The Wrestler was strong and quick. What he lacked in refined technique, he made up for in strength, determination, and toughness. This was his 7th year of competing and he was ranked first in the State.
He began the in 6th grade and was fairly lackadaisical about the sport. The program was more of an introduction and was not very serious. He was an overweight kid and needed the exercise.
He was in a good many fights in 7th grade. His parents were divorced and it wasn't always the easiest of times. He enjoyed the competition of a fight and that first punch landed or received were equally enjoyable. He didn't lose a fight but had had some challenging ones. At that age, a good many of the boys trying to pick a fight with him had been in Karate or some other martial art training. Sparta it was not, so most of the training they had, went out the window in an actual situation.
With 7th-grade boy fights back then, the two boys would start off enemies, throw a series of punches then the fight would end due to a teacher intervening or through lack of interest. People did not get hurt badly and the boy never so much as received a black eye. Usually, the boys ended up being friends afterward and would compliment the other on ability.
In 7th grade, he would have preferred meeting after school to play Dungeons and Dragons with his friends but his mother protested. Such a big deal was made about him wrestling that he joined the team.
The coach was a science teacher and wore 2 hearing aids. The boys learned early on they could mime talking with no sound and the coach would keep turning his hearing aids up to hear. When he had the aids turned way up, the boys would shout and startle the coach. He always took the teasing well.
The Coach was a short, powerful man with hairy shoulders and thickly muscled forearms, reminding the boy of a Popeye impersonator. The coach ran practice akin to military training. He was old school in his training methods, with the goal being "Total Muscle Failure". His favorite drills were push up drills and with drill instructor flair he would have the boys shaking unable to hold themselves up any longer. Years later, in Army basic training, the pushups were easy due to the training this coach gave the young man.
The boy loved his coach and wanted to please him. He was too fearful to give up and kept trying hard.
The boy lost a good many matches that year but he tried hard and did not give up on a match no matter how much his body hurt. Another thing he lost that season was 20 pounds. He worked so hard, the pounds just fell off.
There was an activity bus he would ride home after practice. The boy always enjoyed it as he lived in a rural area and he and a girl were the last ones on the bus. He never could muster the bravery to talk to her but admired her from afar.
He would get off the bus after dark, eat a sparse meal and go to bed.
Fights ceased for him. He was too tired to fight and did not feel very aggressive after the strenuous practices. Other boys sensed his confidence and would go out of their way not to pick a fight.
In 8th grade, the boy would run track, play on the smaller of the 2 football teams the school offered and wrestle. He was a terrible runner and football was okay for him to socialize some, but his passion was wrestling.
He went on his first date that year, to a skating rink but found it boring. The girl preferred him to stay with her and talk the whole time while holding hands but he preferred to be zipping around fast with his friends. He received his first kiss that same year from a redheaded German girl, at a school dance.
High school came and the coach was much different from the young man's other coach. This new man was tall and thin, taught driver's education, and had won many State Wrestling Championships for the school while coaching. His was a more technical approach but was not against pushing the team till they could not move, especially following a loss that should not have been.
The wrestler was fortunate. A former student at the school had competed at the Olympics and had won a gold medal. The Olympian came back occasionally to the school and would teach.
2 of the wrestler's peers had won consecutive state Wrestling competitions. There was always a skilled opponent to practice with.
On long out of state trips a tour bus would be secured and the two city teams would ride together to a meet. The cheerleaders from each school would come along as well. The rule was that the cheerleaders had to stay in the front and the wrestlers were to sit towards the back of the big bus.
The wrestler sat beside an underclassman on the trip. The underclassman hung on every word the seasoned wrestler said. As they talked, a blonde cheerleader from the other school stood up and turned around, talking to her friends in the seat behind where she sat.
She was very pretty and when she caught the eye of the senior athlete she smiled a big beautiful smile. He had never been this confident before but said to the younger grappler beside him, "You see that girl up ahead of us? Before this trip is over she and I will be dating".
He said it so matter of factly that the younger male believed him, and that belief caused the wrestler to believe more as well. On the 6.5-hour trip back to his hometown he and the pretty cheerleader had agreed to start seeing each other.
He had a handful of responsibilities, had a good social life and was respected by much of the school body. The rankings came out or the State competition. 2 of the local sports commentaries had him ranked #1 for state and a 3rd gentleman from across the state had taken notice of the wrestler, having him ranked highly. Rankings are subject to the opinion of the writer but it still felt good to have someone notice his performance and write about it.
The competition, struggling at practice until his muscles failed to work and that pretty blonde cheerleader smiling back at him were memories he held dear throughout his life. To this day he can see that enchanting smile. Not sure where she is today. Her name was Michelle.
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I usually don't tag so many people. I am particularly proud of the story because I lived it. I promise not to be so "Taggy" in the future. Thanks all for all that you do and all of your encouragements.
