Berwick Wrestling Family Honors Parents On January 25

The Berwick Wrestling Family extended its deep appreciation to all of our parents in a recognition ceremony prior to the home dual against Wyoming Valley West on January 25.

NOTE:  This piece was written last year and I believe it captions how a parent, a wrestling parent, truly feels about their child both on and off the mat.  I feel it is more than noteworthy to once again extend this article of appreciation to all of our parents.

In Appreciation Of All Wrestling Parents

A wrestling parent is so much different from other sport parents.

Got a kid in midget football? No problem. Go to a game once a week and the game is over in an hour and a half.

Got a kid in elementary wrestling? Four-hour round trip on a Saturday for a 12-hour tournament. Get home, travel again the next day for a team league dual meet.

And that is the easy stuff.

Each and every kid that steps out on the mat, to do battle against one other person, knowing that only one will win and the other will lose, defines what the word "courage" means. And this same kid takes part every day in what definitely is the toughest of all sport practices.

And that kid is our child. The same child we remember, as if it was yesterday, as the little baby arriving home after their birth. They physically have grown so much. Never seen muscles and veins like that. I sure didn't look like that in high school. And he has matured. That child of ours out there is no longer a kid, but a fine young man.

Yes, we have witnessed the glorious victories of our child. We have been there to console, and often to stay quiet, during and after those very tough losses. We see them off in the morning before that night's match. We travel to support them in their competitions. A ten-hour round trip and overnight stay in a hotel in Virginia? No problem. And most importantly, we are there when they come home whatever the outcome may be. We are there for them - period.

The sport of wrestling teaches a child so much. It also teaches a parent lessons on a weekend that could otherwise take a lifetime to learn. There are times you feel great. At times you feel lousy. You share your child's happiness. You share your child's lonely loss in defeat. And somehow you have to make it all work out even. Like the ocean, as in every wrestling season, there is a tide in and tide out. Just have to ride with that tide. Always reminding yourself that it is important to keep everything balanced and prioritized. This is never an easy task.

You see, that's my child out there. And no matter what the outcome of tonight's match may be, he will be out there again another day for the next match. Yep, that's my kid. I am so proud of him. I really love him.

The day will come when our child’s wrestling career will come to an end. We will look back with all those fond memories. Some of us have enough videotape to span the globe a few times and that can fill our spare hours well into our 80's. When we look back, we will cherish those memories. We will be proud. And we should be. You see, that's my kid wrestling there. The same kid that seemed so tiny and so young just a short while ago. Yep, that's my kid. I am so proud of him. I am not proud of him because he is a wrestler. I am proud of him for all that he is, for just being himself, for being such a fine young man, for being my son. I really love him.

It takes a great deal for a parent to prioritize love of God, family, and education as the main priorities above everything else, including wrestling. It takes a great deal for a parent to enforce those priorities even when their child is so consumed with their year-round passion and dedication to wrestle. It takes a great deal for a parent to be there for their child, for all of their desires, hopes, and dreams.

But for a parent, it truly is a great deal, the greatest of all bargains. Because we are with our child in all that he does. It is never just about wrestling. It never should be. It never can be. But one truth about the sport of wrestling is that once a child can endure and conquer the daily challenges of this sport, just about everything else in life becomes much easier. They learn to apply the same dedication, hard work, and commitment to accomplishing all of their life’s goals.

You see, that's my kid out there. I hope he wins - in everything his heart desires. Because no matter what, I am always there for him. I will always be there for him throughout each step of his life. Yep, that's my kid. I am so proud of him. I really love him.