In honor of the first day of wrestling season I will explain to you why I feel it is the most important sport to have your children learn. I already spoke about the benefits of the world’s greatest and oldest sport(link here). So I will speak to another aspect. They don’t need to ever compete, but your child learning this sport will pay dividends down the line. Like karate and other martial arts, wrestling arms the students with the knowledge to protect themselves in the case of an attacker. My experiences why below:
When the first grade bully was picking on me my dad taught me his three rules for fighting.

1. Never ever let me find out you started the fight.

2. Never throw the first punch.

3. Punch them in the nose. They won’t want to continue.

That’s where wrestling comes in. I joined wrestling after I punched that bully in the nose. I never have needed to throw a punch in a fight since.

Simple facts of life: People are assholes and there are some who are out to hurt you. You can’t avoid it. Whether it is emotionally or physically some people just like to hurt others. Unfortunately when I was younger, due to my size I was picked on. Easy target: Short and being a smart ass didn’t help my cause with the bigger guys. Many times I have had to use my knowledge of this sport to ensure my safety and to make sure I didn’t get my ass kicked. Below are two examples of how walking into a wrestling room in first grade was the best decision I ever made.

Before I transferred from my first high school I had a bully(the reason why I wanted to transfer out). He made rumors about me. He tormented me. He did all but try and fight me. Slapped my books out of my hand etc. Oddly enough this torment coincided with me becoming much better on the mat. I was able to place some of my frustration from the bullying onto the wrestling mat and make a positive out of the whole ordeal. I took second team All Catholic and all county. That press is why he decided my sophomore year he was going to challenge me for my spot. He tormented me for a month before the season about how he was going to take my spot. At first I dreaded the first practice. Then I laughed. Come. Take. My. Spot. He left the first practice to go to the hospital and never came back.

Dealing with school bullies isn’t the only place the knowledge of this sport comes in handy. Walking home from the University of Pennsylvania with two friends we were attacked by two drunk frat boys, one who spit on me as I walked away. I turned around as he charged at me and with a snap down of his head and a roll to my ass I flying cement mixered(a move I learned from wrestling) him to his back and quickly knocked him out. His friend wanted nothing to do with attacking us after that.

What I am trying to say is wrestling will arm you or your children for the unexpected assholes in life. They are out there and it’s always easier to deal with them when you know how to wrestle. 99% of fights end up on the ground. Don’t you want to have the advantage when that happens?