Wrestling

Unlike Cindy, who actually wrestles, watching Tony is as close as it gets for me. The tournament was one of the better ones I’ve ever attended and since Kyle, Mike, John, JImmy, Tony and Dominyk have all wrestled for at least one season of the last 8 years, I’ve been to many. And, though I won’t go on forever, it is my least favorite sport to watch. Typically, the purpose of the entire event is concession sales. Weigh ins start at 3:30 on weekdays or 7 on Saturdays or 11 on Sundays (though the only Sunday event they are permitted to attend is the District Qualifier, and we still go to all church services before dashing there for the end of weigh-ins). Usually tournaments develop brackets of four and each kid wrestles three times. But they don’t “wrestle through,” but instead all the PK kids wrestle onces, then all the Ks, then all the 1st graders (you get the picture). Then they go back and start over, having to recollect the children, make the changes at the mats, etc. Then they go all the way to 6th or 8th grade again (depending on tournament) and start the third round. This means that everyone is there for a long time, purchasing breakfast, lunch, and sometimes I swear it is going to be dinner too. You can’t really leave to get food because you might miss one of your turns. Anyway, I figure the only reason for doing it this way is to sell more concessions. So several Friday nights and Saturdays are filled with me sitting and watching half naked boys with their revealing singlets attempt to lie on top of each other. Sorry, I know I said I wouldn’t go on forever, but I would much rather watch an hour or two of basketball, soccer, football, or even baseball (the adjust the cup before every pitch sport).

Anyone, this was one of the better ones because they did wrestle through. Weigh ins were divided so we didn’t have to be there until 1/2 hour before it started. We got there at 5:30 and were done by 8:20 -- a record. I found a parking spot right by the back door, so I didn’t have to walk in the cold. The bleacher seat that Bart got me for Christmas worked well. I remembered to bring several magazines and was enjoying my eclectic taste. I read these magazines clear through: Guideposts, Adoptive Families, MacAddict, and Layers (a magazine for Adobe). I also had a Creative Keepsakes with me, but I didn’t get to that so I’ll start on that tomorrow at the district qualifier (if Tony returns to me the $5 that miraculously disappeared while he was the only one in my bedroom this morning, otherwise he’s not going).

When it came time for Tony to wrestle, Murphy’s law applied, and his mat was farthest from where I was sitting. HOWEVER, there was a folding chair right next to the mat that emptied right before he started. So I got to sit and take pictures. Most moms sit next to the mat, but Tony agreed that it would be mighty embarrassing for him if I had to have six or seven adults get me back up if I could ever get back down there in the first place.

Tony came in second, there were only 3 kids heavy enough for his bracket, so he only wrestled twice, and he and I had a nice time together. Nothing bad happened at home while Bart was caring for the other 8, so for a night of wrestling, it couldn’t have been a lot better.