Wrestling for words
For the longest time I couldn't think of anything to write.
Then it hit me: wrestling. No one ever hears about wrestling. Most people think of Hulk Hogan or the WWE when they hear the word.
I'm talking about the real wrestling. The kind where you use every muscle in your body (including some you never knew you had) for six long minutes each match.
And when I say long, I mean long.
Six minutes on a wrestling mat is like waiting in line at Disneyland. You think you're almost there when the line turns the corner and there are still 500 people in front of you.
A wrestler may take a peek at the clock and it's ticking slower than the one in science class. Maybe it's because I wasn't that good a wrestler, and watching the clock while lying on your back makes it move slower.
There are the times it seems to fly by when your opponent needs only 30 seconds to dispatch of you.
Either way wrestling is hard. That is what makes it so good. My freshman year we had one kid from the football team come out, and he could only hack it for two weeks. Three months on the football field, and only two weeks on the wrestling mat.
That's how grueling it is. Again, that's what makes it great. Most wrestlers are in better shape than anyone except maybe Lance Armstrong.
It teaches you patience and self-discipline. It's great competition as well as great individual and team achievement.
Marion Junior Warrior Wrestling club recently began in Marion for kids who want to get an early start.
By the time they reach middle and high school they will have the skills most high school wrestlers don't have.
Wrestling may not ever be as popular as other sports, but it will always be one of the toughest.
Boys (and girls) who are worried about being bored during the winter season should lace on some wrestling shoes, strap on some head gear, and give it just six minutes of their time.
CONTACT: If you have a news tip, question, or comment, call Sportswriter Mike Norris, 382-2165, or e-mail sports@marionrecord.com.
