The thread Russ has below got me to thinking about the old days of when I participated in sports at school.  I am sitting here thinking of the ups and downs as well as the lessons learned during my “glory days”. 

I myself started wrestling when I was 8 and played football in junior high and high school.  I was fortunate enough to win a little more than I lost on the wrestling mat.  Football was another story.  We didn’t win a game through junior high as well as my freshman and sophomore years of high school.  That changed the last two years when we made it 2 and 3 rounds into the playoffs the last two years.

During this time I was fortunate enough to work with several good coaches that doubled as good men, as well as a lot of sideline coaching from my dad and both grandpas.  Looking back I see just how wise all of these people were at the time and how much they shaped my current life.  They taught me that hard work will get better results than sitting back waiting for something positive to happen.  They also taught me about commitment on several levels, committing to myself to see a job through, also about the commitment to my team and coaches to do my best as well as that little Nebraska school and town.  In a very small way my conduct and actions on and off the field or mat represented my town, school, and family.   I made a lot of friends I would have never met otherwise and still have contact with a lot of them 25 years later.  For me sports was one of the greatest experiences of my life when If I was winning or losing.

Now it’s my sons turn. He has been wrestling since he was three and plays some football and throws for the track team.  I see him experiencing a lot of the same things I did.  Seeing him win makes me proud but seeing him mature and become a good man makes me more proud.  Of course the miles we travel now are more and it seems like the seasons are longer but it is something we do as a family.  The competition is healthy and he is learning to work under pressure.

I have been blessed with some success in my life and the lessons learned while competing have been involved with almost every aspect of my life.  Could I have learned these things elsewhere? You bet I could have.  There are hundreds of people that are great people that have never participated in sports but this is what seems to work for us.  What life lessons have you learned from your “glory days”?

Side note here.  My son competed in Denver at a national wrestling tournament and was able to put together a third place finish.  We are on our way to Loveland CO today to take another run at competing in the Bighorn Nationals.  2000 miles for wrestling tournaments in 2 weeks but I wouldn’t trade the drive time with the kids for anything.  Wish him luck.  The high school season is right around the corner.