|
Wrestlers refuse to cut weight, stay "fat and happy" |
PDF
|
| Print |
|
E-mail
|
|
Written by Will Watkins
|
|
Tuesday, 26 January 2010 |
|
“Fat and happy,” is and has been the Grant wrestling team's motto since Karry Cameron took over the wrestling program at Grant High School 27 years ago. Cameron was a varsity wrestler in high school, and his coach had him “cut weight” to end up in a lower weight class. Coach Cameron vows not to put his wrestlers through the same experience.
Wrestlers cut weight to drop into lower weight brackets, so that they can wrestle against smaller opponents during competition. The weight loss process can sometimes begin only one day before a match, with coaches asking wrestlers to drop almost ten pounds in less than 24 hours. Cutting weight is an extremely unhealthy process, especially for high school athletes, but is widely practiced in professional, collegiate, and even high school wrestling.
Coach Cameron can proudly say that the Grant wrestling program is the only program in the city, and possibly in the state, that does not allow its wrestlers to cut weight. The Grant wrestlers don’t go through any special weight loss practices before a match, they stay healthy, and try to maintain a constant weight throughout the season, give or take a few pounds.
Other wrestling teams in the state use standard methods for losing weight during the wrestling season. One popular method for dropping weight is sweating the pounds off at a sauna, and eating very little food during the time before a match, mostly consuming only liquids.
The Grant wrestling program is about more than wrestling; they care about other important things such as the health and academics of their wrestlers. “We care more about academics than wrestling ability,” says Cameron. “Many of our wrestlers can only practice 20 minutes a day, because they spend most of their afternoon in study hall.”
Grant is the only program in the city that allows a student to wrestle if they have missed practices for academic reasons. Cameron wants to make sure that Grant students value their academics over extra-curriculars and sports. “We want to give our students an opportunity to push themselves. Everyone should have the chance to wrestle.”
The Grant Generals wrestling team is the most unique team in the city, but it definitely has the strength and skill to go far in both city and state competition. The Grant wrestlers are some of the most fit athletes at Grant, as they are able to withstand the enormous demands of the excruciating sport. Cameron describes wrestling as “The hardest sport in the world. It’s the only sport where you can’t fake it. You are either in the shape to wrestle or you’re not. There’s no halfway stage. If you don’t put in the work and aren’t ready to go, you will be defeated.”
Wrestling is one of the least appreciated sports in America, and is unfairly represented through the media. Wrestling is one of the most demanding sports that high schools offer, and wrestlers are easily some of the most fit athletes in the school. The Grant wrestling team has that and more. Not only do they have the strength to succeed, they also have the values needed to be good students as well as wrestlers. The Grant team is sure to be a contender for the city title this year, and will hope to make a good run in state. And above all, they’ll still be “fat and happy.”
|
