OT: first time wrestler

[just_somebody]

As I've said a regularly here over the years, I'm a life long 'pumpkin pusher'. My oldest is now in middle school, and around here they do 'split season' so that kids can do both basketball and wrestling. Both sports end up suffering somewhat technically due to the short (<8 week) season, but this age is more about participation anyway. Plus, those who want to refine their craft have opportunities to do so outside of school teams.

He will almost certainly be a basketball player in HS, but today we went to pick out wrestling shoes and headgear. It was kinda funny not being able to provide any first hand advice whatsoever.

All that said, I am glad he gets this opportunity, and am 100% confident he will be better for it. Being able to push yourself and test your resolve for.. however long JH matches are (6 minutes?) , not to mention the physical benefits, learning leverage, etc.

If nothing else, he can get good at counting gym lights and maybe Ill have some lightly used wrestling gear to sell on here in a few weeks

 

[Redm18]

I'm think Junior high matches are like four minutes these days but I could be wrong. They were 3 minutes 25 years ago. I think it will be nothing but positive for your kid especially if he stops getting any taller in the 8th grade like a lot of us lol. I hope he has a blast.

 

[Jason.D.Brantley]

Well, if he keeps going out for basketball your son is going to develop a lisp so it's best if he sticks to wrestling.

 

[lookleft goright]

Well, if he keeps going out for basketball your son is going to develop a lisp so it's best if he sticks to wrestling.

Not mention that those things (basketballs) give you warts.

 

[el dub]

As I've said a regularly here over the years, I'm a life long 'pumpkin pusher'. My oldest is now in middle school, and around here they do 'split season' so that kids can do both basketball and wrestling. Both sports end up suffering somewhat technically due to the short (<8 week) season, but this age is more about participation anyway. Plus, those who want to refine their craft have opportunities to do so outside of school teams.

He will almost certainly be a basketball player in HS, but today we went to pick out wrestling shoes and headgear. It was kinda funny not being able to provide any first hand advice whatsoever.

All that said, I am glad he gets this opportunity, and am 100% confident he will be better for it. Being able to push yourself and test your resolve for.. however long JH matches are (6 minutes?) , not to mention the physical benefits, learning leverage, etc.

If nothing else, he can get good at counting gym lights and maybe Ill have some lightly used wrestling gear to sell on here in a few weeks

I hope he enjoys his wrestling experience. It was a natural progression for me and my squirrelly friends who held matches on carpets in living rooms and grass backyards. I’ll never forget the first time I tangled with Mike S after his brother taught him a single leg take down. His offense was unstoppable for a bit.

During our first match against Sibley in 7th grade, I was nervous as heck taking the mat for the first time in tights under singlet. The dual was in enemy territory. I ended up on my back in first period. I won’t forget Mike S yelling at me from mat side to not give up the pin and me shaking my head in agreement. I fought off my back, came back to win the match and gained a lot of confidence that day.

 

[12tdsaw]

this could be an exorcism for him, let the power of gable drive the evil basketball virus from him.

 

[Bucky712]

My five-year-old son is in wrestling, we live in Florida. It's free. The coach wrestled at Oklahoma State, was a four-time state champ in Florida. It's been a lot of fun, he's slowly learning. He just loves being around everyone. It's a high school team with some younger kids on it, but there is a kid his age he scraps with every week. Then at the end of practice, they watch the older kids while they rest. Apparently, there's an 11-year-old that is ranked #1 in the nation. That's what his dad was saying. There's plenty of kids that have scholarships as well.

 

[Fan In Black]

good luck OP. hope your boy enjoys it.

 

[so cal hawkfan]

As I've said a regularly here over the years, I'm a life long 'pumpkin pusher'. My oldest is now in middle school, and around here they do 'split season' so that kids can do both basketball and wrestling. Both sports end up suffering somewhat technically due to the short (<8 week) season, but this age is more about participation anyway. Plus, those who want to refine their craft have opportunities to do so outside of school teams.

He will almost certainly be a basketball player in HS, but today we went to pick out wrestling shoes and headgear. It was kinda funny not being able to provide any first hand advice whatsoever.

All that said, I am glad he gets this opportunity, and am 100% confident he will be better for it. Being able to push yourself and test your resolve for.. however long JH matches are (6 minutes?) , not to mention the physical benefits, learning leverage, etc.

If nothing else, he can get good at counting gym lights and maybe Ill have some lightly used wrestling gear to sell on here in a few weeks

I had to Google pumpkin pusher. (I figured you were into seasonal gourd sales). I’ve been obsessed with High School/college wrestling since the early 90’s and have never heard this. When I was in HS our wrestling team was really good and our basketball team sucked, so their wasn’t really a need for insults, they knew their place. 😉 Hope your boy finds success in both.

 

[just_somebody]

this could be an exorcism for him, let the power of gable drive the evil basketball virus from him.

I don't know if we need to go that far!

 

[el dub]

I don't know if we need to go that far!

You must forget where you are…

 

[Iron Doc]

Don't know if your kid will play football down the road, but wrestling experience most definitely helps in football, especially if he winds up a lineman.

 

[just_somebody]

So, at the risk of outing myself to anyone in my town (they probably already knew), my JH kid had his first ever wrestling meet last night, which means I had my first ever parental wrestling experience.

He was matched up against other novice wrestlers, but went 2-0 with a fall and a dec (7-1). Was supposed to have a 3rd match but the other kid was a forfeit.


Some observations:
* A sporting event where it can end at any moment is a completely different animal. We played a sudden death double OT basketball game two weeks ago, and even that was no comparison, because the team needed to at least be on offense to win the game. Plus, a team can't go from winning big to have lost in a couple seconds.

* Especially with a kid who I wasn't sure knew any wrestling strategy (better to give up one than two... if you are up late take a stall if needed; in the second bout the only points he gave up were locked hands - there was lots of that last night ).

* I get into Hawks matches, and i would guess Spencer Lee's final loss will be a worse feeling for me than any JH loss my kid has, but having your kid out there with nowhere to hide and no timeouts for a few minutes with the thrill of victory or agony of defeat on the line the whole time gets the heart pumping.

* He has about two weeks worth of technique, but was proud that he was very aggressive (Hawkeye Style, if you will!) , even if it led to him getting taken down first in his first match. As i expected, its a good test of one's ability to keep working hard even when tired, and that was the first thing he said after his match - "man, that was tiring!" (And he still had bb practice to go to later). He has a pretty good motor, but FB and BB are way different than wrestling, so it was good to see he could keep up the intensity there too.

* Was funny seeing him not really have any sort of a gameplan to try to turn anybody after getting a TD. He ended up doing so by just working hard. It was fun to hear some of my friends who are are wrestlers (and wrestling parents) offer some advice.

* Fun to watch several other first time wrestlers out there. One kid who weights maybe 85 lbs soaking wet and wasn't much in football looked like a Tasmanian devil out there, and had a mat return that would have made Shane Sparks proud.

* I am a bit of sap, and hate to see anyone trying hard lose, and end up feeling for each kid that does. On the flip side..

*Its real hard not to beam with a little pride when your kid is on top and you hear that ref slap the mat, or when see your kid get his hand raised.

My kid is definitely not hanging up his basketball shoes, but this sport is different, and I see why its easy to love.

 

[el dub]

So, at the risk of outing myself to anyone in my town (they probably already knew), my JH kid had his first ever wrestling meet last night, which means I had my first ever parental wrestling experience.

He was matched up against other novice wrestlers, but went 2-0 with a fall and a dec (7-1). Was supposed to have a 3rd match but the other kid was a forfeit.


Some observations:
* A sporting event where it can end at any moment is a completely different animal. We played a sudden death double OT basketball game two weeks ago, and even that was no comparison, because the team needed to at least be on offense to win the game. Plus, a team can't go from winning big to have lost in a couple seconds.

* Especially with a kid who I wasn't sure knew any wrestling strategy (better to give up one than two... if you are up late take a stall if needed; in the second bout the only points he gave up were locked hands - there was lots of that last night ).

* I get into Hawks matches, and im would guess Specner Lee's final loss will be a worse feeling for me than any JH loss my kid has, but having your kid out there for a few minutes with the thrill of victory or agony of defeat on the line gets the heart pumping.

* He has about two weeks worth of technique, but was proud that he was very aggressive (Hawkeye Style, if you will!) , even if it led to him getting taken down first in his first match. As i expected, its a good test of one's ability to keep working hard even when tired, and that was the first thing he said after his match - "man, that was tiring!" (And he still had bb practice to go to later). He has a pretty good motor, but FB and BB are way different than wrestling, so it was good to see he could keep up the intensity there too.

* Was funny seeing him not really have of a gameplan to try to turn anybody after getting a TD. He ended up doing so by just working hard. It was fun to hear some of my friends who are are wrestlers (and wrestling parents)

* Fun to watch several other first time wrestlers out there. One kid who weights maybe 85 lbs soaking wet and wasn't much in football looked like a Tasmanian devil out there, and had a mat return that would have made Shane Sparks proud.

* I am a bit of sap, and hate to see anyone trying hard lose, and end up feeling for each kid that does. On the flip side..

*Its real hard not to beam with a little pride when your kid is on top and you hear that ref slap the mat, or when see your kid get his hand raised.

My kid is definitely not hanging up his basketball shoes, but this sport is different, and I see why its easy to love.

Congratulations. Thanks for the detailed post on your son’s first matches. You have the right attitude, imo. And learning pinning combinations will come with time.