What do I do now????

Wrestling season is over.  It went out with a bang, February and March are great months.  Middle school championships (Conor won for the 2nd year in a row).  Next week high school "sectionals" and junior high regional tournament (Conor finished first again).  High school "districts" the next week.  Regionals and PJW (Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling) sectional qualifier the weekend after (Conor finishes 2nd to a pretty good high school varsity wrestler in a close match and qualifies for areas).  Then comes the big weekend.  Thursday to Saturday - PIAA States in Hershey.  As good as it gets, both from a wrestling perspective and a great time had by me and the kids with all our high school families who go year after year.  This year, we get a bonus - NCAAs are in Philadelphia.  The boys and I get lucky ticket wise and we end up at all the sessions except the Thursday day session.  Awesome experience.


After a great Saturday night watching the NCAA championships, Conor competes in the PJW Area championships to qualify for states.  He is on his "younger" year (13), but I think he can medal if he makes it.  Alas, he catches the same kid that he lost to at sections in the true second match and comes up short.  For once, he is fairly upbeat after the loss and so am I.  He's ready for the season to be over, he's tired.  He had a great year and the junior high regional championship really capped it.  He didn't train too hard after that and the other kid did.  The next week that kid wins the whole enchilada in Wilkes Barre and comes home a state champion.  Good lesson for Conor and the other kid, who seems like a real nice kid and has a great future ahead of him.

Cale's season ended before it started with a knee injury suffered in preseason practice that required surgery.  So wrestling season is done.  Sure, the boys will be on the mats in some form during the spring and probably competing, but the "core" season is done.  No more time in the stands with many of my "wrestling" friends talking wrestling, kids, etc.  No more post tournament meals at the local watering hole that is so crammed with wrestlers and families that it rivals Chuckie Cheese.  No more overnight trips to the tournament/event bunked up with seven wrestlers and three parents who are really good guys.  But actually, I'm a little tired, too.  And looking forward to the spring and being outside in the sun and maybe enjoying a good baseball game or fishing trip or an outside meal.  Until the itch comes back next fall, like it always does.

One of the things I've noticed about wrestling that is different than other sports is how many long term friendships I've developed following the sport.  Football and baseball, you see people for a short time, they float in and out of your life, but mostly out.  Wrestling friends seem to be in for the long haul.  Must be something about them I like.