Tag: ‘Wrestling Family’


10 Life Lessons I Learned Watching Wrestling

Michele Weldon | January 13, 2012

It’s Friday night and I am in a Coralville, Iowa hotel room, a little weary from the four-hour drive from Chicago west on 88 and then even west-er on 80, past texting truck drivers and horizontal snow winds, miles of empty ice-dusted fields and about 1,000 signs for Subway. I just finished putting six turkey, cheese and spinach sandwiches I made this morning and about a gallon of Vitamin Water in the small humming refrigerator for Colin to eat tomorrow after the weigh-ins for the Iowa City West quad against Apple Valley and Marmion.


Caryn Brooks: You Know You’re A Wrestling Mom (or Dad) When…

Michele Weldon | December 28, 2011

You know you’re a wrestling parent when: Beyonce sings about all the “single ladies” and you hear “all the single legs” and wonder why Beyonce has a song out about wrestling?…The smell of wrestling shoes brings back memories of matches rather than makes you sick to your stomach (ok, it might make you sick to your stomach as well)…You know more about rashes than your doctor.


Nowhere else I’d rather be: Gearing up for Colin’s final high school wrestling season

Michele Weldon | November 16, 2011

In the stands every wrestling season since 2004 I have had plenty of anxiety attacks about what work I needed to do once I got home, what I needed to get accomplished for the house or for life, how to keep all the pins juggling in the air. But it was always worth it to go, spend most of the day in a gym wearing the orange and the blue just to see what splendor my sons could create. And it was splendid, even if the gym smelled bad and the other parents were sometimes hostile and some kids cried when they lost.


World champ Lee Kemp: U.S.A. wrestlers “represent the whole country”

Michele Weldon | August 21, 2011

At a fundraiser held in a bar near Midway Airport recently, wrestling moms, dads, aunts, friends and a three-time world champion shared pizza, meatballs and world-class encouragement from three-time world champion Lee Kemp for a quad squad of Illinois wrestlers headed to Szombathley, Hungary this week to compete in the World Championships. All of it to help four Illinois wrestlers; Matt Rundell, Darius Henry, Sammy Brooks and Zane Richards, with the costs of the overseas trip.


We always knew Ellis was destined to be great

Michele Weldon | August 2, 2011

Many of us who are members of the Huskies Wrestling Family have been watching Ellis Coleman for years, since he was an eighth grader member of the Little Huskies. And here he is, a 2009 graduate of Oak Park-River Forest High School, this week making this crazy flying squirrel Ellis move that landed him on the home page of Yahoo, ESPN and so many sites.


Calling All Youth Wrestling Moms for a Docu Series!

Michele Weldon | July 11, 2011

NOW CASTING: “SUPERMOMS” FOR NEW CABLE SERIES!

Do you pride yourself in being heavily involved in your child’s activities? Do you feel that your children are gifted with superior abilities in sports and/or the performing arts? Are you, without question, your child’s biggest cheerleader? Will you go above and beyond to make sure that your child can achieve his or her dreams? Have you and your friends bonded over a shared passion for your children’s activities?
areyouasupermom@gmail.com


Guest Essay by Caryn Brooks: “You deserve it”

Michele Weldon | July 10, 2011

As wrestling parents we all make hard choices. My children, especially Sam, have been given amazing opportunities because of wrestling. I would like to be there as they take advantage of those things, but it’s not always possible.


On Being extraordinary in wrestling and life: Coach Powell

Michele Weldon | July 5, 2011

See for yourself in this video why being on this team with this coach is an extraordinary experience for the young men on the team, including all three of my sons. Coach Powell talks about the coaches, the Oak Park-River Forest High School Huskies wrestling team, recent 2010 grad Charlie Johnson, and how any man can be extraordinary. Listen to senior Brian Toldeo talk about how wrestling changed his life. Watch Chris Ellis embrace Coach Powell. And maybe you can understand why it is about much more than wrestling.


Planning for next year’s team state wrestling championship

Michele Weldon | June 29, 2011

Speaking of off-season work ethic, Coach Mike Powell is in San Diego with some of the team training with the Vista wrestlers for a week of twice a day wrestling practices. Colin is there and working hard. The Vista wrestlers come to Oak Park in two weeks to train here.


Wrestling Mom’s 10 Commandments

Michele Weldon | February 6, 2011

You would think that good sportsmanship is a given, that as parents we are old enough to know better than to boo a young wrestler, a coach or a team. We want to teach our kids to be respectful, play fair, respect the referees and the opponents. After all, every match begins with a handshake between the opponents. And it is supposed to end with a handshake to the opposing team’s coach. It doesn’t always work the way it should. So here are 10 Commandments for Wrestling Moms (and Dads) to help you be a better fan.