I’ll start out with my list of positives:

1. Mill Valley High School (where I coach) earned 2nd place at regionals. This was our school’s 1st time placing at a regional as a team.

2. Mill Valley qualified 12 individual wrestlers for state- a school record.

3. My alma mater- Norton High School- finished a very strong 4th at the Lakin regional. Coach Johnson and his staff did a marvelous job working with a young group of kids and getting them to compete hard and peak at the right time. Good luck next week!

4. I had the good fortune of working with the one of the nicest group of young men this season (including middle school and high school) that I have had the pleasure of coaching in the past 14 years.

5. After not being able to coach last year for family reasons- I was able to coach again this season, and believe me I savored most minutes of it!

6. The NCAA’s are right around the corner and are close. Although I doubt I will be able to attend (young families stretch both time and financial resources) many Kansas wrestlers will be attending.

7. The state of Kansas continues to add collegiate wrestling opportunities for our wrestlers.

8. My wife is a trooper and shouldered a great deal more than her “fair share” during this wrestling season with 2 youngsters at home.

9. My 3 year old son- who last year could not go into a gym without being completely overwhelmed and melting down- was able to attend regionals yesterday and had a fantastic time watching the “Jaguar Wrestler Players” and playing with older kids and parents.

Keep it in perspective.

Congratulations to all the high school wrestlers who competed this season. If it was easy- everyone would have done it.

Congratulations also to those of you who are fortunate enough to still be competing this weekend. It is an honor and a privilege- go compete well.

Good luck to all competitors (unless you are on the mat facing a Mill Valley Jaguar or Norton Blue Jay)!