A match and another win for Alex!

I would love to give commentary to each of these pictures and videos, but the embarrassing part of this is I still don't understand wrestling!  All I know is if you pin the guy you win and if no one gets pinned the winner is determined by points and he's the guy the ref puts his hand in the air.  Lame, huh?  But, Alex had another match the other night and the opposing team didn't have anyone to wrestle Alex so a fellow Beetdigger  (an independent as the announcer called him) wrestled him and "lost" to him.  (I mentioned to one of the coaches that it would be OK for Alex to lose once in a while, and he said, "Tell that to the boys.  They don't want to be the one!"  Ha!  Never thought of it that way!

 

 

 

While watching this first video, listen to the coaches in the background telling him moves to do.  How cool is that that they have taught him well enough to yell out actual moves for him and he gets it?!! 

 

In this next video you can hear the wrestling managers (girls) giggling.  It's not to be mean, it's because this is so awesome that a big, bad wrestler (who is darn cute and I'm sure the love of many girl's dreams) will allow this little, bad wrestler (who is also darn cute and the love of many people) kick his butt!  One thing you can't hear or see in these videos is how Alex's opponent is telling Alex what to do to wrestle correctly.  Amazing!!

 

 

 

Notice at the end of this video I say, "I love this position!"  I call that Alex's signature move.  He seems to do it quite often.  If you can't tell what he's doing, he is on top of his opponent but holding his ankles.  I don't think it's very productive as an actual wrestling move, but it does tend to confuse the opponent which then lends to a certain win!

 

 

Two things to mention for this video below;  Yes, that is a coach on the left side of the screen telling Alex to pull his opponents hair!  All in jest I assure you!  And you can hear them telling him he needs to be on top...he has the kid pinned but he's just lounging next to him.  Again, not an actual wrestling move, but it sure adds to the entertainment value.

 

 

I have to add some comments here;  this cute, young man that gives Alex a medal is a brother to one of the wrestler's on Jordan's team.  I guess one day he told his parents he wanted to give Alex one of his wrestling medals because "he (Alex) would wear it all the time, and I won't"  Isn't that sweet!!  And, yes!  He does wear it all the time!  He's very proud!

 

You can see in the videos he doesn't have as much energy as he used to.  Who knows why... could be his weight gain, could be his diabetes wearing him down (he did test low just 20 minutes after this match),  or it could be his hip has slowed him way down.  Who knows?  All I know is his record is 1 loss and many wins!!

 

 

And now a little addition about his upcoming dance date....

 

...this video is a bit dark, but Alex likes to turn off the lights in the living room, turn on the lights in the kitchen, crank the tunes real loud and practice dancing with his shadow.  Look out, Ashley!  You're gonna go out with the mamba king!!!

 



Some Movies for your Enjoyment!

I video taped Alex's most recent match;  it was a different meet all the way around.  There were 5 schools at this invitational and Alex watched and cheered on his team as they went through all of them.  He was truly disappointed when he didn't get to wrestle.  That is until the last match.  One of the coaches told Alex that if he helped out during a match, that he would make sure and get him someone to wrestle.  That's all you needed to tell him!  He worked his butt of!  One of the boys who is injured has become one of Alex's new best friends and Al follows him around like a little puppy dog.  But he told Alex what to do, and Alex did it. 

The last match.  Alex had been waiting since 3:30 and it was now 7:30.  He was anxious, tired, excited.  Then something terrible happened;  a kid on the opposing team got hurt.  An ambulance was called and Alex got really nervous!  He wanted to help the injured player.  He wanted to hug him. 

They moved the match to another mat since all the other teams were done with their last matches.  Other mats were rolled up.  The injured player didn't have to be taken to the hospital and ended up sitting on the sidelines (If that's what the side is called at a wrestling match...?)  Alex went over and asked him if he was OK, then skipped back to our team saying, "Yup.  He's OK!" 

Alex had been told that he would wrestle after Keegan - the last one on our team.  Alex waited.  And waited.  And waited.  It was now getting close to 9:00.

 Keegan is up!  Alex warms up with one of the coach's sons....

Once Keegan's match is done Al steps onto the mat while the 2 teams meet in the middle to shake hands.  The meet is done.  The ref takes off his whistle, the other team starts packing up their gear.  And Alex just stands there dejected.

But wait!  From the crowd you hear, "No.  There's one more match!"  "Wait.  There's one more." 

Someone from the other team undresses again and the coaches convince someone to ref (since the ref for that mat was clearly annoyed that he would have to do another match.  Yeah, buddy.  Like it would have taken you all night!  Sorry.  I don't mean to sound bitter, but the guy was downright rude!)

And then there is Alex's match...  sorry for the poor quality.  I used my phone to video tape and it only lasts 30 seconds, so you have a few videos to watch...

I'm glad you can hear what is on the videos.  When I downloaded it to the computer you couldn't hear anything, but on the blog you can!  Yeah!!

Everyone is cheering.  Telling him what moves to make.  It's total chaos that just sends chills up and down your spine to see all these tired young men cheer and yell as loud as they can for Alex.

And then there's this...

 

The kid he runs to at the end of the match is the coach's son who helped him warm up. 

Alex truly is a winner!  He's a part of a team that involves and cares about him.  Way to go Beetdiggers!!!

Al's first official wrestling match

Alex had his first official wrestling match against another school the other day.  Actually, he was able to wrestle against 2 different schools.  The first one (who shall remain nameless) was over and done with in 15 seconds.  I really don't even think it lasted that long, but it took the time keepers a few seconds to register their brains to stop the clock.  If I hadn't had my camera on sports mode, I wouldn't have any pictures, but as it is I do have a few.

 

The handshake...

 



...Al gets a hold of the opponent...

...the opponent picks Al up...

...and he's down...

 



...and out! 

The poor kid didn't know what hit him.  It probably took you longer to read this and scroll through the pics than it did for the match to last. 

 

He cried.  Like a little girl.  I don't know if it's because he was upset, or scared. 

But then a hero from Bear River High came to the rescue.  A young man asked if he could wrestle Alex, and that he would let him win.  I told him,  "I don't care if Alex loses, in fact, I hope he does sometimes, but let him take a breath!"  About 10 minutes later, a mom holding a baby with Down Syndrome came up to introduce herself (and the baby) and said that her older son was on Bear River's team and was so excited to see Alex there;  yes.  It's the same kid who asked if he could wrestle Alex.

So they put on their 'colors' and shake hands...

 



...and the kid gave Alex a good fight!!

 



This is a new move...

...I think it will be called 'The Alex'!

 



Finally!  They went the full 3 rounds and Alex got him in position...

...and pinned him!

 

 



And here is the winning salute...

...that lasted longer than the ref did!

 

 



Al wanted a picture of his paper.  The O is his and the X is his opponents and X means he was pinned by O.  Alex was SOOO proud!  And so was I.  Not only of Alex for trying so hard, but of this young man who let Alex work up a sweat and try, try, try, and then finally win. 

 

What I REALLY liked, was the coach from the green team, the team who whooped Al's butt...walked up to the Bear River kid and said, "That was the greatest thing I've ever seen!"

 

He had another match last night, but I didn't get pictures because my camera's battery died, but we had another hero, this time from Copper Hills High.  The Copper Hills kid wrestled an opponent, a hard, long match, then turned around and wrestled Alex right after.  And while he was wrestling, he kept giving Alex hints; "Turn me this way."  "Put your hands on my back."  "Almost there.  Keep trying!"

 

There really are Prince Charmings out there!  Thanks to those parents (and coaches) who have taught these young men that there is more to life than winning!! 

 

Oh, and one little side note;  Al got a singlet to wear for his match with Copper Hills.  He is very proud of it, and I will HAVE to get a picture at the next match.  But let's just say Al has a great physique!  His J-Lo is very well defined in his uniform!  He may not get a state title, but he will definitely win The Booty of the Year award!!!

Alex the Amazing part 2 with pictures (from Alex's perspective)

I had a great day yesterday.  I shouldn't have because my sugars were crazy, but I laughed throughout the day and worked hard.  Then came my favorite time of day; wrestling!  It was a bit different than most practice days.  We still had practice from 2:45 - 5:30 but then all our parents were invited to come watch us in an intramural scrimmage.  That's wrestling-ese meaning we got to do a match against our own teammates.  My mom came and took some pictures during practice warm up and then my sister took pictures of the match.  They did OK.  It's hard to see my muscles ripple via pictures, but they tried their best.

 

 

 

 

Here's a great butt shot my mom took (she can be soooo embarrassing) but I wanted to show this because check out my form! Everyone else around me is squatting, but I am able to keep my legs perfectly straight!
 

 

Here's another technique of mine; roll around like crazy while everyone else sits still stretching their legs.  It keeps my opponents guessing, even during warm ups!

 

 

 

My mom took this picture of me with a few of my teammates.  I don't know why that kid is sticking his tongue out at my mom, but I thought it was a good pic anyway.

 

 

When coach called us out of the stands I gave a wave to my adoring fans.

 

 

 Then I sat where coach told me to and waited....

 

 ...and waited...

 

 ...and waited.

 

This is a great picture because it shows the difference in the size of me and my opponent.  The poor kid never had a chance!

 

A little smack talk; "I'm gonna take you down!"

 

 And then we are on the mat!

 

 

 This is the ref.  He had to put some kind of ankle bracelet on me. Probably to give my opponent a better advantage.

 

 

 Then we bust knuckles at mid-mat...



...then let me at him.  I could do a complete commentary explaining my moves, my motivation, my thoughts while wrestling, but I think I will let the pictures do the talking!

 

I pinned him!!

The ref put my hand up in the air and the crowd went wild!  Actually, the crowd was cheering for me the whole time!  Screaming my name, yelling through their excitement at seeing such a great match.  I have to give my opponent credit.  He wasn't a sore loser.  I need to work on that for that one chance in a million that I am on the other end of a pin.  But, I must say again, the poor kid didn't have a chance!

 

I got a few congratulation bumps...

 



...then I make my move on the ladies!

Don't worry girls!  There's enough of me to share!

 



Then we ban together as a team and wrestle the mat.  It took all of us, but we finished it off!

 



 

A congratulatory kiss and hug from dad...

...and TJ. 

 

I'm the winner!!!  Yeah.  I know I am amazing!