Every Kid Should Wrestle

I have been fortunate enough to have coached and/or played a large variety of sports, including football, baseball, softball, ice hockey, swimming, track and field, golf, tennis, soccer and wrestling. 

I am a huge proponent of participating in sports, in general, to develop many of the qualities and attributes needed for a long, successful and meaningful life. I have dedicated much of my life to the sport of wrestling because I haven’t found any other activity that can better prepare kids for everything they will encounter in their lives.

Over the years, my incredible coaching staff have understood that we are using wrestling as a vehicle, the best, most complete one, to teach kids how to be active, productive and successful in every aspect of their young lives.

Wrestling builds character. There is no other sport where you go out to compete by yourself in front of your friends, family and teammates and battle in a warlike contest, with only the victor getting his hand raised in front of the crowd. It is a very humbling and personal experience that calls on every mental and physical resource you possess to endure, survive and grow from the experience. 

After decades of competing in and coaching wrestling, I still marvel at the amazing transformation in the confidence and self-esteem these young athletes develop over the course of a few years. I have had thousands of parents thank me and my staff for what wrestling has done for their child. Most of the gratitude centers around the following qualities: They have become self-motivated, they have developed a no-quit work ethic and they have learned to eat healthy and properly. Wrestling has taught them about dedication to attaining a dream, the courage to push on when they want to give up, but most importantly, to believe in themselves.

Being able to defend yourself, anytime, anywhere, is a tremendous side benefit a wrestler develops. Word of warning: It is not wise to pick a fight with a wrestler. That is why almost 50% of the Navy Seals have a wrestling background, as well as the majority of successful UFC fighters. Wrestlers understand and are taught to only use the skills they have honed on the mat, if threatened. The good news is that they always have them at their disposal. I’ve heard many David and Goliath stories involving wrestlers that were provoked or threatened.

The majority of wrestlers’ grades also improve during the season and beyond. Why? It seems counter to logic, but what I think happens is that wrestling fosters a culture of self-discipline and self-improvement. It doesn’t hurt that they are also very tired after practice, which has taken the edge off that high energy adrenaline that kids get at night; so they have dinner, study and go to bed. They end up developing this productive, time management routine and continue using it after the season and beyond.

Wresting is a whole body sport. When wrestlers train, they need to strengthen and develop every muscle group, because they will all come into play, all the while staying flexible and limber enough to perform and defend all the attacks and moves thrown at them. This is one of many reasons why wrestling is such a great sport to participate in if you want to be the best you can be at any other sport you may be involved with. It is the perfect cross training sport for all the fall and spring athletes. Kids should be encouraged to be playing multiple sports all the way through high school, but that is a subject for another day.  

Possibly the biggest benefit wrestlers can expect is to develop a mental toughness that is unequalled. It’s incredibly daunting to step out on that mat and put yourself on stage “solo” and compete in a winner take all, gladiator-like environment, especially when your opponent has more experience and is more skilled than you. It is a type of controlled survival experience that builds character real quick. The mental training, visualization, relaxation and goal-setting techniques we employ and work on daily set these kids up for success way beyond the time they hang up their wrestling gear. 

Presidents Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Eisenhower and six others…all wrestlers. Actors Tom Cruise, Ashton Kutcher, Vince Vaughn…wrestlers. Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and George Patton…wrestlers. NFL All-Pro’s Ray Lewis and Ronnie Lott…wrestlers. Musicians Ludacris and Garth Brooks….wrestlers. Sugar Ray Leonard and Larry Holmes…wrestlers. UFC Superstars Randy Couture and Brock Lesner….wrestlers. Novelist John Irving…wrestler. Nobel Prize winner Norman Borlaug…wrestler. Lots more where that came from. Suffice it to say, if you have endured the grind and punishing lessons that wrestlers put themselves through on a daily basis, there is a great likelihood of being highly successful, very humble and a productive, contributing member of our society.

Like our great wrestling hero, Dan Gable, exclaimed, “Once you have wrestled, everything else in life is easy. Wrestling is training for the rest of your life.”  

Ready…Wrestle!

Bill Swertfager is a trustee on the Katonah-Lewisboro Board of Education. Previously, he re-established the Youth, Middle School and High School John Jay wrestling program after a 10-year hiatus to become one of the most respected programs in New York State.