Thursday, November 5, 2009

Proud Daddy

My seven year old son had his first ever wrestling tournament tonight. He has been on the team for a bit over a month and tonight was the opening tournament of the season. He did very well taking second in his weight class. It was a nail biter. He won his first match on a pin, his second match went to points and he came out behind. He actually beat himself, he had his opponent in pin position and instead of waiting for the ref to call the fall he just let go. His opponent got points for the escape and a reversal putting him ahead. In the end it came down to the results of a match he wasn't even in. The way the scoring worked out if one guy in the match won then my son would have gotten first but the other boy won so my son took second.

At any rate all of the kids were just amazing, both our guys and the other teams. I have been helping coach and I was so proud of all the kids on our team. After my sons second match I had all of the coaches from the other schools coming up and telling me how impressed they were with my son, and congratulating him. One coach told me the match that my son lost was the best match of the whole night.

The proudest moment for both of us was when our head coach congratulated Mic and told him how he helped the team(which consists of grades k-8) You could see the pride in my sons eyes and the way he stood a little straighter and poked his chest out a little farther. Being part of the team is something very special to him. Afterwords the coach told me that he was expecting that the way my son wrestles he will be going to nationals this year. Coach is confident he will be taking the team and he says that Mic will definitely be part of that.

It was a great experience for him. He is so focused and invested in this thing it amazes me. I don't push things on my kids. I expect them to have activities and participate in different things. I also count on them to do their best at whatever they are involved in, but I don't pick which activities they are going to do, they pick them(I make suggestions of course and this was one of them but honestly I was kind of hoping for football). This is what he chose and all of the hard work and dedication he has shown is also his choice, that is what truly makes me proud.

5 comments:

Tracy said...

Congratulations to you son!!!

Ryk said...

Thanks:)

Tracy said...

btw I am proud with you. It's so rewarding to be a part of something with your kids and see them do well.
I remember feeling overwhelmed at the thought of teaching Sarah to read. I caught her sounding out the words in The Cat in the Hat all by herself in the kitchen. She works sooo hard. richly rewarding!

Ryk said...

I also remember teaching the kids to read. I thought my daughter would never learn it took so much work but when she got it she became an insatiable reader. My son on the other hand picked up reading quickly.

Watching our kids work and succede is so fulfilling I can't even begin to understand all of these neglectful and resentful parents. I am exposed to a few who are just awful and I find it appalling to watch how they behave. Not only are they hurting their children who deserve better they are denying themselves the kind of satisfaction and self respect that they are clearly lacking in their lives. I can think of nothing that is a more important duty the world than being a good parent. I also can't think of any more valuable service to onesself.

Tracy said...

Yes, I agree!!