In Need of a Singlet

I began officially representing the Postville Community School District in seventh grade. I was in junior high now. I was part of a team. I'd hit the big time. My coach was Don Luck. Yes, Coach Luck. Cool name, eh?

I still didn't have a pair of wrestling shoes when the season began. But, I think I did by the time our first meet came around. I had a pair of black Onitsuka Tigers by Asics. I think everyone on the team had a pair of Asics. Asics pretty much cornered the market on wrestling shoes.

And, I suppose I got to wear a jock strap for the first time. Ah, memories.

On the first day of practice our coach told us all to lay down by one another on the floor. He said he wanted to do a test to see how tough we were. So, he used us as a human bridge and walked over us. Okay, he didn't really do that. He stepped in between us and stepped lightly on our stomachs. It was pretty funny and we all had a good laugh.

He chastised our push up performance. He told us our technique was all wrong. We had learned to touch our noses to the floor at the bottom position of a push up in elementary school. He told us to do it right and finish a push up by touching our chests to the mat. So, we began doing push ups like real men.

I suppose I finally started learning some basic moves--double legs, single legs, stand ups, short sit outs, and switches. I learned how to sprawl. I learned to snap my opponent down and spin around. I learned arm drags and duck unders. And, of course, I learned the half nelson--often simply called "a half". It's funny looking back now. I learned all of those basics just like millions of other wrestlers.

I seem to remember the takedowns the most. You put your head on the outside when doing a double leg. And, you keep your head on the inside when doing a single leg. How simple is that?

My teammate Andrew learned to do a headlock along with the rest of us. But, that's all he seemed to like to do. He was successful with it. Maybe other seventh graders weren't expecting to be put in a headlock and thrown to their backs. Our coach wanted to see Andrew try some other moves and not end each match so quickly. But, I think that kind of ruined Andrew's enthusiasm a bit.

When I was in the locker room changing for my first meet I realized that I was the only one on the team without a singlet. Good Lord! All I had was a blue tee shirt and some tan shorts. I explained my situation to my friend Todd. He didn't laugh at me. He had a pair of red shorts and a red shirt with him that he let me borrow so at least I would be wearing my school's colors. Thank you, Todd. Seriously Mom and Dad, what were you thinking? No singlet? I came home that night and let it be known that I needed a singlet. Then for Christmas I got a sweatshirt and a pair of sweat pants. So, by January I had shoes, a singlet, headgear and a sweat suit. I was the man!

I always seemed to have a funny feeling come over me right before a match. And, it must have showed because Coach Luck once said, "I always like to see Schwinefus wrestle because he gets so excited."

I won my first junior high match even if I wasn't wearing a singlet.

My second match didn't go quite so well. Before the meet started I was eyeing the competition and saw a very small guy on the other team. He looked really tiny even for a seventh grader. He was wearing glasses and looked a bit nerdy I suppose. I thought to myself, "Please, let him be my opponent." As it turned out, he was the guy I had to wrestle. The whistle blew. He took me down and pinned me within seconds. I was stunned and embarrassed. But, I learned that very important life lesson--never underestimate anybody. That guy's name was Bill and he turned out to be a very good wrestler. I would wrestle him again in high school and the results would not be the same. But, that story comes later.

I believe I had a winning record my seventh grade year. I entered some more kid's tournaments but still couldn't win that 1st place trophy. I was learning and improving though. And, I really enjoyed wrestling and never thought once of giving it up.