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Why Wrestle?

0) Wrestling is the sixth-most popular sport for boys at the high school level with 267,378 participants in 10,254 schools during the 2008-09 season, according to the NFHS Athletics Participation Survey. In addition, 6,025 girls were involved in wrestling in 1,034 high schools.

1) Organized high school wrestling is safer than kids wrestling unsupervised in the yard or house.

2) Wrestling has about 1/2 the overall injury rate of football (2.50 vs. 4.36 per 1000 athletes, source: CDC Website). Only considering injuries in competition, wrestling (3.93) is safer than football (12.09) and soccer (4.22 & 5.21). Girls basketball ranked close to wrestling (3.60). (see table below, copied from the CDC Website)

3) Wrestlers only compete in their own weight class (or one above), unlike other sports where a large athlete can compete against a smaller one.

4) Wrestling develops confidence, work ethic, competitiveness and leadership. It takes a lot of guts to step out alone on the mat and a lot of hard work to be able to win.

5) Wrestling can help with self defense. Many top mixed martial art competitors have a wrestling background. (ex: Randy Couture, who wrestled in high school, college and in the US Army)

6) Wrestling develops athleticism and skills that can transfer to other sports such as football.

Interesting Facts About Wrestling

1) Oldest Sport sport still being practiced in its original form. The first recorded wrestling match took place in the Olympics in 700 B.C.

2) There were 259,688 wrestlers, 383,561 soccer players, 548,821 track and field and 1,108,286 football players in 2007-2008 (USA high schools in NFHS).

3) Ray Lewis, Pro Bowl Linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, was a Florida State Wrestling Champion at 189 lbs.

4) Roddy White, Atlanta Falcons first round pick - two times South Carolina State Wrestling Champ.

5) Pro Bowl Defensive Tackle Warren Sapp was a Florida State Champion wrestler.

6) "I would have all my Offensive Lineman wrestle if I could." -John Madden, Hall of Fame Football Coach.

Wrestling Poems

"Why Wrestle?"

Wrestling prepares a person to fight the game of life.
The wrester is the one athlete that must meet his opponent and do battle completely on his own; No one can substitute, no time outs are possible.
He has no one to check, screen, block, or assist him in any way;
There is no one to blame for his mistakes. When he wins, he must show quiet pride and modesty. When he loses, the responsibility is his.
Wrestling is a true sport.
In other sports, when contact is made, they blow the whistle to stop the action;
In wrestling, when contact is made, we're just getting started.
No other sport requires more sacrifice then wrestling.
Individual, through self-denied, offers more of his character than can ever be explained.
Through every trial, test, and tribulation.

"The Champion"

He was a man of flesh and blood.
He wasn't made of rock. Angel, devil, child, -man of ordinary stock.
But somehow he was different - true athletes always are - for as he cursed, sweated, and bled, he took pride in the scar.
They told him to win like a man, no matter what the cost; so many times he ventured forth; so many times he lost.
And when they turned around and said, "It's OK son, you tried," He clenches his headgear in his fist, and like a man he cried.
But from his tears came anger; then whit it ceased to spin, He rose again determined that next time he would win.
His trembling body strengthened; his heart soared in sky.
His darkened soul stood flaming; there was fire in his eye.
He worked and worked relentlessly; he struggled and he strained.
His conscience whipped him mercilessly for every ounce he gained.
He ran on legs like pistons; his muscled arms grew sore; He'd tell himself, "I have to" then ask himself "What for?"
And then, at last, the reckoning: the final hour was here.
His stomach tightened dangerously, his muscles tensed with fear.
Weak-kneed, he shook the challenger's hand- and then, as one possessed.
His instincts gave him power, and his body did the rest. It suddenly was ended.
His body seemed to scatter. A crowd was cheering somewhere, but to him it did not matter.
One thought was gleaming in his brain, a thought that made him smile.
He's given it all he had, and that's what made it all worthwhile.
He stood and faced his teammates, with pride instead of shame.
He knew not that he'd won or lost, but that he'd played the game.
And some call him THE WRESTLER and some call him A MAN, but he called himself a WINNER and the ref held up his hand.

"16 Steps"

1. Never underestimate your opponent.

2. Work on your weaknesses until they become your strong points.

3. Remember that a great effort is usually the result of a great attitude.

4. Dedicate yourself to a might purpose.

5. Win with humility, lose with grace.

6. Ignore those who discourage you.

7. Work to improve your moral and spiritual strengths as well as your physical ones.

8. Remember that how you conduct yourself off the field is as important as how you conduct yourself on the field.

9. Talent is God given- be humble. Fame is man given- be thankful. Conceit is self given- be careful.

10. Don't as to be deprived of tension and discipline- these are the tools that shape success.

11. Do what has to be done, when it has to be done, and as well as it can be done.

12. Remember that when you're not working to improve, your competition is.

13. Always give your best.

14. Practice like a champion.

15. Play like a champion.

16. Live like a champion.

"How to tell a Winner from a Loser"

- When a winner makes a mistake, he says "My fault", when a loser makes a mistake, he throws the blame on someone else.
- A winner credits his "good luck" for winning by being fundamentally prepared; a loser blames his "bad luck" for losing on bad breaks even though he's not fundamentally prepared.
- A winner works harder than a loser and always finds time to do what is expected of him; a loser never finds time and when he does, he works on the wrong things.
- A winner makes commitments and goals with his heart and sets out to accomplish them; a loser make "promises" with his mouth and never sincerely means to keep them.
- A winner shows he's sorry by making up for it; a loser says "I'm sorry" but does the same thing the next time.
- A winner thinks "I'm good, but not as good as I should be"; a loser thinks "I'm not as bad as some others."
- A winner would rather be admired for his ability than liked, although he would prefer both; a loser would rather be liked than admired because he knows he hasn't worked hard enough to be admired.
- A winner hates to lose; a loser could care less although he may put up a front.
- A winner is fundamentally sound in all aspects of the game; a loser is not.
- A winner knows strength, agility, and quickness are the keys to athletics and attains them; a loser may know but never attains.
- A winner takes constructive criticism from the coach, realizing it will help him and the team; a loser pouts and thinks he is being picked on.
- A winner thinks of the team first and never wants to let it down; a loser thinks of himself first and the team last.