Wrestling has a long and glorious tradition with Jack’s family, so it wasn’t surprising when our sons started following in his footsteps (Jack tried to convince the girls to give it a try, but so far, no go. Probably has something to do with being in close contact with someone else who’s gross and sweaty, haha). Henry’s the first to join club wrestling, and he’s been enjoying his time at practice. You know… because he doesn’t care if he’s in close contact with someone else who’s gross and sweaty because HE’S also gross and sweaty.
Henry went to club in kindergarten, took a break over Covid, then got back into it in second grade. Now that he’s in third grade, growing like a weed, and actually absorbing what the coaches and Jack are actually telling him to do, he’s getting quite good. However, he does have the disadvantage at the moment of not being able to compete as regularly as the other kids. Most of their meets for elementary school-aged kids are on Sundays so they can dodge the middle school and high school meets. So, when Henry DOES have the opportunity to go to a meet, we take advantage of it, and make it into a family affair.
This year, Henry had one precious Saturday meet that he got to attend. There was some convincing and bribing other siblings to (happily) get up early and go, but by the time it was over, everyone was glad they’d gone. Henry put on quite the show for us.
We arrived at the school about an hour before his first match, and squeezed our way in between the crowd. There is a certain demographic of people who enjoy wrestling. Often they’re a bit surly, probably have a beard and/or mullet, and are LOUD. Between the coolers, pack-n-plays, and heaps of people’s belongings, we tucked ourselves off to the side. Some of the kids brought crafts, while others discovered the joys of playing tag under the bleachers. When it was finally Henry’s turn, I gave him a little pep talk… you probably all know the one that all moms give? “Do your best, don’t get angry, and have fun!” Then, I sent him off into battle, thinking of the last wrestling meet he went to where he was decimated on the mat pretty much every single time. Gah! That was hard to watch, and I might still carry some of that anxiety with me.
Henry walked out on the mat, shook hands with his opponent… and had him pinned within ten seconds. Talk about a confidence boost for Henry! I felt bad for the boy who lost, but I kid you not, 99% of the kids were crying at one point or another in that gym because at that age, losing = tears. While we waited for Henry’s next match, I ran the other kids to the closest craft store (because you can never have too many crafting supplies), and BARELY made it back in time to watch Henry pin the second kid. When the ref blew his whistle, Henry was so shocked and thrilled that his jaw nearly unhinged (while yes, the other kid was in tears… sorry, buddy!). As the gym cleared out, we twiddled our thumbs, waiting for Henry’s last match. It was against a teammate of his that he practiced with, and definitely was a nail biter–they both had times where they flip-flopped points, but in the end… Henry pinned him. Thankfully, his teammate was very mature, congratulated Henry, and gracefully accepted his loss WITHOUT tears. It’s easier for me to enjoy Henry’s success without also witnessing another kid’s disappointment, even if I know that’s how it has to be. There can only be one champion.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mom, it’s that it’s SO hard to watch your kid fail at something they love doing. It’s frustrating, even as an adult, not to feel like an effort didn’t pay off. Fortunately, there’s a flip side, and this weekend, we all got to see Henry smash his goals. There is so much joy in watching one of my children beaming from their accomplishments.
While we’re basking in Henry’s success this weekend, we also are A) so thankful that every weekend isn’t spent in some smelly high school gym while kids battle it out on a wrestling mat and B) are aware that Henry won’t always sweep his competitions. That’s life, and the ups and downs are okay!
After we packed up, we made good on our part of our bribe and took everyone to a buffet for a late lunch. Henry, unsurprisingly, ate his weight in food. The few hours spent together, cheering and celebrating Henry’s success felt like a slice of Heaven, and I’m so grateful for the chance to watch all these kids grow into their talents and interests. And yes, especially when it pays off with a win!
