The last wrestling match of the year for Alex....

...and he's a super star!  During practice the day before the match channel 13 came and interviewed us and taped Alex during that practice, then the night of the match there was channels 2, 4 and 13 all there for Alex!  The funny thing is this all started with me emailing channel 5 to nominate the team and coach for their High 5 Award - and all the other channels responded, but we didn't hear anything from channel 5!  Here are the 3 videos from those stations, as well as one of their teasers.  I was so glad they presented this story as much about the team as they did Alex.  The team and coaches deserve such great kudos for how they accepated and treat Alex! 

 

Alex had a big crowd of fans for his last match;  teachers, teachers, teachers!  For a kid who never likes going to school he sure had a lot of his teachers there for fans.  Brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles and even cousins!!!  I'm sure glad Alex knows he has such a great support system.  He deserves all the love this little man can take, and I know everyone that showed up was there because they love him.  And that's not counting the ones who couldn't make it to this match!  We probably could have filled the gym with just Team Alex.  Thank you to all for your support!!!

 

 

 

 

 http://tinyurl.com/b4q5qxbchannel 4

 

 

 

http://www.kutv.com/sports/features/talkin-sports/stories/vid_508.shtml

 

 

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!!!

Alex the Great!

I'm thinking that should be Alex's wrestling name!

Al started practice with the wrestling team this past week.  He did such an amazing job!  I was impressed with his tenacity, his endurance and his excitement over being on the team.  I was equally as impressed with the integrity of the coaches and other team mates and how they involved Alex in everything they did.

It's kind of hard to see in these pictures, but Al is in the center of both of them.  The top one is just him stretching with the other guys.  He's the one in the jazz jersey and white shorts, almost dead center of the picture.  And the bottom one is a feel-good picture; the team had started at the end I'm standing at to take the picture doing the crab walk.  Alex was one of the first ones to start out, but obviously everyone passed him, but they are all waiting on the other side for him to finish.  And what you don't see (hear) is all the cheering the guys are doing to get Alex to "keep going!"  It's fun to watch the other team mates.  They have been patient, but pushing.  Supportive, but strong.  And the coaches?  Well, let's just say those big lugs have brought this mom to tears a couple of times, just with the simple fact that they are allowing him to try out, but also with how they have involved him so heavily in the practices.  I know the boys on the team wouldn't be so supportive and accepting if the coaches weren't.

Mike and I are both Beetdiggers; all of Al's siblings and almost all of his aunts and uncles are Beetdiggers, and now my Baby Beet...I am so proud to say we are Beetdiggers!

I'm hoping to take some decent pictures this week and will make sure to post them, so look again later to see Alex the Great in action!