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.
So we sat and watched, cheered, screamed for every Oak Park-River Forest wrestler and passed the time, ate the sandwiches we packed; I drank the Diet Coke, Brendan drank the Gatorade. Colin drank a lot of Gatorade. (This will become important later.)
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.
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breast cancer
brendan
brothers
cancer
coach
coaches
coaching
Coach Powell
colin
Colin Rogers
high school
High school wrestling
making weight
mike powell
mom
Northwestern
oak park
Oak Park-River Forest High School
photos
powell
recovery
river forest
slideshow
tournament
training
winning
wrestling
Wrestling Family
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Youth Wrestling
