Student says he's not feeling well, coach makes him wrestle anyway: 'tough it out'.
High school is a minefield to navigate, with immense pressure coming at you from teachers and classmates.
So what do you do when an adult takes it too far? Report them (hopefully), and then post about it on Reddit!
'Practice don't stop for nothing.'
PhilPhilbertson1 writes:
Back in high school I was on the wrestling team for a while. I was not that great but I did my best and always showed up on time and ran all the drills as asked.
There was this one guy on the team who everyone hated because he tended to play dirty, even when wrestling with teammates. Coaches didn't seem to mind much because he won a lot. Boys will be boys and whatnot.
Well, we were gearing up for a big tournament and I knew practices were going to start getting a lot more intense. So, I tried to cheer myself up by eating several candy bars beforehand for the sugar rush.
Once we got going, though, things did not sit well. As soon as I started sweating, I started really sweating. I felt awful. My stomach was turning over and over like a washing machine. Just a real wreck inside.
Sounds like ideal wrestling conditions!
I told one of the coaches I felt sick and he brushed it off saying I was trying to get out of practice and avoid having to wrestle with the guy I mentioned above. I didn't mind getting out of that, of course, but I was really sick.
I pleaded with the coach, but he told me the only way to get better was to tough it out and finish practice. Some BS coach nonsense about earning the right to feel better through effort. 110%!
Oh no...
Well, I did what he said. Got back into it. As soon as I grappled with the dirty teammate, well, I made him extra dirty, if you catch my drift. Big mess all over the mat and on him.
I stopped wrestling after that season.
Here's how Reddit responded...
snewton_8 relates:
I think most (not all) wrestling programs are as damaging to boys bodies as girls trying to stay fit for dance/cheer. I remember starving myself for days and wearing rubber suits to make weight and then eating sugar cubes and honey before matches so I had some sort of energy. It was a stupid cycle they expected.
OP agrees:
Absolutely. Life and health got so much better after quitting.
Arcangel4774 says:
I get rightously angry at coaches like that. A good wrestling coach should teach about how to healthily diet and control what you eat. Keeping track of nutrition, hydration, etc. My coaches were always preaching against the binging and fasting
From K1yco:
'Big mess all over the mat and on him.' Hope you told the coach to tough it out and have people wrestle in the mess.
OP:
Lol. If only I had such confidence back then.
And then he leaves us with this:
As it good as it might have felt to throw up all over the guy who fought dirty a lot, my stomach was a mess. Eventually felt better, but they made me work so hard to clean everything up.
Some of the other wrestlers had to keep him away from me to prevent a fight. He was ready to fight even with the throw up on him. It was a real mess. Don't recommend!