Wrestling

I few weeks ago I noticed a simple sign posted at an intersection near our house. I read it aloud: "Youth Wrestling Sign Ups every Saturday in November at [the local] High School." Hmm, I thought.

My five year old son excitedly asked, "Really Mommy? Does it say how old you have to be?"

It had. "Ages 5 and up"

"So I'm old enough! Please can we sign up?" I looked to my husband who reminded me that wrestling had been his favorite sport in high school. Bug uses the terms "wrestling" and "rough-housing" rather synonymously, so I thought we'd better clarify what exactly the sign was talking about. When we came home hubby found some videos of wrestling on-line. That only fueled Bug's desire to try it out.

The following Saturday Hubby made sure he had the day free to go down to the local high school to get more information. He met the coach and liked what he heard, so we signed Bug up. Tonight was his first practice. All afternoon he was practically giddy with excitement. Usually in the past he has been nervous when starting something new, but not tonight. I was the one who was nervous! He was just excited.

Hubby took him to practice and stayed to watch while Princess and I stayed home and made cookies for when they returned. Both Hubby and Bug returned home with big grins. The coach seems to know just how to teach the kids. Other new parents were overhead saying, "He's good. He's really a great coach." That is extra surprising considering that the coach only has one arm! How can a man with one arm be an excellent wresting coach?! Don't you need two arms to wrestle? I am not sure, but I know that the coach spent the most time tonight with Bug's age group while the middle and high school coaches worked with the older kids (2nd-3rd graders and 4th-5th graders). When Bug came home and challenged hubby to wrestle, hubby tried a non-wrestling rough-house move on him, to which Bug replied, "No that's not wrestling. That's rough housing. Now let's wrestle." I then watched as he tried out several real wrestling stances and moves on hubby who obligingly fell down and was pinned to the ground.

Also hubby said that he thinks Bug ran more tonight than ever before. How perfect is that for the middle of winter when the cold weather makes it hard for a little boy to get his energy out. We'll see how things go, but for now winter wrestling is definitly working for us!

How did my baby get old enough to join a real wrestling league?

One final sidenote: When we were shopping for our house, we didn't too heavily consider the local schools since we knew we planned to either homeschool or send our kids to Christian school. The house we found is located in a district with a mascot that we made fun of before moving here. It's one of those that could truly make the national news for most absurd school mascots. "No big deal," I thought. "Our kids won't go to that school anyway." Well, now Bug is wrestling as part of that school. At the end of practice they did a little chant about the school mascot. Oh well. I will proudly proclaim that, yes, we are now officially that silly mascot. If they sell shirts with the mascot on it to support the team, I will hold my head high while wearing it!