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Mrfess

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Posts posted by Mrfess

  3. The Upset

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    "I watched as the arena erupted. The roar of the crowd was deafening. The excitement was truly overwhelming! Once the crowd’s response to Owatonna’s victory subsided, a strange thought entered my mind: this is good for wrestling. Despite the pain of seeing my team fall, I knew, and could acknowledge, that there was something remarkably good about what had just taken place." 

    THE UPSET

    www.missouriwrestling.com/the-upset/ 

  6. The Wrestler: A Life of Passion and the Pursuit of Greatness

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    New wrestling book released today!


    "I thoroughly enjoyed Michael Fessler's book The Wrestler! It covers a wide array of topics and areas that will help wrestlers, young and old, better understand the sport and the life lessons that go along with it. A few of my favorite topics addressed are the mental game, humility, passion, and taking advantage of mentors. Very insightful information on all areas, plus many others. I highly recommend this book!"
    - CHUCK YAGLA, 2x NCAA D1 National Champion for the University of Iowa, and Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame


    "Michael Fessler's book The Wrestler is a must read for anyone who has participated in the sport of wrestling. This book masterfully shares the struggle that everyone who has dared to put on a singlet and stand in the middle of the ring has had to face. Wrestling is tough. This sport exposes one's character and compels you to do the hard work in growing through the challenges that are exposed."
    - DAN RUSSELL, 4x NCAA D2 National Champion, and the author of Finish Strong


    The Wrestler: A Life of Passion and the Pursuit of Greatness

     

    Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/Wrestler-Life-Passion-Pursuit-Greatness/dp/0692804072/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480687676&sr=1-4&keywords=michael+fessler

    • Upvote 1

  7. Future Phenoms Should Forgo Collegiate Wrestling?

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    Henry Cejudo chose to forego college and train in Colorado Springs for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. He was the youngest ever US wrestler (to the best of my knowledge) to win an Olympic Gold Medal. Now what?

    And after he did this (which was an incredible accomplishment), he was unable to even make the team, losing to Nick Simmons, a former collegiate (folkstyle) wrestler. The point of the article is not to suggest that wrestlers can't experience success by focusing primarily on freestyle (they can!). The point is that they don't need to. Moreover, a movement which successfully put all of our phenoms strictly in freestyle, and forgoing collegiate wrestling, would do damage to growing the sport. Collegiate wrestling is central to viewership and excitement in our great sport of wrestling. 

  9. When Should I Introduce My Son to the Sport of Wrestling?

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    I love this question! My wife and I are at the point where we're talking about adopting kids. I would LOVE to see my kid wrestle, but I think there's wisdom in many of these posts. There IS, however, something I think we can take away from this: What matters is not so much when the child begins wrestling, learning, and being exposed to the sport. What really matters is when the child begins to COMPETE. Rolling around on a mat vs competing in a tournament entail radically different sets of emotions. I would encourage parents to wait on taking their kids to tournaments until they are ready. And that's something only you as a parent can see.

    This was exactly my thought process. I may have taken this understanding for granted though. The issue is more about "competing" in the sport. The reason I took this for granted was because I don't know of anybody who has their kids simply attend youth wrestling practices. Competition is just part of the deal. And this is how I was brought into the sport as well. I literally wrestled for a couple weeks at the age of six, and then competed in my first tournament. But I really like the idea of easing the kid into the sport by way of rolling around on the mat in practices. 

  10. When Should I Introduce My Son to the Sport of Wrestling?

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    I've been working on a reply to this thread. It's a great topic, so I'll just post what I have to this point.

     

    Wrestling creates many emotions and a high percentage of youth are unable to process most of them. Those with a high level of aggression avoid a lot of these emotions, because they have success very early in competition. I feel the parents need to have a good read on their kid's ability to deal with powerful feelings. I've seen kids cry throughout matches they were winning. It's overwhelming. So even given a young kid's physical ability for wrestling, if he cannot process these emotions, many of which may be brand new to him, there's a good chance he'll turn away from the sport if he doesn't have the positive/appropriate support from his parents and coaches.

     

    My oldest son would get upset at the Madden football video game because the coded announcers would say, "Boy, that was a stupid play call by the coach." I knew he could be sensitive, so I brought him into wrestling slowly. Around 3rd grade, I started taking him to club practice once a week and compete only in a couple tourneys the entire season. I did this for a few years, until he began developing more mature processing skills. As for learning the sport, he lost a lot of matches during these years. However, I knew puberty was the great equalizer and just encouraged along the way to just enjoy the battle and  to learn the techniques. Now, he loves it and is enjoying some success. My youngest son is a different creature. He’s required a completely different approach. Jury is still out, but he seems to be more competitive and more interested in the sport.

     

    -TH

    Great thoughts! I admit that there does seem to be a bit of subjectivity related to the uniqueness of each kid. But you bring up a great point about being in tune to your kid's ability to deal with emotions. Wrestling is an all-consuming sport, and dealing with high emotions is absolutely relevant. 

  11. When Should I Introduce My Son to the Sport of Wrestling?

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    Like most I started pretty young. Now that I have a 2year old of my own of course I hope he wants to wrestle one day, but if he chooses not to I wont love him any less. However, that said, if he chooses not to it doesnt mean Im going to just change my life around. Wrestling is a big part of my life, and I still enjoy going to matches at all levels. Im not going to stop hanging around my friends or stop going to matches because he doesnt want to wrestle. Hopefully that doesnt happen.

     

    Right now hes at the age where wrestling with daddy is fun, we make it a game, its playtime. His godfather gave me great advice with raising a kid around the sport of wrestling and me being involved as well. Heres what he said...

     

    "You be the dad, Ill be the coach." -- Ken Hammonds

     

    I havent forgotten what hes told me, wrestling is fun with daddy and heck with Uncle Hamm.

    I agree. Making the sport fun is very important to the process. 

     

     

    ALWAYS BE CAREFUL HOW YOU ASK OR ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS TO WRESTLE. IF YOU ASK THEM POINT BLANK "DO YOU WANT TO WRESTLE?" THEY MIGHT GIVE YOU THE WRONG ANSWER. AND ONCE THEY HAVE SAID "NO" IT IS HARD TO CHANGE THEIR MIND. INSTEAD TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO "LET" THE START WRESTLING. TAKE THEM TO MATCHES AND TELL THEM HOW IT IS GOING TO HELP THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE. THIS WAY THE DECISION HAS ALREADY BEEN MADE.

     

    WHY SHOULD YOU LET THEM DECIDE AT A YOUNG AGE WHAT SPORTS THEY SHOULD PLAY. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS LIKE THIS, THAT WILL EFFECT THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. YOU DON'T LET THEM CHOOSE WHAT THEY WILL EAT AND WHEN THEY WILL GO TO BED. I HAVE HAD A BUNCH OF PARENTS TELL ME " I ASKED HIM AND HE DON'T WANT TO DO IT." AFTER THAT, THE CASE IS CLOSED.

     

    THE ANIMAL

    That's an interesting perspective. I guess even how we communicate about introducing our child to the sport is important. 

  12. When Should I Introduce My Son to the Sport of Wrestling?

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    Thanks, cbg. I like that!

     

     

    My son did not start until 6th grade. He has had some success but I wish we would have started sooner. I have spoke with several coaches and everyone is so welcoming and willing to teach the sport to anyone. What area do you live in?

    That's interesting. For some reason, that seems like a good age to start. Still young enough to develop in the sport, but old enough to know what it is he's engaging in. 

     

    I'm actually from Minnesota. I follow wrestling forums around the country. 

  16. FAITH AND WRESTLING - Cal Baptist University Promo Video

    in Wrestling Mat

    Posted

    FAITH AND WRESTLING: HOW THE ROLE OF A WRESTLER MIRRORS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
    by: Michael Fessler
    (Find it on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/149089621X?keywords=michael%20fessler&qid=1444138049&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1)

    The book was picked up by a larger publishing group and recently republished. Several university wrestling teams utilized the book last year for team studies, one of which was Cal Baptist University under the helm of former Iowa wrestling star, Coach Lennie Zalesky. To promote the book's re-release, Coach Zalesky and CBU wrestling put together a promo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uI6LF9jQrQ 

     

    “The Bible tells us that believers are transformed by the renewing of their minds. Another way of putting this is … taking into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. This means learning how to think of all of life, including sport, from a biblical perspective. Michael Fessler’s book is drenched in Christian worldview. Those who wrestle with its truths will be richer for it. I wish that I had been able to drink from its wisdom as a young man but am grateful to be able to do so as an old(er) one.†JACK SPATES - Former head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma

    “My belief has always been that wrestling is a microcosm of life. Most of the things that we are going to experience in life are going to be experienced in a wrestling career. Michael does an excellent job in paralleling the relationship between faith and wrestling. His book expresses the importance of developing the total athlete—spiritually, physically, emotionally, and socially. I look forward to the day when people (including wrestlers) from ‘every nation, tribe, people and language’ will gather to worship our God. (Revelation 7:9, 11).†GENE DAVIS - Director of Wrestling at Athletes in Action and Bronze medalist in the 1976 Olympic Games

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