Junior Worlds 2018 - Blog #5

Day 1 of competition is in the books for the women's team.  Macey stormed her way into the finals.  She started out a tad slow, but was in great position the entire day and pitched a shut out, outscoring her three opponents 24-0 with two technical falls and a pin.  She has her hands full tomorrow night against reigning world champion Khanum Velieva from Russia.  She won junior worlds last year and was a two-time Cadet world champion the consecutive years previous.  She's good - the longest arms you've ever seen for a 68 kg woman and incredible position.  She literally didn't give an inch the entire day, although her Japanese opponent did get to her legs a couple of times.  We've watched several of her matches, both live and on film.

After our team meeting, Macey said she knew what she had to do today to be successful: be stingy with points, stay in good position and keep the pressure on her opponent.  It was music to my ears.  Almost like it was rehearsed.  Well, actually it was.  It's what I've said everyday for the last 12 months in preparation for today.  I really believe it's what has separated her from the rest of her peers in the United States and has her in a place to be one of the best pound-for-pound young female wrestlers in the entire world.

Within fifteen minutes of Macey's semi-final victory, we had another huge victory from our little crew.  Ali had finished her final "weight cut" and stepped on the scale and received great news.  She had finally gotten down to 53 kgs (116.8 lbs).  Holy smokes, we have been eagerly anticipating the moment we saw that number on the scale.

For several weeks we've adjusted life, as we know it.  Workouts, diet, tears, joy...it's been a haul.  I'm so proud of her for persevering during this pursuit of managing her weight.  Obviously, we're here for a wrestling tournament and that's been number one on our minds, however, there have been a few instances when weight management has tried to steal our attention.  Last night she got pretty discouraged and vented a bit (actually, a lot).  I'm a good sounding board for her vents.  I turned it into an opportunity for an impromptu worship service and I played several of my favorite Christian songs and told her to focus on the lyrics.  It was a classic mental skills exercise - external focus vs. internal focus.  It got her through the workout and she woke up this morning in a much better mood and determined to get through that last bit of "suffering" to get down to weight.  What you put into your heart is what comes out. ;)

You know what's interesting about Truth (capital "T"/Bible)?  It's alway true, no matter what's going on.  The Bible says that our joy is not determined by our circumstances, it's determined by what Christ is doing in us and through us.  What we've found out to be true over the last few weeks during this descent to 53 is that when joy is mentioned in the Bible, it's often right alongside suffering, tears, heartache or troubles (John 16:20-24, 2 Timothy 1:4, etc.).  And what's cool about joy, is it's not "out there" somewhere.  It's already inside our hearts, so we just have to look in the right place.  It's been there all along!  Just like the Sunday school song:  I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart!  Where?  Down in my heart!  Where?  Down in my heart to staaaayyyyy!

How's that for a mantra at the Junior World Championships?!

Ali is down to weight and weigh-ins cannot come soon enough in the morning.  Macey will weigh-in at 8:30 am and then Ali and the other four girls competing for the first time here will weigh-in at 8:45 am.  Wrestling will get underway at 10:30 am (3:30 am in Wisconsin and Missouri) and Macey will compete for the gold medal at 6:00 pm.

No matter what occurs, it will be a joyful celebration.  Because our joy is already found.

Consider it our joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. - James 1:2-3. 

...And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sate down at the right had of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2.