(School of Thought logo by Kinsley Moncman, Parkersburg South High School)

STUDENT INTRO: This week, Parkersburg South High School freshman Nathan Murphy shares some important life lessons from his experiences as a year-round wrestler. Not only does Nathan excel on the mat, but dedicates himself to also giving his best in the classroom, too.

***

No free time, bad knees, black eyes, and what many people would say are messed up and gross looking ears. These are just a few of the glamorous things most get in return for all the sacrifices they make to the sport of wrestling. Wrestling — a sport that most certainly does not make one famous or rich of its own accord, a sport that hands participants the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Yet through all the sacrifice, the wear and tear, and the highs and the lows, millions of others (myself included) continue to commit to the sport.

“Sacrifice is a loss or something you give up, usually for the sake of a better cause.” The sacrifices are made not only by the athletes, but also other groups like coaches, parents, and coach’s families. And, in my opinion, these people do not always get the credit they deserve. They all make a sacrifice to wrestling, all in pursuit of a common goal: success of a loved one. At the high school level that success most commonly comes in the form a state championship. There are three ways to achieve that coveted state title. A team state dual championship, a team state championship, and an individual state championship. Something that must happen to achieve those goals is sacrifice, not just from one athlete, but every athlete that participates on the team.

By the end of February and early March, when the state tournament is held, everyone participating is battling wear and tear on their bodies and mental exhaustion. Whether your season started around November, or your season never truly ended because you wrestle year-round, everyone is battling something during state tournament time. Wrestling is not always the kindest on the body. Practices are intense and grow in intensity, but they must be to prepare you for the opponents that you will face who are also working toward their own goals.

Wrestling is a fight. Every athlete in the practice room or on the mat is vying for a top spot and hoping to achieve their goals. Everyone helps in pushing each other mentally and physically to what many would say is a “breaking point,” but this is necessary to achieve those goals. In the process some will face injuries, and struggle through mental battles. The injuries that happen much of the time are pushed out of wrestler’s mind. Along with the physical effects the wrestler must stay mentally strong and remain calm and confident in mind and body through all the tough times to be faced throughout the long season. When you think that skipping a few sprints or reps is harmless because you’re tired remember that cutting corners will only hurt you in the end. You must buy into what you’re working toward and remember that the goal you are working toward is worth the work and time you are putting in. The mental and physical pain that you will face must be looked past.

Someone who has wrestled is prepared to excel not just in sports, but also their schooling and careers. The sport takes a large amount of time and dedication from participants. Between the practices, the competing, the weight management, and still staying academically eligible to compete, it becomes taxing on your entire body with the physical and physiological effects. Still, so many have committed to what some would describe as a grueling routine. Commitment — this is what it takes to stay on the path of success, not just in wrestling, but in life. The sport teaches athletes that to find success you must commit yourself to meeting both your own goals, and the goals of others.

While to find success in anything you must work hard, to be successful, you must work the hardest. Something that has stuck with me comes from one of the coaches I train with, and that is the motto of: “Do what must be done, when it must be done, as well as it can be done. Do it that way all the time.” This is a life lesson that can be and should be applied to all aspects of life. Adopting the mindset of a wrestler will provide the most opportunities in the long run.