For our program to be successful it’s important for us to share the beauty of our sport with others. Encourage your friends to come out and give it a try. Tell them why you love wrestling and how it has impacted your life. I’ve composed a letter for students who I’ve reached out to to join our team. If you have anyone that you feel would benefit from participating you could share this letter with them. Hope to see you all at our sign-up meeting tomorrow after 8th period in the wrestling room!
Dear Potential Wrestler,
Your name has been referred to us as a potential candidate for the Lincoln Southeast High School Wrestling Team. The intent of this letter is to encourage you to seriously consider taking advantage of this outstanding opportunity. The sport of wrestling will greatly enhance your athletic ability but more importantly it will develop character traits that will help you become a man of strength and courage.
Wrestling is a combat sport in which two athletes compete using their individual strength, quickness, and tactical skills to gain a positional advantage over an opponent. Simply put, it is a battle of wills. In training, wrestlers will develop tremendous amounts of power, agility, flexibility, and body awareness. These principles may be the reason why so many NFL football players, including Ray Lewis, attribute their wrestling training to their football success. The former all-star NFL linebacker said, “Wrestling…it’s been everything for me. The principles that you learn in wrestling, none of that changes.”
I wholeheartedly agree with the statement, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” Wrestling will challenge you to your very core. It takes great courage to step onto the mat to compete against an opponent. There is no teammate to hide behind. It is only you and your opponent.
There are few experiences that give you the same joy you get after winning a big match. Likewise, few experiences can compare to the disappointment one feels after losing. As we overcome adversity we grow into men of strength and courage. We grow into future leaders who are better suited for life. Former Speaker of the US House, Carl Albert said it best, “This is a sport (wrestling) that has turned many boys into men and many men into leaders. And it is a sport in which you can be a giant regardless of how big you are.”
If you are interested in joining our wrestling family please plan to attend a pre-season meeting on Thursday, October 30 at 3:15pm in the wrestling room.
Hope to see you there.
Coach Rutledge
GO KNIGHTS!
Lincoln Southeast Wrestling 