[NewChief]

Well, it's been a pretty awesome first season of wrestling. While my youngest hasn't won any tournaments he's placed as high as 2nd in one (admittedly, a small bracket, but still).

We'll be heading up to Lebanon, MO next Sunday for a National Novice tournament.

My son has progressed so much this year. He still drives me crazy at times with lack of effort during an actual tournament or not having his "game face" on, but his abilities and drive have really developed.

Our last tournament was in OK, and he wrestled in both the novice and open. He got his butt kicked pretty good, but he won a few matches. Since then, though, he's really come on in practice. At the end of practice sometimes, we line all the kids up smallest to largest and do "king of the mat" where first points scored stays on the mat, then next biggest kid comes up.

The last two practices, he has "beat" 3 kids larger than him and held the mat. Two of these kids have absolutely destroyed him in the past as well.

Anyway, if he'll ever start getting a little quicker and more urgent in his movements, he may start being truly competitive. He has the head for it, his double leg shots are just slow, reaching things, and he is bad at anticipating his opponent's shot and sprawling before the opponent is into his legs.

Still, it's been a lot of fun.