This guy... you guys... my heart explodes with pride...
Quinn is wrestling this year. I think I've talked about this before, but not really in any depth. Bob and I really wanted Quinn to wrestle this season. We like the life lessons that wrestling teaches. It forces you to be independent, confident, mentally tough. We knew that wrestling would help Quinn in many ways - focus, strength, character, etc. We also really wanted him to spend time with the coaching staff that had SUCH a positive impact on Spencer last year. These are GOOD men. And when you are raising teenage boys, it's really vitally important to surround them with good men. That old phrase that it "takes a village" is SO true when it comes to teenagers. What a coach says to them (and what behavior is modeled) has FAR more impact than any lecture mom or dad is going to give!
So we really encouraged Quinn to wrestle. We played up the positive benefits he would see on the lacrosse field from wrestling and (probably) downplayed how hard it would be on him. We got Spencer involved in the "sales pitch" too. And ultimately, when Quinn decided to wrestle this year, we were thrilled!
We were also about to be really shocked.
Given the amount of coercion involved in getting him to sign-up, we were ALL unprepared for the intensity with which Quinn would embrace the sport. From nearly the moment he decided he was in, he was ALL IN. He started working out in the summer. He attended most of the voluntary events. He made friends with other wrestlers. He changed his schedule so he would have weight training with the wrestling coach - and about half the team. He worked hard on learning the sport. He came home sweaty and tired. He was sore. He got muscle definition! He earns a new "personal best" bench press or squat or whatever just about every week. He has become somewhat obsessed with his diet. He's turned into a WRESTLER - and isn't just someone who is on the wrestling team.
The transformation has been amazing - and awe-inspiring.
And then you look at him and remember his past. Sometimes I just stop and think about all the things he's overcome and am reminded that he is amazing. I am convinced there is nothing in this world that child, check that... that young man, can't overcome if he wants to do it. He's the definition of a growth mindset - and kind of my current role model.
Oh... and he's earned a starting varsity spot at 126 lbs at this weekend's first VARSITY wrestling match of the season.
So. Proud!
In non-wrestling Quinn news, if you don't mind sharing a wee prayer for him on Monday, he's going for a cardiologist appointment. It's a check-up and should be boring... but prayers for boring would be much appreciated!
In non-Quinn news... both Spencer and Beckett are still playing football and their teams are in the playoffs. Zane is done with football and has also moved onto wrestling for the winter. As a matter of fact, I'm typing this from the car while Zane is in at practice. The overlap between sports seasons is rough! I'll be pretty glad when we can hang up the football cleats and break out the headgear x4!
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