A Risk That Paid Off
The Risk Of Joining The Wrestling Team
I appeared to be a fragile little thing, only weighing in at one hundred and five pounds. My heart beat hard in my chest. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. This was it; this was my moment to shine. I could feel the judgmental eyes watching me. They were likely thinking, “she’s too small, too fragile, she’s a girl!” As I listened to my coach’s talk I became more confident that I could do this. My name was called. I put on my headgear and put in my mouthpiece. This was it this was my moment. It was bright, the boy was skinnier than me, and I had never felt more scared in my entire life. The match began and we began to circle each other until he tried to single leg me. I sprawled and caught the advantage. What came next was so quick. I flipped him, his back hit the mat and I had won the match.
What I earned from wrestling, as a kid was discipline, self-confidence and self-defense. These were important skills that I would need to be successful in life. Wrestling helped me understand how to keep myself safe in some of the most undesirable situations; basic positioning, controlling an opponent, defend against different types of attacks and toughness. Also known as self-defense. When you wrestle, you can’t rely on anyone but yourself. Without a positive attitude, there will be no success. Discipline was achieved by fasting to meet a desired weight, sacrificing a social life in order to train and compete —these are only a few of a wrestler’s duties. It takes a tremendous amount of toughness to pick yourself up off of the mat when you’re losing, and it takes incredible will power to lose that last pound before a weigh-in.
For a girl joining the wrestling team is a huge risk and for most ends in the duties of a mat manager. However for those that stick through the pain, they gain great life skills, which consist of discipline, self-defense and self-confidence.
I appeared to be a fragile little thing, only weighing in at one hundred and five pounds. My heart beat hard in my chest. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. This was it; this was my moment to shine. I could feel the judgmental eyes watching me. They were likely thinking, “she’s too small, too fragile, she’s a girl!” As I listened to my coach’s talk I became more confident that I could do this. My name was called. I put on my headgear and put in my mouthpiece. This was it this was my moment. It was bright, the boy was skinnier than me, and I had never felt more scared in my entire life. The match began and we began to circle each other until he tried to single leg me. I sprawled and caught the advantage. What came next was so quick. I flipped him, his back hit the mat and I had won the match.
What I earned from wrestling, as a kid was discipline, self-confidence and self-defense. These were important skills that I would need to be successful in life. Wrestling helped me understand how to keep myself safe in some of the most undesirable situations; basic positioning, controlling an opponent, defend against different types of attacks and toughness. Also known as self-defense. When you wrestle, you can’t rely on anyone but yourself. Without a positive attitude, there will be no success. Discipline was achieved by fasting to meet a desired weight, sacrificing a social life in order to train and compete —these are only a few of a wrestler’s duties. It takes a tremendous amount of toughness to pick yourself up off of the mat when you’re losing, and it takes incredible will power to lose that last pound before a weigh-in.
For a girl joining the wrestling team is a huge risk and for most ends in the duties of a mat manager. However for those that stick through the pain, they gain great life skills, which consist of discipline, self-defense and self-confidence.