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First time on the mat: Colorado youth wrestling

Colorado's youth hits the mat for the first time for take downs, reverses, pins and more.

BROOMFIELD, Colo. — The high school wrestling season is underway.  Across the state thousands of high school wrestlers will battle for a chance to make it to the state tournament in late February.  

For each and everyone of these high school wrestlers there was an introduction to the sport somewhere along the line and although these kids have stepped on the mat countless times, there had to be a first time.  For every athlete there is a first, a first hit, a first basket, a first goal and yes, a first match.

The Genesis of many wrestling programs begin at tournaments such as the Lightning Strikes Twice tournament at Legacy High School on December 8th.  Hundreds of families packed into the high school gym hoping to see their little ones experience that first taste of individual victory.

The Lightning Strikes Back tournament hosts dozens of programs around the state with wrestlers from 4 to 15 years old.  Yes, wrestling isn’t just for the living room for these youngsters. Kids as young as four years old tie up their opponent, drag them to the ground and usually with a smile try to pin their foe.  Kids will look confused the first time out when the referee hands them either a red or a green ankle wrap.

What do we do with these, their eyes would say. Grandparents watched as dozens of little ones held in tears as they walked off the mat having witnessed their opponents hand being raised high by the referee.

Conversations of quitting after their first match were heard throughout the gymnasium, only to see those same kids experience the excitement of a win in match two.  It’s an emotional roller coaster, not only for the youngsters, but for the parents as well. Watching your baby strike out is a little different than watching them thrown to the mat. But this is where it begins for these future high school wrestlers, one match at a time, on their way to state.

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