I don't understand...

There are some things that I will just never understand. One of "those things" is wrestling. We went to the Iowa Games wrestling tournament on Saturday. This was the first time I have ever been to a wrestling meet! I spent the first 15 minutes continuously asking Eric why people do this and covering my eyes everytime someone got thrown to the ground or their extremities were twisted and turned in ways that should not be possible. I finally was able to stop covering my eyes and opted for wincing and saying "ouch" for the person on the mat. After I pulled myself together it was time to start taking pictures. There were quite a few boys from Eric's school that were competing so Eric videotaped it and I took pictures. It's a bit easier to view the pain through a lens because then you're not fully involved in the match, you're only trying to make sure you capture the moment. But check out this serious face plant I captured...why oh why do people willingly participate?!?!?!

Onto the second thing I will never understand...parents who FREAK out and are so mad at their kids for not performing top notch everytime. There was one dad I could not stop staring at during his sons match. I think I could see the steam rising from his head as he bellowed for everyone to hear that his son was doing terrible. He was trying to "coach" his son out of a pin (yes, I even know what a pin is now...basically I learned that it means game over :). And when his son couldn't get out of it, he went storming out of the gym. But don't worry, he first gave his son a "lecture". I wanted so badly to tell him to get old hairy butt out on that mat and try to wrestle and see how easy it is. :)

I'm so glad I never had to feel what that must feel like...oh wait, I would have first had to have been an athlete! No really, thank you mom and dad for not being "that parent" when I attempted to play sports. Perhaps you covered your eyes in embarrasment a few times but at least you didn't scream for the world to know I missed the athletic gene! Don't worry, I don't hold a grudge for giving it all to Matt!

(stepping off my soapbox now)