Wrestling

I am finally blogging some pictures from Jake’s first junior high wrestling season.  At first I wasn’t “permitted.”  But then I got the OK.  So as tomorrow is the start of the lacrosse season I thought it only fitting that these get posted.  I have to admit I have always despised wrestling.  It scares me.  I find the positions intimidating, the pressure of everyone watching intense, and the fear that they are going to get hurt drives me insane.  But half-way through the season all of that changed for me.

Jake was having a great season he won nine matches and lost only one.

(These are blurry as I don’t have much zoom on my current lens).

Like, I said what I didn’t like mostly about wrestling was the fear that they would get hurt.  Normally, this particular match pictured would have drove me nuts.  Notice the guy running away (to the right) with a squirt bottle?  He was cleaning up blood.  I stayed calm during this because all that week there had been calls from the school district warning about attempted abductions in our area.  It was during this period that I saw value in wrestling.  Self-defense.  OK!!!!  Get out there, clean up the blood, and let’s go!  These kids are learning a valuable life skill.  =) 

The first few matches I tried not to let Ben watch as I didn’t want him to replicate what he saw at Gymboree.  Needless to say, that did not go over well.  He sat on the edge of his seat totally enthralled!

I really liked Jake’s coach.  Such a nice, positive, coach!!!

Of course Jake had his own personal cheerleader…

 

 

She liked doing the victory dance!

It’s as if she takes a bow because SHE won that last match.  She never ceases to crack me up!

Jake you are growing so fast!  But I still see that little guy of mine inside there.  To the right is Jake’s good friend Gary.  It was great that they got to wrestle together and hopefully will continue to do so well into High School. 

 

Ben, looks at Andrew as if to say, “did you see that?”  

Yes, who needs cheerleaders Jake, when you have your own cheering section!