MVT Wrestling

Today was Kevin's first high school wrestling match...and boy did he have to work to even get there.

First of all, he had to "make" weight. He wrestles in the 103 weight class, but really weighs between 107 & 110 - so he always has to drop weight in order to wrestle his class. This is brutal if you ask me! Over the last 48 hours he completely cut his calories. Last night for dinner he had steamed broccoli, a few bites of turkey & an apple. This morning for breakfast? 1 scrambled egg. Then he works out more than he does already. So last night after he got home from wrestling practice at 5:15 pm -- he ate his meager meal & then headed to the gym again...donning his sweats & riding the bike (he wears sweats so he'll sweat more, thus lose more weight). Mind you he already runs with the team 3 mornings a week at 5:15 AM before school. Brutal, huh?

He weighed in at 4 pm & made weight -- PHEW! and then he could eat something -- and his match started at 5 pm.

They were wrestling a team that was ranked 4th in the state while they are ranked 10th. We were all really nervous for him as he doesn't have a lot of "live" experience...although his body is completely chiseled...seriously, I'm jealous. He worked super hard over the summer training with some Olympic coach (whatever that means) & I've been impressed by his diligence to the sport...it is so so demanding on his body, I frankly can't quite believe it. So of course we aren't wanting him to go out there & get his butt kicked after all that, but of course worried that he will, with the other teams ranking...plus, for a while they were going to have him wrestle varsity as the varsity 103 guy had ring worm too & was close to not making weight! It turns out he got to wrestle JV, which we all thought would be better for his first HS match.

As we are watching him & his opponent warm up, I'm thinking Kev's got this guy whipped unless he has a ton of technique that Kevin doesn't. He looked so scrawny in his little singlet! Kevin said afterward that the guy was totally staring him down during warm-ups. I asked him if he flexed & stared back. He grinned & said, "heck no. I was worried that he was really good or something." Classic...at least he's not full of himself right? As it turned out Kev did awesome. It was so fun to see his progress with the sport. He's pretty naturally inclined to it in a lot of ways, but he definitely worked to get where he is. His coaches had him take the guy down 5 or 6 times. So they'd stand up & Kevin would take him down & then let him go & do it again to get more & more points. I was tired just watching. Finally after a round or two of that he pinned the guy...and I have to say it was totally awesome! I was so proud of him!

I have a love/hate relationship with watching him wrestle -- my stomach turns to knots & my heart starts beating in my throat, but it is so so fun to see him be successful.

Zack enjoyed it as well -- he was still as can be while Kevin was wrestling & clapping & cheering right along with the rest of us. My favorite of his lines?? "takedown" "go! go! go!" and "toros" He's ready to be the mascot.

Way to go Kevin! I'm so proud of your hard work & diligence -- now go have a bowl of ice cream!