a horrible experience.  I think my mom bought me a pin on button that read something akin to, "I'm on a diet, so don't mess with me."  She drove me to one of my first weigh-ins that season and then took me out for breakfast at a local diner.  I think she may have been taken aback by the amount of food I ordered.  I believe my order was something along the lines of two eggs, sausage, toast, two bakery rolls, and two large glasses of orange juice.  The waitress didn't bat an eye.  I guess she was used to wrestlers coming in to eat after weigh -ins.

 

My mom had to watch me suffer some heartbreaking defeats.  She saw me lose sometimes to opponent's I had the ability to beat or had even beaten before in competition.  But, she always tried to be comforting and supportive.  I was her son and she loved me and that's all that really mattered.

My mom understood how demanding wrestling could be.  I think she even "exchanged a few words" with a basketball player's mother once and let her opinion that wrestling was a more demanding sport than basketball be known. 

During my senior season I was pinned by an opponent.  That hadn't happened since I was a freshman.  I was a pretty good wrestler - one of the best at my school and in the conference.  Well, I had to face that same opponent a week later in the conference tournament finals and I beat him.  I beat him pretty soundly in fact.  My claims that when she was driving to the school that morning I said, "Don't worry Mom I'll win."  She knew the coaches of the other wrestler thought the match would be won by their wrestler.  So, that made my winning and even happier occasion.  She was glad I showed those other coaches that they shouldn't have underestimated my abilities.

My older sister claims that she was/is my biggest fan.  She may be right.  She used to watch me wrestle a lot and used to yell a lot to cheer me on.

Years later she would have a son who became a wrestler.  She and my brother-in-law took him to tournaments even when he was a five-year-old I believe.  At any rate, he started a lot younger than I did.  He had some serious knee problems in high school and yet beat some tough opponents and he too became a conference champion.  I saw the emotional situations she and other wrestling moms went through while watching their sons battle out on the mat.



So, thank you wrestling moms for all you have done to support wrestlers.