Bad People

... is not what this post is about, but it got your attention. Not much is written on here about the incredibly good things we see at these tournaments and throughout the season. Because of space limitations, I want to point out just a couple examples of human greatness I've witnessed.

*I've seen kids with dads that have passed away or are deployed overseas carry on like men
*I've seen kids overcome their own fear to gain self confidence
*I've seen trash talkers humbled and actually change
*I've seen kids overcome physical limitations and push past any reasonable expectations
*I've seen a kid lose a championship match this weekend and watched his dad pick him up in his arms and tell him he loves him no matter what - that was beautiful and what I wish every kid could feel from their dad - that made a huge impmression on me

This sport brings out what's inside ... I saw alot of good this year and this past weekend ... just look for it - it's there!

Thank god that people can actually say something about the good that comes from wrestling!!

Best post I have read since getting home from topeka

I have to agree. My son wrestled in the finals against Devin Onwugbufor (8 and under 64). My son lost by one point. Tough match to lose. I want to say that both Devin and his Dad, as well as the Maize coaches, were a class act. It was nice to go up against such a good wrestler, and such good Sports in the finals. Hope to see you next year.

Mike Thomas
Scott City

GREAT JOB JON! Lets ADD to this thread. Good things that you have seen in our great sport. I'll add just as soon as one comes to my old memory! ;-)

I guess just to over-generalize and get a tad off topic - Cael Sanderson. Always a humble winner. Never saw him lose, but I imagine if it did happen - he'd take that well to.

Wow! jon that was good!

Robles and Kansas's own Roy Jones for over-coming great obstacles and being classy people!

*I've seen kids and Parents become the best of friends Joe Pratt

I have seen my oldest one grow from a boy into a man under his dad's coaching.

I saw a child that lost in the championship match and still give his opponent a hug on the mat.

I feel this is the best post I've seen here in a long time, I seen several moments where these events occured; including between my own son and husband!!! Thank you for an awesome event! Great group of athletes and kids!!

Great Thread! This is our first year wrestling. My son was a little scared at first. He knew nobody, new nothing about the sport, and did not know what to expect. I can say now, that I'm already missing not be at a wrestling event this weekend. He had kids from different towns and schools who now are friends. It's not just a handshake and a nod after a match, it's a hug and then sitting in the stands together after the matches. Awesome sport!

My son usually pats an opponent on the back after a win while they are leaving the center circle. He learned that terrific move from a class act stud that pounded on him for a good three to four years, a young man by the name of Bryce Shoemaker.

One good thing I have seen in our great sport was the Eva Longoria look alike working a table from District 1 on both Saturday and Sunday. If you do not believe me ask smokeycabin!

On a more serious note and more to the point - all the wrestling moms who worked tables and endured abuse from not so friendly coaches and fans. Mrs. Armstrong (Brawlers), Mrs. Henes (STA), and Mrs. Sheets (Chapman) to name but a few! Without wrestling moms, who often are the workhorses at our tournaments, we would be hard pressed to run the tournament.

I saw a wrestler win a match to guarantee he placed in the tournament. As he shook hands, I saw him cover his eyes to hide the tears streaming down his face because he was so happy to reach his goal!

Now this I like!!! There is truly more good comes from this sport than bad.. My son is Will Spexarth and he got beat out at districts after a great season. He asked me if he could go with me to state to cheer on his friends even the ones who beat him out. This is what makes for great friends, knowing one minute your going to be killing each other and the next cheering them on at state. I got this quote from numerous dads and coaches "we've all been there" and I thank you all. I have gotten to know many coaches and dads over the years and would like to thank them, Jeff Smith, Todd Kasitz, Mike Peril, Tim Fitzmier, Pat Murphy and Aaron Guyer, you guys made each tournament a blast not just for me but the kindness you showed Will each week and we both thank you all...I look forward to next year and doing all over again, everyone have a safe and fun filled summer!!!

so thats why your kids werent at school. shame on you. god is watching you and not to send your kid to a catholic school let alone any school you should be ashamed of yourself. im telling the principle. now for a small price i promise i wont tell. suck butt.

I'm sorry Scott, you made it fun too!!! Don't tell but they'll be gone the week too for brute! Attendance awards is not what we're going for this is wrestling season (at least for 1 more week)

I did see her, as she was my table worker for all day saturday and only one down from myself on sunday... must say given everything else that occured, having her there didn't hurt too bad.

Contrary to belief, good news can sell! I would agree one of the best threads in awhile!

Tyler Mies, the way you handled your loss in the finals was nothing short of pure class! Win like a champion, lose like a champion! Thanks for being a role model for those watching!

I have seen many friendships between parents and kids develop because of wrestling tournaments.

Here is a feel good story for you. A young man in our club finished 5th in Subs (tough, tough bracket) and was allowed to fill a void and wrestle at Districts. He goes on to qualify for State finishing 4th at Districts. At State, he wrestles through the back side and comes within one match (lost 2-4) of placing. Andrew, fantastic job. You are a champion in my book any day of the week.

Okay, this didn't happen at Kids state but it still is a happy wrestling moment this year for me. We were at high school Regionals and were sitting by the fans from Holton (perfect strangers at the beginning). During the breaks, we started to talk and visit with each other and then a funny thing started to happen during the day....whenever a Chapman kid was wrestling, all the Holton fans cheered just as hard as we did and when a Holton wrestler was wrestling, we cheered just as loud as they did. It made the two days so much fun!

I want to say thank you to Kansas Wrestling and to the Colby Wrestling Club for a fantastic first year. I grew up playing basketball and now regret not getting involved with wrestling as a kid. This was my Step Sons first year of wrestling and he had an amazing first year qualifying for State at 8 and under 80#, He even won a match and got to wrestle on the second day. Wrestling gave Ethan and I a chance to grow closer. I also got to help Coach with CWC this year and I plan to continue helping as long as they will let me. I would also like to say thank you to all of the people from all over the State that have been so supportive to the Siruta family and to CWC during the loss of our friend and teammate Tate, Just goes to show how close the wrestling family really is.

Shawn

I sure hope you're a better coach than bowler... see ya thursday

I will be there!

I would like to thank the dad that came up to my husband and daughter this last weekend with encouragement words for my daughter. she has now wrestled for 4 years and its getting hard to find ways to keep her encouraged to stay in the sport. i think what he said to her help alot. i asked her today if she would like to do freestlye and she wants to. i was really surprised. i think it had alot to do with what he said. I wish I had his name so i could think him personally. these girls that wrestle needs all the encouragemant they can get. again thank you to this gentleman you are well respected.

One good thing I have seen in our great sport was the Eva Longoria look alike working a table from District 1 on both Saturday and Sunday. If you do not believe me ask smokeycabin!



Richard...never been compared to Eva before but thanks...who do you think that other Mom at our table looked like, you know the one with the long black hair?

One of the highlights of my year was at sub districts in Pittsburg. We had a novice wrestler who just decided to try his luck at subs. He was soundly beaten by much more experienced wrestlers, but a coach that happened to be passing by during his second match went out of his way to hang around until the match's completion and tell our novice kid "what a set of cajones" he had for showing up. It meant a lot to our kid and now I'm mad that I can't remember where the coach was from to thank him.

One of the best things that I have observed about wrestling is watching my dad an ex wrestler, coach and referee develope a close relationship with my son (his grandson). The sport of wrestling has given them something in common and I am so grateful for all the times they get to spend together at tournaments and practices!

I can't tell you how much wrestling has done for my children. My son, Brendon, has met and is friends with many of the boys that he wrestles against. It is awesome! His birthday is the end of March, so he invites alot of the boys he wreatles against to come spend the night. It's great. My daughter, Emily, has made many a friend with the girls she wrestles against. On the mat, their enemies, but off the mat they are the best of friends. No other sport does this, and that is why I love wrestling. I hate to see the season end.

that's why i like you so much jon, brandon and clay have had major battles, and always remain friends AFTER the match. we both agree that win or lose we both just watched something special. two very talented boys, both with very many wins under their belts for such a young age, yet each can handle a loss like men. that being said i would like to share some special moments i have witnessed this year.
- we started a club this year in frontenac, hoping to get a hs program
- 56 wrestlers signed up to wrestle with our club in the first year
- we only had three coaches myself, shane locke, and kevin callahan (until he left for pratt to wrestle himself)
- the older boys ( age 9,10, 11, &13!!!!) helped at practice with the younger kids
- we had a mat full of kids pushing each other to the limits at practice- and pulling for each other at every match
- not one wrestler quit this season- a couple missed sign ups for subs- but showed up anyway to support their teammates
- our 8u 125lbr was the last match of the day at state- over half the mats had been rolled up!!!--- and i look behind me and 5 of our 6 other state qualifiers and 2 other teammates were still there, on the floor cheerin zack to VICTORY!!!
- i have never been so proud of a group of young men (i've been doing this for about 15 yrs now)
i would like to congratulate all the RAIDER WRESTLERS AND PARENTS ON A VERY SUCCESSFUL YEAR
- boys if you keep up that kind of teamwork and comraderie you will fulfill your own destiny and truly BUILD A DYNASTY
- LASTLY i would like to thank shane for being there when i couldn't- you did a great job! and kevin for coming back, and helping when we needed you, I TOLD YOU, IT WOULD BE THE START OF SOMETHING SPECIAL!

Day before the State Tournament, my son receives a "Good Luck" card in the mail from one of the children he has beat all year long that didn't make it to state. The boy signed it "Your Friend". I told my sons and husband that that is real class. FYI-my son sent a "Thank You" as soon as we got home. Good Job to the coaches and parents of this young man to teach that above all else, we are one big family.

Amen and AWESOME! As a teacher and a parent, I'm forever teaching/preaching the virtures of kindness, perserverance and compassion. Thanks for sharing your inspiring story.

Dean

Teacher for 20 years
Dad for 6 years
(yeah, I got a late start!)

Yeah, good point. Me and a friend went to the 4a state finals. We have never been to Columbus. But, we settled in their section. We talked and shared info/data as if we had known each other for years. The wrestling COMMUNITY. None other like it. And, of course, we cheered like wild for the Columbus kids - even stayed to watch their heavyweight win his championship! ;-)

I can't even begin to mention all of the great things that we have experienced in our three years with the wrestling community. It would take me another three years to type it all and everyone would get very bored reading it. However, the greatest thing that I have experienced is the acceptance of my daughter and the growing number of girls wrestling. The amazing support at every single tournament from so many that do not even know her and the constant words of encouragement. To top that off we have made some great friends and have had the joy of watching so many people, including ourselves, grow and change. As an athletic person my whole life I have been around a lot of different sports and have never experienced the closeness that comes with being a wrestler, or in my case, a wrestlers mom!

Thanks brother ... mutual respect is a great thing - steel on steel - makes us all bettter! I'm a fan of your club.

As in the example you've noted with Brandon and Clay, I swear I learn more from the kids than they from me. It's humbling.

Hey Jon,
GREAT post - I'm gald there are poeple like you.
Klaus Schmidt

Thank you Klaus - it was really good to meet you and visit with you last weekend!

Also, congrats on Chuckie's win!