A Little Too Much on Wrestling

Yes, my husband wrestled. Yes, he LOVES the sport. Yes, it is perhaps my least favorite sport. Yes, I've known that wrestling for our boys was probably inevitable. Yes, that day finally came last October when Abram and Seth signed up for a youth wrestling program. And yes, they love it too. Sigh. Here are some snip-its from my husband's family website where we post news.

Dec. 19, 2007: I sucked it up last night and took the boys to wrestling. (Sam was busy with church stuff.) I'm sorry, but watching them try to learn the "Monkey Tail" was just a bit much. All I can say is that there was a lot of grabbing in places where the sun don't shine. It was also not so fun trying to keep Chase off the mat. I was shoveling M&Ms and suckers into his face the whole time. We did get their pictures back. They are too cute/funny. I'm hoping to scan them in and post them. Our scanner is not the greatest, so I can't promise that they will be of any quality.

(I love how Seth's tough face looks like he's going to cry. I also love how his shorts look like pants on him. And you got to love his hands!)

January 18, 2008: (Written by Sam) We took a little family vacation this weekend down south, sandwiched around a wrestling tournament. We went to a hotel with a pool, ate at Chuck E. Cheese's, and vegged in front of cable t.v. while it snowed outside. The main event was the wrestling tournament, which was one of many firsts:

- First Youth Wrestling Tournament for any of us. It was actually well-run, fairly short (done by 1:00 pm), and relatively stress-free.
- First tournament I've been to with an invocation (it was actually quite neat).
- First tournament I've been to with a technique clinic beforehand. Two wrestlers from the Olympic Training facility demonstrated a few cool moves.
- First match for Abram. He actually pinned his first opponent!
- First bitter taste of defeat for Abram. He dropped the next four (two relatively close decisions and two blowouts). In his Round Robin, 6 man bracket, he took 5th. He cried after three of the four losses - he just doesn't like losing...
- Abram's first introduction to the "cow-catcher" - man I hate that move! He also saw a steady dose of headlocks.
- Lanita's first wrestling tournament. She had been to dual meets before, but never a tournament. It was entertaining watching her vacillate from button-bursting exuberance to protective mama bear! In the final equation, she noted that the tournament did nothing to improve her attitude toward the sport.

Overall, it was a fun weekend and event. I have a feeling Lanita may just send me to the tournaments next year alone with all three boys.

The medal in the end made it all worth it. And I must say that Seth was a champ, too. He was the most supportive brother during this whole thing. He was thrilled when Abram got the pin, and encouraging when Abram lost. To my utmost surprise, he didn't throw a fit when he didn't get a medal but was rather so excited for and proud of his older brother. It was great thing to see.