How did you get into wrestling....

[AJ]

considering everyone on this board is currently wrestling, currently coaching, has was wrestled, has coached, or is a parent of a wrestler, and we are all lovers of wrestling,  I was wondering what are some of your stories about how you got into the sport of wrestling.

[Coach Willmann]

Cut from the 7th grade basketball team.

[D-train]

my uncle told me: 
"boy, if you wanna be tough, learn how to wrestle."

[CDuncan106]

Started in the 1st grade when a flier was handed out at school for AAU wrestling.  Fell in love with the sport from then on, and cherish several memories from wrestling at numerous local and national tournaments & especially the ISWA state finals; held at Tech High School.  State finals then was held on 1 day only and the majority of classes had 50+ kids....made for a long night if you made it to the top 6!!!!  People who complain about the long days at tournaments now, have no idea.....wrestling in Indiana has came a long way!!!! Numerous relationships with coaches, wrestlers, and parents still exist from those years.
 

[Jimtown 138]

It was when I was a freshmen, during a trip to the restroom between classes. The Jimtown US history teacher/wrestling coach asked me what sports I was in and that "I need to go out for the wrestling team". So I did, and it changed my life.

[BizzyCoach]

My best friend had older brothers that wrestled, and his dad had wrestled.  My dad was a basketball official for 20 years.  Now he calls me if there's a match on Big Ten Network to see if I'm watching.  Just goes to show how addictive and contagious this sport would be if it only had more exposure.

[regionrat1]

My buddies down da street started and dragged me along. Like coach willmann I had ideas of bouncing da ball. But growin up in EC dare wasn't much hope for a white boy lol.

[electricwrestler]

Older brothers wrestled and used me for a practice dummy.

[Matmeister]

Sunday School Teacher was Rick Overfield and David McClain was one of my best friends 2nd Grade!

[ckwallac]

A flier from our fourth grade teacher was the initial introduction which led me to the sport.  After 2 years away a very overweight friend was going out for the  team and I felt ridiculous that he was going out and I was not.  My life has been altered for the better due his indirect peer pressure.

[meto]

my big sister beat up on me all the time so i had to learn how to defend myself

[Boot]

My dad was a coach and so I was at meets from the time I was a baby. I started wrestling in his club when I was 4 and continued until he quit coaching and the first thing the new coach did was kill the club (he later went to coach at Portage somehow). I grew up watching Gene Mills tapes and going to meets with my dad. Some of my favorite childhood memories are getting to be on the floor of Market Square and saying "I want to be here someday."

[Ahawkeye]

My older brother wrestled and when I was in 1st grade Mom and Dad asked if I wanted to wrestle I was like "sure who's going to be there?" Turned out in the MD feeder program every one you know is there!

[Dingo Brigade]

Got beat up by a wrestler in 4th grade.

[1oldwrestler]

Grew up on a farm and had 2 older brothers.  When my 1st brother went to h.s. my dad only let him play one sport and he chose football.  When my 2nd brother went to h.s. he played football and somehow he talked my dad into wrestling his sophomore year.  He went on to win a state championship at 185 and I was 5 years younger than him.  I fell in love with the sport following his h.s. career and when I got to h.s. I started wrestling my freshman year.  Back in the late 70's there weren't any junior clubs to get into inmy town but my mom and dad wouldn't have toted me to any of those anyway. Man have times changed!

[Short Jay]

Same as Joe, got cut from 7th grade BB Team.  I guess there is no place for guys around 5ft on the floor.

[bwoodjc89]

My oldest brother started wrestling when he was in high school. The school had just consolidated and it was a new sport here. Our family went to the dual meets and watched. My dad was a "wrasslin" fan and he thought he knew what it was all about. My 2nd oldest brother got cut from the high school basketball team his sophomore year and started wrestling. Now it was like a family sport.  The school now had it's 2nd coach whom was a former state champion and he started a kids program.  That's when I started wrestling. I was in 2nd grade.

[jlittlejohn]

I was a "D/F" student at Tech High School, just waiting to turn 16 so I could quit school (as was the family tradition), when I got into some trouble at school and John Hurrle was the Dean of Boys in addition to being the Head Wrestling Coach. My punishment was a week of after school detention in the wrestling room. I fell in love with the sport! Because of grades I was not allowed to practice or compete, so, I became the student manager/trainer and began taking health professions/sports medicine classes in the IPS magnet program. I spent my Junior and Senior years on the honor roll. I now possess 4 Associate Degrees, 2 Bachelor Degrees, and a Master Degree and have completed one year of doctorate work (I stopped there). Not bad for a kid waiting to turn 16 so he could quit school. Thank god for wrestling and the great people within the Indiana wrestling community who have become such a huge part of my successes in life!!!

[BlueBolt]

I was a "D/F" student at Tech High School, just waiting to turn 16 so I could quit school (as was the family tradition), when I got into some trouble at school and John Hurrle was the Dean of Boys in addition to being the Head Wrestling Coach. My punishment was a week of after school detention in the wrestling room. I fell in love with the sport! Because of grades I was not allowed to practice or compete, so, I became the student manager/trainer and began taking health professions/sports medicine classes in the IPS magnet program. I spent my Junior and Senior years on the honor roll. I now possess 4 Associate Degrees, 2 Bachelor Degrees, and a Master Degree and have completed one year of doctorate work (I stopped there). Not bad for a kid waiting to turn 16 so he quit school. Thank god for wrestling and the great people within the Indiana wrestling community who have become such a huge part of my successes in life!!!

Excellent !!!

[YorktownPatriot]

I wasn't going to comment but since my little brother got the story incorrect about his second oldest brother (me) I will clarify.  During GYM class at our junior high in 7th and 8th grade we had two weeks of wrestling, both years the junior high wrestling coach (Coach Glass) urged me to join the wrestling team. Finally after the 8th grade two week session I agreed to wrestle AAU and if I placed in the top 6 in the state (Held In Bloomington then) I would wrestle my freshman year. Low and behold I placed 6th, never played organized basketball again and how glad I am!!!!

[littlevito]

In Decatur, the Bellmont High School coaches would come around to the elementary schools and take the kindergarteners and line then up side to side. Then take a basketball and throw it at our heads. Then the kids that weren't able to catch the ball and got hit in the head wrestled and the ones that caught it played basketball.  I guess I was one that got nailed in the head.

[bwoodjc89]

My bad bro'.  I guess I got the part about you wrong. Woops.  I was eight so I guess that should allow me to have a fuzzy memory of the details. We'll I started wrestling when I was in 2nd grade, that part I am sure of.

[naco228]

grandpa wrestled for south bend central. took 3rd in state.  thats how I started.

[Y2CJ41]

Cut from basketball, decided this wrestling thing might be worth trying.  Tried it....still tried out for basketball the next year and then stuck with the sport.  Then I started a website.

[busstogate]

Same teacher/coach there now? lol

It was when I was a freshmen, during a trip to the restroom between classes. The Jimtown US history teacher/wrestling coach asked me what sports I was in and that "I need to go out for the wrestling team". So I did, and it changed my life.