Sow the seed

The mayhem of the youth tournament series begins tomorrow with the Kid's Folkstyle State Regionals.  Almost 4,000 athletes will come together in eight separate locations across Wisconsin in an attempt to qualify for the Kid's Folkstyle State Tournament held in Madison in two weeks (over 600 in River Falls alone).  Thrown into the mix for many of these families in the coming weeks are trips to Wisconsin Dells for the Dominate in the Dells tournament and Cedar Falls, IA for the USAW Folkstyle National Championships.

A parent told me last night that he thinks there is more pressure surrounding this event than the state qualifiers for high school athletes.  It's a month that can become a pressure cooker for the youth athletes.

Of course, Victory School of Wrestling offers the "Regional Warm-Up," a program designed to introduce youth athletes to the concept of training for an event.  It's one of the most successful programs we have and I fully recognize the potential it has to "feed the monster" and create still more stress.  That's why it's crucial that we talk about maintaining a healthy perspective to athletes and parents.

In light of healthy perspectives, just imagine the stress that a 10-year old boy could carry over these several weeks.  Mom and Dad have had the hotel rooms reserved and submitted vacation days at work in anticipation of the weeks to come.  Unfortunately, in some degree, the happiness of his family is unintentionally dependent on his success this weekend.  I haven't met a parent that puts this on their children on purpose, however, as adults we have a responsibility to communicate our intentions clearly in order to maintain that important perspective.  This stress is not a hypothetical conversation for many of these families.

A healthy message to a youth athlete is only genuine when it comes from those who are actively practicing the principle of sowing the seed.   There are too many people who sow seeds and lose sight of it when it goes underground.  Often times they dig it up the next day frustrated nothing has happened.  Everyone who sows seeds understand there's a period that growth isn't directly seen; there appears to be no results.  They know that because the seed was properly sown, growth is indeed happening and it takes time to take root and germinate.  Sowing seeds is what youth wrestling is about and we have to be careful to keep that front and center this weekend.

We like things that are measurable, have immediate feedback or things we can count, with progress and cycles, etc.  There are a lot of adults who want to reap right now when, in fact, the seeds are still taking root.  Youth tournaments are part of a process.  In the sports culture it's easy to lose sight of the process because we underestimate the importance of the daily grind and over estimate the rewards.

This weekend isn't about collecting on our investments.  It's not about reaping what sow.  It can't be.  Not yet.  These young athletes are still growing.  They're still trying to take root.  They're not ready for the harvest.  It's our responsibility to make sure those roots are cultivated in fertile ground