: : wrap up : :

With wrestling season now over (for those that didn't know, I was a volunteer coach at my alma matter, Lynden High School), I thought I'd reflect on the season and the things I learned throughout the season.

1) I still love wrestling and being able to share my passion for the sport to young, moldable minds. (Maybe I should be a teacher! Ummmm... maybe not) It's great watching kids that have never wrestled struggle at the beginning of the season... and then seeing their light go off when they finally start to get it.

2) Time moves fast. Prime example: my first year as a paid coach was in 2004. I was an assistant coach for the Lynden Middle School team. The boys that were in 7th grade when I coached that first year, are now seniors. It's sad to say that only two of them remained on the team... but they were the strength of our team this year. They both made it to state this year, with one placing 6th and the other losing a tough match in the 3rd round to get knocked out of the tournament. Anyways..l all that to say that I coached these boys/young men at the beginning of their school careers, and it was really cool to be able to watch them succeed in their final year.

3) Making a time commitment like coaching, was a lot easier when I was single and didn't have a wife to take care of and be with. I'm sure it will only be more difficult next year when I have a little four month old baby at the beginning of the season.

4) I'm not as young as I used to be, and definitely not NEARLY in as good of shape. I found this out while wrestling at the "Geezer Classic" in December. To put it simply... I got whooped.

5) It makes me so happy to see what our head coach is doing with the wrestling program. He has turned it around from being a program that was lucky to have 10 kids, to a program that is now a force to be reckoned with... (on a good night) and is growing back to the way it was in the late 80's/early 90's.

6) We're lucky to have the coaches we did this season. All total, with volunteer and paid coaches, there were eight of us. Some of the bigger schools, like Bellingham or Ferndale... only had four or five coaches. It shows that they all believe in the program that Coach Randy is building.

7) I can't wait for next season... hopefully I'll be in better shape and be able to hang in there with the guys, instead of getting winded so easily... plus I look forward to losing my fat man gut. :)

That's all I have to say for now. Thanks for stopping by. Come back soon... there may be baby news after Monday! ;)