– Me Wrestle? –

I was so looking forward to wrestling again because it is so much fun, but I was not sure if my shoulder had healed enough. I even brought new wrestling gear just in case. Once I saw the wrestling mat, I was a bit skeptical about wrestling on it as it was made out of foldable vinyl. It may make it easier to use, store, and travel, but it just look dangerous. However, I finally decided not to wrestle because I could still feel an electrical energy going through my shoulder. I am beginning to worry that I tore my shoulder.

– Kids Having Fun –

It was great seeing the little kids flop around on the wrestling mat like fish out of water. A lot of the kids were just laughing and smiling throughout their matches. That is how you know the are are just having fun and are enjoying the sport for the pure fun of it. We often forget how to just have fun playing sports as we get older. Anyways, then the matches got more competitive as the older kids started to wrestle. The intensity was much stronger and the aggression was more elevated.

– The Arm Break –

This story is actually very short. Both wrestlers started strong and they went to the ground very quickly. All of the sudden, you hear a snap and a scream. Just like that the match was over before it had a chance to get started. I believe the material used for the wrestling mat is mainly responsible for the wrestler breaking his arm. As mentioned before, it is one of those foldable vinyl mats. When the wrestler put his hand on the mat and tried to spin away from his opponent, his hand stuck to the mat . He was un able to spin properly and with the added resistance of his opponent, his arm broke under the pressure. Now, that was definitely not fun.

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– Wrestling in Chile –

I have finally arrived and I had decidid that no matter wat, I was not going to wrestle. I was in no shape to do so. However, the atmosphere was so contagious that I gave in and decided to wrestle. I have never wrestled freestyle and I knew nothing of the unique movements. In the United States, we wrestle folk style. I relied only on my experience to do the best I could. Although it was a lot of fun to wrestle again after so many years, it would be a decision I wish I had not made. Find out what happened below in my matches.

– CABJ Wrestling –

The Chilean Olympic Wrestling Federation was nice enough to let me stay at the facility during the tournament. I spent the weekend with the Argentinian National Team. It had been many years since I spoke Argentinean Spanish (Castellano), but I was able to recall the basics. They taught me some of the basics rules, the scoring system, and a few moves unique to freestyle wrestling.

– The Wrestling Divisions –

Women’s: It was awesome to see a growing and thriving women’s division. We should support women’s sports when possible because they are often underappreciated. Most of my focus was photographing the women’s competition as much as possible.

Freestyle: This was the biggest division of the tournament. Watching the youngsters wrestle was making me want to coach. I coached wrestling for two years in the United States. So, I would give some tips to various wrestlers throughout the weekend. At least it was something and that is better than nothing. I saw one little girl do the exact technique I showed her in her next match and she won using that technique.

Greco Roman: I have always wanted to try greco roman wrestling, but I never got the chance. However, it was cool to finally see it in person. There were some really intense matches. You are not allowed to use your legs nor touch your opponents legs. It is all about the upper body strength.

Coaches: One of the biggest surprises was seeing the coaches get in on the action as well. Yes, the coaches were wrestling against wrestlers as well as other coaches. It would have been cool to have seen a coaches only division. I think is is a great motivator for athletes seeing their coaches wrestle too. It shows them that no matter how old you get that anything is still possible. That is why when I coach sports or teach physical education, I always do the activities with athletes and students.

– My Wrestling Matches –

Match 01: I had spent the night visualizing all of the moves in my mind to not only refresh my memory, but to project success. Visualization is a powerful tool. I performed all the moves I had visualized and won! My first wrestling match in sixteen years and I won!

Match 02: I had just wrestled about ten minutes ago and now I have to wrestle again quickly exhausting my energy. In the United States, we have a required forty-five minute wait between matches for the safety of the athletes. This allows for ample recovery time to rest and rehydrate.

Match 03: I got a forfeit in this round.

Match 04: This was my toughest match in which ended my sports playing days for the moment; as far as contact sports are concerned. During the match, I heard my right should pop, but it was not dislocated. I eventually lost the match. The doctor said that I had torn my shoulder and needed surgery. It would take three to six months to recover, maybe a year. I do not have the money for they surgery, so I can no longer wrestle, nor play rugby. I just learn to live with the pain and do what I can until I am able to have the surgery one day. This is why I mentioned that it was a mistake to wrestle knowing that I was not physically prepared to do so. So, my wrestling days were over before it started. Yes, it makes me sad, but it is what it is.

Awards: I got third place in the 185 pound division!!!

– Final Thoughts –

It was great to see wrestling getting revitalized in Chile. Even though I can not wrestle, I does not mean I can not coach. I think I will try to start a wrestling team. As far as photography is concerned, I look forward to photographing more wrestling tournaments. Having wrestled for seven years, I can feel and anticipate the moments to photograph. It helps a lot when you have practiced/played the sport you are photographing.

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