Got Wrestling?

Both my kids wrestle.  They LOVE it!  They wrestle for our local Junior Wrestling club.  Bubba just completed his second year and Diva just completed her first year.

Wait?  Didn't I say both my kids have special needs (by the way, I hate that term, but more on that in another post)?  How can we let them do things with "normal" kids?  How can we let our daughter wrestle with boys?

First of all, wrestling is one of the best sports for kids, like Bubba, with ADHD to participate in.  I read about that recently in ADDitude Magazine and wish I had saved the link.  It hepls with social skills because the kids practicce as a team, but the accomplishments are personal.  The kids are out there for 3, one minute periods (unless they get or are pinned)...it's all them in those three minutes.

Wrestling has also done wonders for Diva with her low muscle tone.  The best example:  at the beginning of the season she couldn't do a back bridge, she couldn't even hold herself up in one if the coach assisted her into getting into the position.  By the end of the season, she was not only able to hold the bridge but she was able to get herself up into it!  This position is fairly important for the sport as it's the best way to get out of a pin.  Oh, and she was also able to make it through the entire 1.5 hour practice.

So how did they do last season?  Wonderful!  Bubba didn't get any pins, but he got much better as a wrestler.  He was able to put what he was taught in practice to use on the mat and improved as a wrestler.  Diva eventually stopped crying when she got pinned, so that's a BIG plus!  How do we know they love what they do?  They can't wait for next season to start!

How do we feel about girls wrestling the boys?  To us it's a non issue.  I know of other mothers who force their daughters to quit once they start to develop boobs, even if they are amazing wrestlers.  I don't agree with this, but they aren't my kids so my opinion really doesn't matter.  What will we do once Diva starts to develop?  I don't know.  Who's to say she will even still want to wrestle in a few years?  We will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Hubby and I are so happy the kids have found a sport they are passionate about.  He coaches and I'm Team Mom.  Basically, we do nothing but wrestling from October-ish to March-ish...but I wouldn't have it any other way!

 professional pictures from Picture People...they do amazing work!

 Diva and Bubba at a tournament

 pep talk from Coach Daddy

pep talk from Coach Wayne