When I was younger, I didn’t find much joy in wrestling. I had gone to a few practices and competed at some tournaments, but that was about it. For me, the sport was too tiring, and I didn’t see any growth in the few practices that I had gone to. I was discouraged and had a fixed mindset, which later led me to tell my mom I wanted to stop going to practices, and I did.

Thankfully, in my seventh-grade year, I had some friends who suggested wrestling to me, saying they were going to join and wanted me to join them. I originally said no, but after thinking about it that night and a little convincing, I agreed to wrestle, hoping I might enjoy it after years away from the sport.

The first day of the season came around, and I walked into the mat room, nervous but willing to give it a try. At first, I didn’t like it much, but it grew on me as I started winning more and more and ended up having an almost undefeated season with only a few losses. My eighth-grade year went about the same, with lots of wins and few losses, and at this point, I loved the sport.

Eventually, all of that changed my freshman year when I started facing harder high school opponents and began losing more frequently. That caused me to start having negative and discouraging thoughts like, “I can’t do this”. Those thoughts affected my performance and stopped me from wrestling my best. I ended the season with an even record, winning and losing the same number of matches.

However, during my sophomore year, my perspective began to change. I realized that wrestling is more than just a sport and teaches many life lessons. I learned that losses do not define you; it is how you respond to losing that does. When you lose, you have the choice to feel sorry for yourself and tell yourself there is nothing you can do about it, or you can take action. You can start to train a little harder, go on an extra run after practice, or go over your matches and learn from what you did wrong.

Wrestling is now my favorite sport. It has taught me discipline and responsibility. You cannot rely on your teammates to win for you, and when you step on the mat it is just you and your opponent, leaving nobody to blame for your outcome but you. It has shaped who I am as an athlete and as a person. It has taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of a strong mindset. The things that wrestling has taught me will not only help me succeed on the mat but also in life, helping me face challenges with confidence and determination.

© Colten. All rights reserved. If you are interested in quoting this story, contact the national team and we can put you in touch with the author’s teacher.