Parents of wrestlers

[Tiggeroo]

One son wrestles hs varsity. Arrgh, I hate this sport. Especially this week, which was the first week of practice. They met 7 days this week. When he comes home he inhales food then crashes.

 

[Indyman]

My son isn't varsity yet (he's a freshman), but I know what you mean. The team has been practicing as a team for a month, and in groups for a month before that. Practices start right after school (about 3:00) and end at 6:00. He also comes home starving, inhales his food and then doesn't move until it's time for bed.

Just wait until the meets start. We were at a meet this weekend. My son had to be at the school at 5:15 am on Saturday. We then drove for over an hour, sat at the meet until 3:00 pm and he only wrestled for a total of 7 minutes.

On the bright side, he is in great physical shape and eating much healthier than he does during the off-season.

 

[minniecarousel]

ugh! Older son tried this sport in Middle school. He's a big kid, so he wrestled another big kid, who was obviously experienced! I lost it when the mom of the other kid was yelling "squeeze him! squeeze him!" My friend went right over to that mom and told her that it was her son's opponent's first match and I was upset over her enthusiasm! Needless to say, I never went to another match and my son found something else to do (he went back to basketball!) He was/is simply not an athlete - he's an ACTOR!! (he said, years later - he only wanted to sweat under the bright lights of the stage!)

 

[Tiggeroo]

Meets are bad, tournaments are worst. Allllll day. If he's lucky he will wrestle 3 times, 5 minutes each. With my son, weight is an issue. He is not heavy, in fact he's quite thin. But he always wants to go down one weight class from what he weighs first practice. This time it means losing 5lbs in 20 days or so. With the practices they have this is no big deal. But he then has to stay at that weight for most of the season. So if he is at the top end of his weight class, and gains a pound over the weekend it can be a big deal. They are not letting the kids lose weight any more. The problem is boys grow, they hang out and eat alot, and on weekends he is tired and lounges around and sleeps. Everybody goes up and down, but they can't. If he's lucky, practices alone will bring him to the low end of his weight class before the actual meets start. Then he can eat whatever he wants and go up a pound here and there without it mattering. As much as I hate this sport, he loves it. I think what he likes is it's all about him. If he does poorly he can fix it. If he does well, it's because of how hard he worked. He's not dependent on a team.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Oh, and Indyman, I have twin sons. This one wrestles, the other runs track and xc all year. I think if I remember correctly you are a distance runner. Another tough sport that is hard on the kids. I am crossing my fingers that he remains injury free til next spring. And he can always eat what he wants. He runs between 30-60 miles per week.

 

[Big Dude]

Wrestling is a totally different world and New Jersey wrestling is some of the best in the country. I do not have a son that is a wrestler yet, but I am the team photographer for my local high school wrestling team. Not meaning to brag but our team is consistantly in the top 5-10 in the state even on off years. Mostly due to the dedicated off-season training. Many of the kids go to clubs or clinics during the summer and there is always a tournament (folk-style or greco) happening somewhere close.

I notice you have Jersey Shore in your title. Will you son be participating in the Mustang Classic at Brick Memorial High School on the 30th? I know there are a few shore teams competing as well as Phillipsburg.

The Juniors and Seniors won't have to worry about the new hydration testing since it won't "officially" take effect until after they graduate but all highschool teams are testing starting this year so the kids can grow accustomed to it. I think it is a good rule for the most part and will mostly hurt the smaller schools who have kids that play football and wrestle. (you really don't want to wrestle at your football weight unless you are 275#)

If you want, send me a PM to let me know who your son wrestles for and at what weight so I can get a chance to see him sometime this year. I wish him and all of the other Jersey wrestlers an injury-free season.

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[Indyman]

You give me way too much credit. I'm more of a mid distance recreational plodder. You must be proud of both sons. The sports they've chosen take a lot of discipline and hard work and most of the success they achieve can be drawn what they are willing to put into the sport. As much as I hate sitting for hours on end at meets and tournaments, I've seen a great improvement in my son's self esteem and confidence. Now if he'd only work just as hard at keeping his room clean as he does on the wrewstling mat, everybody would be happy.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Adam - I don't think we are doing this tournament. He is having the hydration test done today, although it won't affect him. Do to the ups and downs of weight/size he didn't play football this year, but ran cross country to be in shape for wrestling. We don't have a good off-season program here in S. Jersey. However, we have just gotten a new coach. Perhaps you are familiar with him, Pat Lynch, as he used to coach Absegami and runs alot of camps. It looks like this will all be changing, and practices are definitely tougher.
Have you ever seen Alcoba wrestle. He is the Absegami boy with long curly/crazy hair? Extremely good. My son drew him several times last year. I am hoping they are not in the same weight class this year. It is extremely tough on our team having Absegami in our district. When we hit tournaments with them involved, ouch.
I will be happy with the new hydration ruling. My son is one of the ones who plays around with limiting food and liquids a day or two before the meets. He is also reluctant to spend too much time in the weight room, which would be beneficial, as muscle weighs more.
Indyman, anybody who can run more then 1 mile has my respect. Yep, my sons are great and have picked the toughest sports. Wrestling is great for my son's esteem, and his grades go up during wrestling season.

 

[Big Dude]

Boy, do I know Alcoba all right. Very sneaky and very good. Always wears that ugly yellow skullcap when wrestling. Blew his knee out 2 years ago and made a nice comeback. I also know that you have one of the most crooked refs in your part of the state.......Alan Maloney!

Here's Jordan with his cap off. Kinda looks like Sideshow Bob doesn't he?

Talk to you soon.

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[Snow White]

Hey yall! I'm a wrestling mom too I have 2 on the high school team here now (El Reno Oklahoma). Lots of hard work for the kids, mine wrestle year round since they do freestyle and greco. We're heading up to Delaware next week for the Beast of the East. That should be a good tourney, my oldest son (in college now) went to that tourney a few years ago. We love wrestling, especially the traveling that goes along with it! They've wrestled since they were 4 (they are 16 and 17 now) and been all over the US, so it's been a great experience! Hopefully they'll get good scholarships out of all this!

 

[Tiggeroo]

Hey Snow White= we used to have guys going to Beast of the East, but nobody this year.
BD = I didn't know this ref had a rep. I just know that in one match our coach yelled at him. And he has never, ever done this before. Alcob pinned my son once, and beat him by points one other time. They are close in size and if they both grew the same this year he will be up against him again. Every time, my son advances thru the tourney, then draws alcoba, and bump he's out. Alcoba gets tons of press around here. There was a big writeup about his knee surgery. Did you see his entrance at states last year? Quite a show it was.
On a side note, I've seen him interacting with younger kids who look up to him. He seems like a nice kid. Great with a crowd of little guys who hang around him between matches.
EHT guys have been working really hard this summer. They may be ones to watch as well.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I dated a Wrestler my Junior and Senior year of High School. He was not one who really had to worry about his weight. His job was to not get pinned and if he won it was a bonus! LOL! They really had no one else who could wrestle in his weight class that was better than him. My HS wrestling team was state champions a few years in a row. Wrestling was bigger than Basketball at our school.

I think the sport is fun to watch, but also very nerve wracking! Does your sons school have wrestling cheerleaders? My sister was one. That was the sport all of the girls wanted to cheer for because they were a winning team(unlike the basketball team).

Good Luck to your son this year!

 

[popeyeohoh]

my son's wrestling team was the 2003 conference champions. Several went on to state finals. This is a very tough sport. It has taught my son alot about committment and determination. No other sport is so intense over so short a time. My son loves it I don't neccessarily love it. Like maybe.

 

[LvsTnk]

DS wrestles and plays football. Both varsity. Our school (small private) started the hydration testing this year and is enforcing it. I am very grateful for it, DH wrestled and I think things have come along way in protecting the kids. Thank Goodness!

On a side note don't you hate a bad ref, in any sport.
That's when things can really turn ugly in a match/ game.