Wrestling is not a sport for everyone. It takes sweat, blood, and dedication. It is more than just a sport; it is a lifestyle. It is a lifestyle I chose and I will make sure my children follow. Wrestling teaches you more than just winning and losing; it teaches you lessons that go on for life. In this article, I will outline why my children will be wrestlers.
First, it teaches discipline. You need to be under control in mind and body to succeed in this sport. You always need to make sure your weight is on track and this is in itself takes a ton of discipline. As a wrestler, you always need to be one step ahead of your opponent and one step ahead of yourself. You need to understand yourself and your opponent to be successful in this sport. This is another aspect of the sport that takes massive amounts of discipline.
Second, it teaches you to be a man. You cannot be a sissy to be a good wrestler. I learned to take a beating and take something constructive out of it (Something a lot of kids cannot do). You learn that even if you lose, that doesn’t mean you have lost. It just means you need to work your butt off in the room to get better so you can win.
Third, it teaches you the meaning of teamwork. People say that wrestling is an individual sport, but really it is the ultimate team sport. When you walk in the room for practice, everyone in the room is one. You win as a team, lose as a team, and are punished as a team. You cannot win a dual meet if you don’t do the work during practice. Your teammates are your brothers, and you go into battle every day with them. If that isn’t teamwork, then I don’t know what is.
Lastly, it teaches you what it means to win and lose. Winning and losing are the ultimate lessons in life. Winning is great, but losing teaches a man humility and humbleness, and there is no better teacher in life.
I have learned to be the man I am today because of wrestling. I want my kids to know what it means to be a wrestler and to be a man. A wise man named Dan Gable once said, “Once you've wrestled, everything else in life is easy,” and boy was he right.
