The Takedown Newsletter * 01.26.09

The Takedown
W e s l a c o H i g h S c h o o l
Panther Wrestling Newsletter
01.26.09 Volume 01- Issue 09

TONIGHT: WHS*PSJA Last Dual Meet of the Season: The Panthers will host PSJA High School at Lackey Gym on the Weslaco High School campus, tonight Monday, January 26th, for the last dual meet of the 2008/2009 wrestling season. The meet was originally scheduled for Thursday, January 22nd, but was rescheduled due to the blackout that occurred at the WHS campus due to severed underground electrical lines on Westgate Drive. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the matches will start at 7:00 p.m. Come early, stay late, and wear PURPLE!

Practice Schedules for the Week of January 26th: Monday: 5:00 p.m. – set up mats at Lackey Gym for PSJA Dual Meet at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday: 4:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday: 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Thursday: 4:15 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. . Friday: District 32 Junior Varsity District Tournament Saturday: Check with your wrestler for the scheduled time.

WHS To Host Junior Varsity District Tournament: The Domingo P. Sepulveda Gym, on the Weslaco High School campus, will be the site of this year’s Junior Varsity District Tournament. The one day competition will be held on Friday, January 30th. Weigh-Ins will be at 7:00 a.m. with the matches starting at 9:00 a.m. These wrestlers are the future of our district and the tournament provides an early glimpse to up and coming champions. See you there!

The Monitor Highlights Coach Mark Pederson: An article by Brian Sandalow in the January 23rd issue of the Monitor Sports section titled “Weslaco’s Pederson filling big shoes,” comments on what it has been like for Coach Pederson to replace longtime coach, John Glapa. Pederson states that “it’s been very difficult,” noting that “he (Glapa) has been an excellent coach.” Pederson goes on to say that “there are some great kids” (in the WHS Wrestling Program) and “we have to pick up where he left off.” Coach Pederson closes by saying, “My athletes are the ones who make the names for the coaches, and they are great athletes. The records show how great they are. They’re the ones that make the coaches.”

In The End, It Came Down To A Tennis Ball………… Last Thursday, my son A.J. headed out to the WHS Tennis Courts after an electrical blackout delayed and eventually prevented the setting-up of mats for the WHS-PSJA wrestling dual meet. Having played tennis on and off since sixth grade, A.J. is very much at home on a tennis court. In the second set, A.J. raced towards the net to try and hit back a deftly placed ball in the upper court. Game over?

A.J. had taken part in karate, little league baseball, football, basketball, and tennis before he walked in on a wrestling practice and became hooked by the sport during the fall of 2007. I had never seen him so enthusiastic about anything. He was able to wrestle a few matches while on the junior varsity team, attending the district and regional tournaments as a fan, wanting to learn from the experience and planning on living it the following year.

Once the season was over, A.J. began making plans in his quest to become a top wrestler, and in the process, a champion. He began rigorous workouts three times a week with a personal trainer, Jesse Marines. Besides the training, a complete change in diet was put into place and religiously followed. Getting up at 5:30 a.m. each morning to make breakfast and prepare a school lunch as well, it was a mission that produced results that A.J. could see and take pride in. In the end, A.J. would lose a total of 55 pounds and increase his self esteem two-fold.

We looked at and decided to invest in A.J. attending wrestling camps at the University of Iowa and Oklahoma State during the summer. The trip up and back would be our annual vacation as well. A.J.’s excitement had to be reeled-in on several occasions in order to keep his head level. Once school was out, A.J. attended a wrestling camp in Sharyland that featured a team from Sioux City, Iowa. Matching a state champion’s bravado with that of one who dreams of being one much less being beaten by one, A.J. refused to tap out when he found himself in a difficult position and was rewarded with a fractured clavicle. Dr. Mitchell told A.J. that he would not operate on a 15 year old as it was a risky venture; if anything went wrong, either a lung or the heart would be punctured and he would not take on that responsibility. The only thing to do was rest for twelve weeks and let the bone heal on its own. End of training, end of wrestling camps, change of plans.

As the 2008/2009 academic school year began, A.J. and I sat down to discuss the goals for the coming year. After a roller coaster sophomore year, I stressed that his participation in wrestling would be dependent upon his performance in the classroom. A.J. was Oscar worthy in his testimonial that he had indeed learned his lessons and was not about to repeat them.

The first and second six week sessions came and went and A.J.’s antics from the previous year were in full force. Visiting with his teachers and counselor, talking to his friends, taking away his privileges, getting him tutors, nothing seemed to make a difference. I finally reached the tipping point, realizing and finally admitting that I had done all a parent could do. A.J. would have to face the consequences on his own. When the crucial third six weeks came, A.J. was completely out-of-shape academically. Though he had prepared his body throughout the year, he had refused to prepare his mind and now it was threatening to keep him off the mat for the entire season. Blaming everyone but himself, A.J. refused to admit that the season was over, saying that he still held out hope that he could be passing after the 3rd week of the fourth six weeks and then go on to win a wrestle-off for the 152 position and compete.

A.J. and I went back and forth during the holidays, he argued for what he considered his right to wrestle for the 152 position, I argued for allowing the 152 wrestler to stay and gain experience at the district tournament, something that would help the team in the long run. I believed A.J. should refocus on his school work, support the wrestling team in the interim, and set his goals now for a great senior year.

Having avoided being at team events throughout the season, I asked A.J. on Thursday morning if he was going to attend the last dual meet or attend a scout meeting. He said he would attend the dual meet. I told him that I expected him to show up after school to help set-up the wrestling mats. As it became apparent when the lights went out that the meet would be delayed or cancelled, A. J. headed out to the tennis courts. As he sped towards the net, in that second set, focused on the ball coming over the net, A.J. did not see a ball that had come from an adjacent court and rolled to a stop on his side of the court. Stepping on that ball, his body going one way and his foot another, he fractured his ankle. Game over! Good-bye 2009 wrestling season; start planning for 2010 wrestling season. Game, set, and match! HRG.