MR TWISTER
12-08-2006, 08:20 PM
When I was first asked by Mike Bare, Administrator of Illinoismatmen.com to write a column for this website I decided that I would try to combine both my families personal experiences in wrestling along with my observations of others experiences. Since the last column I posted in early November I have reached a new plateau in my wrestling experience.
In the span of one month I was able to watch my son Mario’s first college match and see him sustain a major knee injury. 17-3 at the time of the pin in his first college match was in some ways gratifying and assuring for everyone in my family. When you have a son that wrestles on any level it is a family experience. As a family we have been traveling to wrestling meets since 1993. 7 a.m. Weigh-ins, bad concession stands, lost headgear, big matches, ugly loses and great wins plus long days are all part of the wrestling experience. It is a very long journey to that first college match. You watch your young wrestler from day one of his career in the IKWF matches. Next level is high school where the competition ratchets up several notches. And should your wrestler become blessed with the all important college scholarship that equates to an opportunity to wrestle without financial burden to his family, watching that first match becomes a sigh of relief. Sort of!
The drive down to the first tournament was kind of long but well worth it. Behind the wheel of his big brothers new Mustang we literally flew to Omaha. In tow with me was the wrestlers girlfriend, my wife and his brother. Once there I could barely hold the video camera because I am nervous as always before he has a big match. Many thoughts (for those of you yet to get to this point) will race through a father’s mind. This is your son, your manchild, your athlete that you did everything with first. You are hoping he does well but in reality you just don’t really know if he is ready for the college level. High School All American. Big Deal, everyone is at this level. State Champ. All State. Who isn't on this level. Is he big enough? Does the coach understand his style? The team is very good so will he fit in? Will he live up to expectations? Will he get injured (more on that later) wrestling fifth year seniors? Will his style of wrestling translate to the college level? Is he nervous? And many, many more thoughts, too numerous to write about.
Finally the moment is here. His name is called as it has so many times before but this time it is different. This is college. The major leagues of wrestling. All the big names and teams are here in the building. Iowa, Virginia Tech, Nebraska - Lincoln, Nebraska-Omaha, Central Okalhoma, Dana, Northern Iowa, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa State, Brands, Manning, Gable, J. Rob, Slater, Metcalf, Askren, Cael. Everyone does not make it to this point. But there he is, standing at the scorers table looking confident, and then on his new home mat-the center mat of 23 mats, bouncing up and down, adjusting his headgear, pulling on the knee pad, tugging on the new red college singlet, wearing last year’s shoes because he won’t put the new ones on yet. It’s too soon he says, but you wonder if he is just plain superstitious which really means nervous in another form. There is the ref motioning the wrestlers to the middle. No turning back now. Whistle blows and he is on this unknown wrestler like flies on...well you know the rest. To get that first takedown was a big relief. He's fast enough, big enough and strong enough. Whew! As I looked at our family during the match you could tell that they realized like I did that our little wrestler would be okay on the college mats for the next four years.
Fast forward to the next tournament. Time for more emotional swings. The college level is so physical. There is nothing to even compare it to. IKWF or IHSA are not even close. Everyone seems like they are banged up. And proud of it. The war stories are endless. So here is my little wrestler (well he really is not little anymore but...) getting ready for his battle. With two matches under his belt he is in there with a fifth year senior from his home state. Already the emotions inside of me are pent up. Now he gets to wrestle a grown man. Heck this guy was out of high school when my wrestler was in eighth grade. But no time to worry, there is the referee motioning them to the center of the mat. After a minute into the match there is a rear lift by his opponent and an attempted switch on the way down. A move I have seen my wrestler hit a thousand times. But this time the move does not go according to the master plan. His opponent follows him down to the mat. My wrestlers foot goes left but his knee went right and then left followed by a loud pop. I said to myself, "He just broke his leg." Screams, very loud screams come from the mat, trainers come running and then straight silence. The ref, his coaches and his opponent are all looking very concerned. I ask his opponent what happened and he simply says, "His knee is gone." My heart just drops to the center of the earth. Not the knee I think. Anything but that. Then the other wrestler puts on his warmup, the injury default is signaled and then an apology from the other wrestler. None needed, it was just wrestling.
New emotions take place, especially when you see them carry your warrior off the mat for the second time in eight months. Over in the trainers room many of Illinois finest wrestlers from various teams stop by to ask what happened and wish your wrestler well. Much love to them all as the camaraderie of the Illinois wrestlers versus other states or in times of distress is unparalleled. Next Olympian Joe Williams comes to the trainers area to say "Keep your head up. This is just a test. You will be back." Finallly a small smile from my wrestler. Much pulling and prodding by the Head Trainer, a big bag of ice, a visit by the Head Coach, some whispering and then a concerned Mom comes out the stands. That in itself is a first. Finally there is a preliminary diagnosis. Lateral Meniscus tear and an ACL tear too. The big one. ACL. The one no athlete wants to hear. Emotions are running really wild. You feel for your wrestler because you know how hard he worked to get to this point. You feel for his team and his coach that were counting on him to help win a fourth national title. You look at his face and all you see is that he is more upset that his season just ended than he is in pain. He struggles to sit up, drinks a little water and slams the water bottle down hard to the ground. Damn, here come the crutches, again!
Now the waiting begins. The MRI is in a few days so more emotions put on hold. Then you get the call from your son that it is not as bad as originally thought. Whew! Small victories are a good thing. Just one injury, an ACL tear. Five months before he can step on the mat. Two more months with a brace. Surgery plus rehab everyday. Weight training everyday. Insurance claims. Redshirt decisions.
As I said in the beginning this is a new plateau, one that will be a learning experience. Is that not what college is all about? All for a chance to get back on the mat at the next level. Stay tuned. Only four more years to go.
In the span of one month I was able to watch my son Mario’s first college match and see him sustain a major knee injury. 17-3 at the time of the pin in his first college match was in some ways gratifying and assuring for everyone in my family. When you have a son that wrestles on any level it is a family experience. As a family we have been traveling to wrestling meets since 1993. 7 a.m. Weigh-ins, bad concession stands, lost headgear, big matches, ugly loses and great wins plus long days are all part of the wrestling experience. It is a very long journey to that first college match. You watch your young wrestler from day one of his career in the IKWF matches. Next level is high school where the competition ratchets up several notches. And should your wrestler become blessed with the all important college scholarship that equates to an opportunity to wrestle without financial burden to his family, watching that first match becomes a sigh of relief. Sort of!
The drive down to the first tournament was kind of long but well worth it. Behind the wheel of his big brothers new Mustang we literally flew to Omaha. In tow with me was the wrestlers girlfriend, my wife and his brother. Once there I could barely hold the video camera because I am nervous as always before he has a big match. Many thoughts (for those of you yet to get to this point) will race through a father’s mind. This is your son, your manchild, your athlete that you did everything with first. You are hoping he does well but in reality you just don’t really know if he is ready for the college level. High School All American. Big Deal, everyone is at this level. State Champ. All State. Who isn't on this level. Is he big enough? Does the coach understand his style? The team is very good so will he fit in? Will he live up to expectations? Will he get injured (more on that later) wrestling fifth year seniors? Will his style of wrestling translate to the college level? Is he nervous? And many, many more thoughts, too numerous to write about.
Finally the moment is here. His name is called as it has so many times before but this time it is different. This is college. The major leagues of wrestling. All the big names and teams are here in the building. Iowa, Virginia Tech, Nebraska - Lincoln, Nebraska-Omaha, Central Okalhoma, Dana, Northern Iowa, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa State, Brands, Manning, Gable, J. Rob, Slater, Metcalf, Askren, Cael. Everyone does not make it to this point. But there he is, standing at the scorers table looking confident, and then on his new home mat-the center mat of 23 mats, bouncing up and down, adjusting his headgear, pulling on the knee pad, tugging on the new red college singlet, wearing last year’s shoes because he won’t put the new ones on yet. It’s too soon he says, but you wonder if he is just plain superstitious which really means nervous in another form. There is the ref motioning the wrestlers to the middle. No turning back now. Whistle blows and he is on this unknown wrestler like flies on...well you know the rest. To get that first takedown was a big relief. He's fast enough, big enough and strong enough. Whew! As I looked at our family during the match you could tell that they realized like I did that our little wrestler would be okay on the college mats for the next four years.
Fast forward to the next tournament. Time for more emotional swings. The college level is so physical. There is nothing to even compare it to. IKWF or IHSA are not even close. Everyone seems like they are banged up. And proud of it. The war stories are endless. So here is my little wrestler (well he really is not little anymore but...) getting ready for his battle. With two matches under his belt he is in there with a fifth year senior from his home state. Already the emotions inside of me are pent up. Now he gets to wrestle a grown man. Heck this guy was out of high school when my wrestler was in eighth grade. But no time to worry, there is the referee motioning them to the center of the mat. After a minute into the match there is a rear lift by his opponent and an attempted switch on the way down. A move I have seen my wrestler hit a thousand times. But this time the move does not go according to the master plan. His opponent follows him down to the mat. My wrestlers foot goes left but his knee went right and then left followed by a loud pop. I said to myself, "He just broke his leg." Screams, very loud screams come from the mat, trainers come running and then straight silence. The ref, his coaches and his opponent are all looking very concerned. I ask his opponent what happened and he simply says, "His knee is gone." My heart just drops to the center of the earth. Not the knee I think. Anything but that. Then the other wrestler puts on his warmup, the injury default is signaled and then an apology from the other wrestler. None needed, it was just wrestling.
New emotions take place, especially when you see them carry your warrior off the mat for the second time in eight months. Over in the trainers room many of Illinois finest wrestlers from various teams stop by to ask what happened and wish your wrestler well. Much love to them all as the camaraderie of the Illinois wrestlers versus other states or in times of distress is unparalleled. Next Olympian Joe Williams comes to the trainers area to say "Keep your head up. This is just a test. You will be back." Finallly a small smile from my wrestler. Much pulling and prodding by the Head Trainer, a big bag of ice, a visit by the Head Coach, some whispering and then a concerned Mom comes out the stands. That in itself is a first. Finally there is a preliminary diagnosis. Lateral Meniscus tear and an ACL tear too. The big one. ACL. The one no athlete wants to hear. Emotions are running really wild. You feel for your wrestler because you know how hard he worked to get to this point. You feel for his team and his coach that were counting on him to help win a fourth national title. You look at his face and all you see is that he is more upset that his season just ended than he is in pain. He struggles to sit up, drinks a little water and slams the water bottle down hard to the ground. Damn, here come the crutches, again!
Now the waiting begins. The MRI is in a few days so more emotions put on hold. Then you get the call from your son that it is not as bad as originally thought. Whew! Small victories are a good thing. Just one injury, an ACL tear. Five months before he can step on the mat. Two more months with a brace. Surgery plus rehab everyday. Weight training everyday. Insurance claims. Redshirt decisions.
As I said in the beginning this is a new plateau, one that will be a learning experience. Is that not what college is all about? All for a chance to get back on the mat at the next level. Stay tuned. Only four more years to go.