Going to the H.S. Wrestling Tryouts....

[jubaji]

you can't just bail on a whim, what have you done this weekend interms of studying. Your school work is always more important and there is nothing wrong with being realistic and saying I can't take on a sport and study. But if you make a committemnt to a sport you need to follow through. What did you do during football?? Genrerally speaking the retention of "crash" learning is not that good if you are starting Monday it probably won't matter. Also you can study after the match. You have to focus, this is what separates athletes from everyone else, drive, responsibility, focus.

yeah. What he said!

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Actually i don't start and i never really liked football. I always go to practice, i show up at every match that doesn't interupt my stfudying for exams,and i work to improve my techniques and moves. My mind is made up, i'm not going to the monday meet, even if i wanted to go my parents wouldn't let me.

On another note, you speak mandarin, jubaji?

[IPON]

Actually i don't start and i never really liked football. I always go to practice, i show up at every match that doesn't interupt my stfudying for exams,and i work to improve my techniques and moves. On another note, you speak mandarin, jubaji?

Again, your parents are correct, it’s not easy to juggle school and athletics, but it certainly can be done if you are willing to sacrifice. Remember, everyone on the team is in your circumstance and they make the grades (and I am not talking about "just passing" grades like "C or D"). We study pre and post match, don't "hang" on the weekend, limit the phone calls. Those are the sacrifices for the love of the sport.

Now I understand the difficulty you are having with wrestling and your questions. I am not trying to be cruel by saying this, but your coach probably does not respect you (as a wrestler). You probably see this and hopefully you have already discussed these issues with the coach. I mean even the managers are committed and come to all the matches. When I was a freshman, I remember that the talent was so good that some seniors were wrestling (practicing) for 4 years an never started varsity. Now these individuals would have started at any other school in the district. But they came to every match wrestled - off several times in the season all because they love the sport. Remember, it is an individual and team sport. The coach spends his time to develop winning individuals so he will have a winning team (freshman, JV and Varsity). He has to stay focused on the starters and back-ups that will contribute to the overall success of the team. So it will be very difficult for you to get his attention to help you if you are not make ing a contribution to the team and I am sure this may be the case with other wresters as well.

Well, if this is what you decide, remember this is practice, against people you roll with everyday so it will be hard to judge improvements. Meaning, are your TDs improving or you are just so used to someone you got through there defenses. Also, the other wrestlers may not take you seriously when they roll with you and may just let you get a TD or cradle with minimal or no resistance. I would look toward the spring and summer, stay in shape and go to some tournaments and summer training camps (check out the link the mat.com for camps) to test your improvements. If you want to continue next year, you should fully join the team and make a serious commitment. Like Yoda said to Luke "there is no try, either do or do not"

[jubaji]

I gotta agree with Mr. Ipon here. If this is your approach to the sport you might want to show more regard for the fully committed and do something else. Join a local bjj club and leave it at that. The full-time members are doing something quite a bit more. I remember being a student putting in 5-6hrs a day in training, working two part-time jobs, and putting a full effort into classes (and juggling girlfriends--but thats another story!). We were not kind to those who slacked. During the off-season I always had more trouble 'cause I had too much (read: any) time on my hands. Sports can teach you alot if you let them.

[jubaji]

On another note, you speak mandarin, jubaji?

Well, I've forgotten alot but I can still hold my own in a simple conversation I suppose...It seems I've traded some of my limited brain space as I've tried to improve my Japanese.

[jubaji]

In your occupation it says you're a teacher, what do you teach? being a teacher you should know that academics is more importat than a past time .

I teach English, among (many!)other things. I dare say I know alot about learning, and about wrestling. I think you'll find out important things if you really commit to what you have started. Alright, that's enough internet preaching...

Are you studying Mandarin? Planning to go to the middle kindom someday?

[Bjjexpertise@be]

My initial language is cantonese and i've studied mandarin for 5-7 years. But seriously, all the "fully commited members" of wrestling have barely passing averages except for the state champ, who has a 5.0 gpa.

[jubaji]

[QUOTE=Bjjexpertise@be]My initial language is cantonese and i've studied mandarin for 5-7 years. But seriously, all the "fully commited members" of wrestling have barely passing averagesQUOTE]


Because of wrestling? Or are they not natural scholars who are only still in school because of wrestling?

"initial language"? Do you mean that your first language is Cantonese? English is your second language?

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Well the kids aren't very bright to begin with, combined with wrestling, their grades are ever so low. And indeed, my first language is Cantonese and my second is English. When I started pre-k here in the US, I had no idea wtf a Kleenex was. Those idiots were called tissues by the company logo, idiots.

[jubaji]

Well the kids aren't very bright to begin with, combined with wrestling, their grades are ever so low.

"combined with wrestling"?

You don't yet get the point, I see.

[IPON]

My initial language is cantonese and i've studied mandarin for 5-7 years. But seriously, all the "fully commited members" of wrestling have barely passing averages except for the state champ, who has a 5.0 gpa.

Dude, my point is that wrestlers (and athletes in general) around the country are getting good grades while juggling the demands of the sport or sports. So if you are making an excuse for flaking out becuase of an exam, again, were you studying Friday Saturday and Sunday for these exams?? There may be a lot of wreslters that would not get high grades regardless of sports, mostly becuase or interest, underachievement etc. Not everyone will have a "A-B" average but alot do have respectible GPAs. 5.0 GPA how is that possible, if you include an A+ that is 4.3. Your school must used weighted grades and the stae champ must be an honor student to have his GPA weighted to 5.0.

Basically, my point is that if you cannot or not willing to sacrifice for the sport that is fine (seriously). But if that is your decision you probably should not participate at all.

Have you noticed the attitude that I refered to regarding you as a wrestler??

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Why shouldn't I take the sport at all? I would have loved to go to the meet if there weren't exams, and yes I have been studying for my two hardest exams over Friday-Sunday. So you're saying that I don't deserve to do a sport because I chose studying for a chance of getting a better grade on an exam, over going to a meet, getting less time to study AND risk getting a lower grade? Look I need the grade on the exam to help my math grade and I have over 100 vocab words to memorize, so I'm cutting one meet.

[jubaji]

so I'm cutting one meet.

You're taking a course in how to do things half-assed. The AP level is how to be a quitter.

[IPON]

I always go to practice, i show up at every match that doesn't interupt my stfudying for exams,and i work to improve my techniques and moves.

Why shouldn't I take the sport at all?

Becuase you are not taking the sport. You say you go to the matches that are convienient. My point again, is that everyone has school work and everyone studies and makes the sacrafice that necessary. No, I don't think you should do anything half assed school or wrestling.

So you're saying that I don't deserve to do a sport because I chose studying for a chance of getting a better grade on an exam, over going to a meet, getting less time to study AND risk getting a lower grade?

It is not an issue of rights but an issue of reality though HS sports are a privilige based on maintaining grades). If you can't handle both academics and sports, obviously sports goes. But if you are going to do both, you have to be focused and committ to both, that is my point. The secondary point is that (and I could be wrong) you will not learn much, becuase noone will take you seriously, so you will waste your time.

[Bjjexpertise@be]

Let's just drop the subject this is going nowhere and the event is already over.