Beeson,

I said something to you on another post about the two things that I think of when I here Ark City, Darren Daulton and great wrestling, and not in that particular order. I honestly respect your feedback on many of the things that you post on this forum, and I think Randy is one of those diamonds in the ruff when it comes to someone who exemplifies all that good about taking care of these kids while coaching and mentoring them to make them better adults/dads/moms/coaches in the future.

Personally, I understand the issue of dad/mom coaching at the side of the mat, especially when it is their kid on the mat. How many of us aren't a parent of a wrestler. I volunteered my time for three years to coaching youth in wrestling while I was in college, before I met my wife and well before we had our oldest son. I have volunteered my time for seven years coaching the two clubs that my sons have wrestled for. I have always enjoyed coaching/teaching kids in practice much more than I do during a tournament. I have tried to steer away from being by the side of the mat when my son is wrestling. I think it is in both of our best interests.

Randy mentioned the camaraderie and personal touch of going to the live clinic. Camaraderie is a great thing, and I had my fill of it being deployed for a year and missing an entire wrestling season. I do subscribe the the seven Army values as they pertain to leadership:

Loyalty
Duty
Respect
Selfless Service
Honor
Integrity
Personal Courage

If coaches/parents/referees kept these values in mind before they step to the side of the mat, maybe we wouldn't see threads like Coaches/Unsportsmanlike/Flagrant Misconduct and HARD KNOX Coaches.