Your children can make you cry, they just can, whether they mean to or not, and sometimes they really mean to. Teenagers can be particularly harsh; I have a friend who says sometimes teenagers are just not good people.
I have two teenagers at 16 and 19 and a post-teenager at 21. But any therapist [...]
OPRFHS 2009 graduate Jake Venerable talks about what Coach Mike Powell means to him and why he came back to the varsity wrestling team after leaving for a year. And why this group of teammates who shared “blood, sweat and tears” will be his friends for life.
Brock Friesen graduates in June after four years on the OPRFHS wrestling team. He talks about learning from a coach –Mike Powell– who is more than just talk.
In March 2010 Ellis Coleman, a 2009 OPRFHS graduate, won a bronze medal at the Junior International in Bulgaria as part of the USA National Greco-Roman team. The three-time Illinois state medalist talks in this interview about the impact Coach Powell has had on his life, this sport and his wrestling family.
Evan was born to wrestle. According to his mom, Amy, this North Florida 119 pound champion gave the sport his all and she discovered that yes, there is some crying in wrestling.
Dr. Lauren Streicher has been my gynecologist for 17 years; she delivered Colin. In October 2006, I was diagnosed with breast cancer from a routine mammogram given by my radiologist, Dr. Joan Werber. She and Dr. Streicher are friends as well as colleagues. Hours after I was scheduled for a biopsy, Dr. Streicher called me at home to reassure me I would be fine. After surgery and radiation, I was fine. In December 2007, following disturbing elevated counts on two PSA tests, Dr. Streicher operated on me to remove my ovaries, for fear of ovarian cancer. Luckily, I did not have ovarian cancer. Dr. Streicher talks here about the kind of rapport she has with her patients and why. You will see precisely why I trust her with my life.
The team’s athletic trainer called me at work about 3:30. I needed to get Colin to the emergency room as fast as possible. On the Tuesday after regionals, what was initially thought to be a shin bruise, was now a dark purple, hot, swelling, gross mass, the size of a mango, or a small eggplant.
He is responsible for that moment of intense pride. It wasn’t handed to him, it didn’t land on him when he opened the window. it did not come from me. And it gives me chills to witness the satisfaction he reaps from his own determination.
Brendan Rogers, an OPRF Wrestler 2004-2009, talks about the impact Coach Powell had on his life, especially the moment Powell gave Brendan the team state medal; Brendan was unable to wrestle team state because of a knee injury.
He’s proud of his wrestling career in high school and briefly in college. He’s also proud of the “ear” he earned. Weldon Rogers talks about Coach Powell and his own transformation as an athlete and a young man. Now a college junior, Weldon claims he went from being “garbage” as a youth wrestler to placing fourth in Illinois in 2007 at the IHSA Class AA individual state tournament for 140 pounds.
Do you know how much your child weighs down to the ounce? Do you avoid making eye contact with your child after he or she loses a match until your child approaches you? Do you find yourself wearing the school colors every day whether or not you are attending a meet or tournament?
Then you're a WMD. A Wrestling Mom or Dad.
And we'd love to hear your stories. Submit a guest column, a few photos, videos, or comments and we will publish them on the site.
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