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He Stands Alone
When a boy walks onto the mat, he stands alone. No one will run interference; no one will pass him the ball when he is under the net. No one will catch a high fly if he makes a bad pitch. He stands alone.
In the sport of wrestling, attentions are focused on the two young men; not from 100 yards away, as in some sports, but in most contests, just a few feet away. Every move can be seen, every act detected.If an opponent gains an advantage, there will be no help, no substitutes; no timeout, and all could be lossed in one second. A failure in endurance, in technique, or the desire to overcome his opponent will be spotlighted.
There is no place on the wrestling team for the lazy, the showoff, or the half-hearted. When the whistle blows, a boy puts his ability, his determination and his courage on the line.
We who are close to the young men on our wrestling team have watched the full range of emotions from elation to heartbreak. We have seen coaches with tears running down their cheeks as they try to console a young man who has given his all.... yet lost.
Wrestling is a tough, hard sport, and like life, it is survival of the fittest. The young men who enter and stay with the sport of wrestling know this. They know that when the time comes and the whistle blows....
They Stand Alone.
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