Mat Rat

I think that (some) of Dan's dreams are coming true.  He has succeeded in making Anthony a mat rat.  Or, in more polite terms, a wrestler.  Dan stepped away from coaching at the high school level, and became involved in my district's youth wrestling program.  Working with school-age kids not only gave him the wrestling fix he needs each winter, but allowed him and Anthony to connect in a new way.

Which has led to Anthony developing into a mat rat.

He's only a preschooler, but Anthony's working hard to hold his own at practices that range from kindergarten to fifth grade.  He even spent some time at the high school practices, and tried his hardest to keep pace with the varsity kids. Wrestling isn't a sport that I am naturally drawn to, but I'm really pleased with the way the program works to help kids develop key skills.

Confidence... to step out on the mat - essentially alone - in front
of hundreds of supporters and spectators. 

Resilience... to never give in or give up. 

Persistence... to drill and practice and learn at every opportunity.

Teamwork... to celebrate our friends' successes
 and shrug off their losses. 

What makes me think that Anthony is a mat rat is his genuine interest in how the sport works.  Sure, he loves rolling around and practice moves with his brother and his dad and his buddies.  But he is curious and observant, and focuses intently on some of the sports all stars.  He drags his dad to lots of high school matches, and watches the college kids on television.  He asks questions, and tries to mirror the moves that work.   To put it simply, he likes it.

And whether he sticks with wrestling, or moves on to another activity, its these skills - resilience, curiosity, focus, confidence, and persistence - that will help him develop the skills he needs to be a a pretty awesome member of our society.

And that will make me a pretty happy momma.