Girls Team Texas 2003 Recap
We laughed. We trained. We got out of the van and ran at all the rest stops between South Dakota and North Dakota (there are a lot of them). But thanks to the training camp we held before we hit the road to Fargo, we were ready for anything. It’s hard not to be ready when recent Pan American gold medalist Sara McMann is the lead technician at camp.
This year’s trip to Nationals had a bit different flavor than 2002. Training camp was more intense and as coaches, we asked more of our athletes. We focused heavily on mental training like practicing relaxation techniques to manage pre-match jitters. We had a larger, more experienced team (not to mention the best-looking singlets, eh?). Most importantly, some wrestlers surprised themselves when they experienced what it’s like to dig deep and discover something they didn’t know they had. Our wrestlers finished camp strong and ready for competition. The end result was four wrestlers on the podium: Brittany Kimball, 95 pounds, 3rd place; Suekoilya Shelley, 128 pounds, 4th places; Alecia McCoy, 165 pounds, 6th places; and Katy Klammer, 175 pounds, 3rd place. When you see her, ask Suekoilya for her tips on The Clinch.
In addition to these finishes, this year was notable in many other ways. I don’t have room for all of them (and others should remain a secret), so here are the top ten:
1) There was a bodybuilding pose-down between Sara McMann and Coach Brown. Any guesses on who stole that show? Hint: McMann has deltoids.
2) Last year, Coach Rodger drove one of the 15-passenger vans. This year, I did. This taught me that: (a) Drivers must be taller than Coach Menard; my feet did not reach the pedals and so I drove to Fargo propped up on 3 Dallas Metroplex phone books; and (b) those vans do not take curbs well.
3) We got to visit the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. This was a treat for the team and the coaches, and Coach Myron Roderick was a very gracious host. We learned that there are security cameras in every corner of the building, one of which got a great shot of Daisy Callado sneaking a quick try-on of a 1940s competition jacket. Look for her on America’s Most Wanted.
4) You can pile a ton of salad on a Jason’s Deli serving tray. We should know; we ate there 12 times.
5) Some of our athletes boycotted the 9-on-9 Ultimate Frisbee game we proposed. The wrestlers refused to play because they believed it divided what was becoming a very cohesive team. You might agree if you saw Coach Brown’s defensive tactics.
6) We had some lessons in weight cutting. Hint: Gum is not a meal. We’d like our athletes to learn how to eat healthy year around so they don’t have to cut weight. Our sport should be about wrestling – not weight cutting. This is a lesson that all of us as coaches have got to get serious about if we want to help our wrestlers perform. No punch line here; we have to get real about our athletes’ health.
7) As a competitor, it’s okay to give the referees high-fives prior to your match. It’s also okay to wish them luck after they say the same to you (ask Callado about this one). This was the highlight of the tournament for me.
8) If you are the lead van driver (Coach Brown) and you are lost but making good time, it’s okay to continue driving.
9) The fact that your undergarments are still in the dryer is NOT a reason to miss the 11 o’clock lights out deadline.
10) It is possible not to sweat a single drop even when cloaked in two pairs of sweats and a beanie. Ask Reyna, who is also owed a birthday cake.
One of the facts I appreciated about our team was that we had athletes with different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences. I learned a lot about the meanings of their last names. Here are some examples: