10 years ago I found this forum to ask a question about Freestyle uniform codes which my son was just jumping into for the first time and simply didn't have any knowledge of what the rules were. The next 4 years my son wrestled HS varsity and was above average but not what everyone likes to call a "Stud" - he went to state as an alternate but never wrestled at the dome. The state champ that year just happened to be his wrestling partner at 182 and his classmate. Fast forward 7 years and I find myself back at 3A Regionals at Eastside Catholic this past weekend where I watched him coach for the first time. I've never felt so proud that even though he was never the best, he loved the sport so much that he decided to seek out a paid coaching job. Your kids never get too old to be proud of who they've become and how they give back. Not to mention he helped their heavies by rolling with them throughout the year (and always complained how sore he was, lol). So if you son or daughter doesn't always place in the top 3 or 4 - keep encouraging them to always strive to better themselves and others, both his guys are on to state with 3rd and 4th place finishes respectively where I will once again be in the stands with a smile on my face beaming with pride and rooting for his kids. To the Dads out there, cherish these moments as they are so fleeting - I'm thankful my son got back into wrestling, but not so thankful for sitting on those damn bleachers for hours again!
Thanks for posting a positive story about your son and the journey he is on. Not everyone makes it the that last step on top while in high school but what really matters is what you do in life after that. Great to see you son giving back to wrestling as a coach. The sport desperately needs the next generation, like your son (and others), to step into the coaching and officiating roles of the previous generation so the sport can continue to thrive and grow as they age out. Share my congratulations with him the next time you see him.
Thank you for sharing! All too often we (parents) get caught up in the rankings and whether our kids end up on a podium. There are those who win state titles and you see it translate to confidence and success in adulthood. There are also those who win it all and end up living in the past, unable to replicate their fortitude on the mat with toughness in life. Finding the right balance as a parent is tough but your story is a good reminder for all of us. Winning a state title isn't the only way to win in life.
Good reminder that 4 years is just a blink of the eye in the grand scheme of things. Was just telling my son this last night in fact after his tough 1 point loss over the weekend that made him miss the finals. Add in the fact that only 1% of HS wrestlers go on to Division 1, .8% to division 2, and 1.2% to division 3 programs means that 98+% of these kids will never wrestle again after graduation. So it's a good perspective to keep. Thanks for the post - it's nice to hear your son is giving back to our community.
I was a coach for a decade before going into refereeing.
The most rewarding thing for me is seeing some of my old wrestlers coming back to the sport and guiding the next generation of wrestlers. At my last count, I've got six in the coaching ranks and two in the ref ranks. One of the refs (who is a pretty good ref and climbing the ranks quickly) was a kid who spent most of his HS career on JV.
Just by being in the room for four years, they'll become better wrestlers. Our real job is to help them become better people.