Dr. Bill Welker's West Virginia Mat Thoughts (click here) are a collection of brief articles providing valuable insights and inspiration on wrestling. Please check them out!
This column is to help and improve the health of wrestlers and coaches. As wrestlers we need to take precautions to prevent infections and funguses.
Don't wear wrestling shoes to practice; they carry many germs to the mat and loose stones that tear up the mats. Wear other shoes to practice and change.
Do wear head gear at practice. This will prevent cauliflower ear, which is a severe fungus of the ear. Fungus will destroy the outside of the ear.
Don't come to practice when you are sick; you can spread the germs to the other wrestlers.
Do cover up cuts and scrapes to prevent bleeding on the mat.
Always shower after every practice!!
Man’s oldest and most challenging sport, can trace its history back 5,000 years. Inscriptions on the walls of the tombs at Beni Hasan, Egypt, show maneuvers that are the same as those practiced in any wrestling room today. Although there is an infinite number of moves and countermoves to the sport, each is based on a series of specific skills.
"This is the gift that wrestling can give you, if you commit to it and pay the price to be the best you can be. Wrestling will continue to reward you long after you unlace your wrestling shoes for the last time."
I have always thought that to be successful in life’s endeavors takes effort and dedication. This is true in wrestling, and can be seen in our young wrestlers. I have always considered this a positive aspect of the sport that could be applied to other aspects of our lives.
I was recently shown a copy of an advent prayer that one of our dedicated youth wrestlers wrote. The young Sunday School student was asked to fill in the blanks (bold-face words indicate blanks), I guess his mind wasn’t on the subject. I got a laugh out of it, and hope you do.
Holy God, we want to prepare the way for Jesus to come into our lives. Help us to wrestle. Let us prepare the way of the Lord. May we find more time to practice. Let us prepare the way of the Lord. Help us pay more attention to the moves. Let us prepare the way of the Lord. Strengthen us to our opponents. Let us prepare the way of the Lord. Be with us as we kick their butts. Let us prepare the way of the Lord.