Salinas Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 A message to all seniors: Congratulations on completing your high school wrestling career. For most of you, you are officially finished with the sport. You have spent the last couple of years doing things that most normal kids your age simply do not do. You have busted your ass during countless workouts, cut the weight, sacrificed weekends, holiday meals, and probably been in a few battles on the mat. Be proud of your accomplishments, but more importantly be proud of the work you put in to achieve those accomplishments. In a few short months you will graduate high school, here is a news flash. The world does not care if you placed 1st or 5th at state. The world does not care if you were a semi state qualifier and lost in the ticket round. Hell, the world doesn?t even care if you were only a sectional qualifier. Those details do not matter to people outside of the wrestling community. What does matter is the values that you have learned in your time spent with the sport. Now is the time to put the same dedication and hard work into whatever new challenges come your way. Just as you wouldn?t expect your opponents to only go 50% on you in the big match, don?t expect the world to meet you half way. Luckily for you, you have an advantage compared to your peers. Through wrestling, you know what it is like to persevere through hard times and push on when you don?t think you can anymore. You know what it is like to sacrifice a large amount of time and energy in order to reach your goals. Wrestling is applicable to all aspects of life. In my few years away from the sport I have not met a challenge where wrestling has not helped me. Use wrestling as a catalyst for success in all other endeavors. Don?t let it end here. You have been doing something extraordinary for the past few years and don?t stop now. Don?t let that wrestling mentality fade and fall into mediocrity. I will never forget after state finals my senior year I told myself ?Thank god, I finally get to be NORMAL?. I quickly realized there is nothing worse in this world than accepting mediocrity. Wrestlers do not accept mediocrity and by no means are we normal. Wrestling is unique because it is not merely a sport, but it is a lifestyle. This is evident through the way you will still be referred to as ?A Wrestler? by your peers and family, even though you have officially hung up your shoes. This doesn?t happen in any other sport. Your friends used to play soccer and they were basketball players. You are a wrestler and always will be. Godspeed, Steve Salinas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macdaddy Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Awesome statement! Very well said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeastMode#31 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Great message Mr. Salinas. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goul149 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Amen, Great Post. What I have learned from wrestling has guided me through everyday of my life. Seniors also remember to thank those people that spent their time to teach you wrestling. Also remember to thank your parents, friends, and even girlfriends for supporting you and puttin up with the crap that we wrestlers dish out. It is not easy cutting weight but it is also not easy putting up with someone that is cutting weight. I owe much of the things in my life to wrestling, my coach's and my supporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammer Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Great Post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rasslar Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 How appropriate and "on the money" is this thread coming right after the season (for most). I was just telling my (sophomore son) the other day. When I was a junior in college, it got real tough to stay focused for some reason and fight through. The one thing that always motivated me to keep pushing and fighting through, was the vivid memories of my high school wrestling coaches lectures. Specifically, the talks he would have with us after a hard practice. I did'nt understand it at the time, but I sure needed to remember it in college and beyond. He would always say "Guys, this is NOT about wrestling. This is about LIFE. This is about pushing yourself when everything else is telling you to quit". That was 30 years ago. I remember sitting on the mat along the wall (only at the end of practice btw could we lean against the wall) dripping wet in my "plastics" underneath regular sweats, at just about my breaking point. That "bust ass" mentality that he instilled in all of us gets me through tough times to this day. Thanks to the late/great coach Cameron (Merrillville). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busstogate Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 And this is why Coach Al Hartman is one of the most respected men in our state for wrestling. Great dialogue, Steve and thanks for the great matches you gave us all to watch through the years. Good luck to you as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakeum1970 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Awesome post. One tip I would like to add is that you should put that you wrestled on every job application and resume you put out. Employers look at wrestlers differently than any other sport participant. We are in a nutshell, everything they are looking for in an employee. I was sitting in an interview with a president of a major insurance firm in Indianapolis. I had put on my resume that I was a wrestling coach, He looked at me and said " You wrestled? If I could have hired just a hand full of wrestlers when I started, I would be retired right now. They are a different totally different breed." And in case you were wondering, Yes I was offered the position. And No I did not take it. I was offered a another position by an employer that was a wrestler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatChick76 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Great post...you do the Seniors proud! Congrats to all of the Seniors who have just given us some great entertainment the last four years!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy215 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Well put Steve. I'll always remember coach Hartman telling us that after wrestling everything in life is easy in comparison. I've found this to be true thus far. Wrestling and the lessons I learned from the sport have helped me make it through the toughest times in my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nutsdad Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 Awesome post!!! Very well said!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenandblack Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Very well said. It has been great seeing all these men grow in life. Grind it out through the hard times and you will be a champion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbarnett Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Very well said, and I would encourage you seniors to consider getting your officiating license and staying close to the sport that you love. Info on how to become licensed is available at http://ihsaa.org/dnn/Officials/tabid/85/Default.aspx Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted February 25, 2010 Share Posted February 25, 2010 Good post steve. For the under classmen reading this it will be over with before you know it (ask any senior). Take advantage of everyday especially during the off season when champions are made. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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