My son's Wrestling season...

[bushido_man96]

Ok, trying to get caught up here. Working the night shift now is killing me!

Here are vids from Kendall's first tournament this year, 12/21/2013, at Larned, KS.

Match 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zb7jTiKbdeU His bracket was combined 80 and 88 lbs, with four kids total. He didn't have too much trouble with the weight differences, which was good. He has been trying to do this headlock dance with kids, and we have been working on getting him to stop that, and working more on his takedowns, which are really good when he hits them. This match, he was able to get the kid tied up and taken down, but it was kind of sloppy, and worked for a pin.

Match 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A649tptMJD4 He starts off good and low, but ends up worrying about the head and the hands, and comes high out of his stance. He did have a somewhat workable hip toss kind of takedown, which worked for him. He is still working on cleaning up some positional stuff when he gets on top, where to go with his hands and whatnot.

Match 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8AmZDJM3eA This one was a tough one, with a kid from our same Wrestling club. They wrestled a lot against each other last year, and it was always tough. Its good to know they can train together. Still more head grabbing than I like, and he gets in some bad spots underneath, not controlling his body enough. He did hit a good reversal. Then he got high, and got rolled over. But, he learned some things, I think. He kept fighting for a half-Nelson, but that kid just is too tough to get it on, and I tried to get him to reach across and get the shoulder, but he didn't understand me. It ended up being only a one point victory for Kendall, so it was tough. He ended up taking first.

[bushido_man96]

Ok, I'm moving slow here, but time for some more clips, from his second tourney at Great Bend, KS. He had three matches, in a round-robin format.

Match 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOIzdp9Girg He starts out nice and low, and then he just wants to attack the head, which I and the coaches have been working with him on. I have failed to mention that he is wearing the maroon singlet. He got himself in a bad spot, ended on bottom, and then started fleeing the mat, which I don't care for, but it did show he had some awareness of where he was at. He started a good switch, but reached back instead of to the legs, which got him in a bad position. The other kid did a good job of controlling him while on top, putting Kendall in a tough spot needing points. He started on top in the third period, and the kid got up, but Kendall used a headlock to get him to the ground, and finish it out there. Still don't like the headlocks.

Match 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARxXmrOw-tM This match was against a fellow club member. Kendall is the red haired one. He started with a good sprawl and reversal, but allowed an escape. I just can't seem to get him to engage with the takedowns, and don't how to drill him out of it. He did stand up quick, but couldn't shake the hands off, and got taken back down. And in the 2nd period, we have a double leg takedown sighting! Probably turned the match around for him. He was able to work to pin from there.

Match 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MmAPpC1Tnw Kendall had wrestled this kid before, and I knew he liked to throw headlocks, so I begged and pleaded with Kendall to avoid getting into a headlock battle with this kid. But he didn't. He did do a good job of getting around behind, and taking him down, avoiding getting flipped himself. He got into a bit of a shoving match with him in the 2nd period, and almost got flipped in the headlock, but managed to drive the kid down to his back instead, and was able to ride out for a pin.[/u]

[sensei8]

Thanks for the video's...loved them all!! Kendall's got that fighter heart, and I love the way he drives...fearless.

I bow to KENDALL!!

As his dad, you must be so very proud of him across the board!!

[bushido_man96]

Thanks for the video's...loved them all!! Kendall's got that fighter heart, and I love the way he drives...fearless.

I bow to KENDALL!!

As his dad, you must be so very proud of him across the board!!

Thank you for the kind words, Bob! I am very proud of him. And not just for winning. That's great, but what I want the most out of him is working hard in practice (which he has been a source of ankst for me as of late... ), and then to go out onto the mat and give his all, win or lose. He hates losing, and still has a bit of an emotional setback when dealing with it, but that's ok, because I want him to feel that, too. I think he will learn so much from all of it, and make alot of great memories growing up, too.

I think that I actually get more nervous than he does. If he gets nervous, he doesn't show it. Before his first match last week, I was feeling kind of a bad vibe, because he just didn't seem to be that jacked up for it. I asked if he was ready to go, and he was like, "yeah, I guess, whatever." But when he went out there, its like a switch flipped, and he was on. But, if he can keep that kind of emotional even keel going, then the boy will be so much better off than I ever was. I still get so nervous about things its not even funny. He doesn't seem to, and that's a great thing.

Here are clips from his third tournament, at Hoisington:

Match 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj8l6qk_g8o By this time, we are starting to see familiar faces. This was the same kid Kendall wrestled at Great Bend. But, Great Bend and Hoisington are only about 30 minutes away from each other, so it isn't unusual that the same kids made the trip. He started out taking a shot, which was great, but got kind of smothered and worked after it, which I think kind of deters him from taking shots. He told me he's worried about them sprawling. This kid has a habit of locking his hands quite a bit, and did that at the previous tournament, too, which does help Kendall a bit. He made a good switch from bottom, helping him gain some control and get some points. And he didn't reach back that time. He tried to run a half-Nelson before breaking the kid down, though, and it ended up getting him reversed. He started the 2nd period with a decent stand and switch, but got himself in a bad position, and got reversed again. But I think his bottom game is getting a bit better, and he is getting out and reversing more. He did a good job of getting back in control and pinning.

Match 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2OYlCozGC8 Unfortunately, this is another match with another club mate. I don't like these matches, because I don't want it to cause friction with other kids and parents in the club, but the good thing is that there are 4 great kids wrestling in the same weight class at practice, and they do a great job of pushing each other and making each other better. Kendall is starting out on the right (redhead). He started out with another decent takedown, which I have been hounding to do more of. Shoot, and keep driving them legs! He is still trying to run the half before breaking down at times, which is where I would rather see him try to look for cradle options instead. He is getting better at getting heavy on his opponents, and we are working on scooping the head after getting them rolled over and losing the half. A good match. He almost had a pin there, but time ran out in the period. This kid did a good job of stopping his switch. Maybe we can learn another switch to change up against the club mates that know each other so well.

Match 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sbt7oYooCOU Little bit of hand fighting to start out, which gets him distracted, and he ends up standing straight up, which is doom in Wrestling. But he finally got to a leg, took him down from behind, and got a pin. Too much hand fighting...

Match 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqyELr679yY And match 4. This was another round-robin format, and was cool to see him wrestle so many matches. Unfortunately, this is another teammate he has to wrestle. Our club sent 3 kids in the same weight bracket! Kendall is on the right. These two have been pushing each other in practice a lot, and it has been showing. They match up pretty well, and this kid has given Kendall fits in practice when he gets on top. But, they both like to tie up and hand-fight with each other, and try to grab the head. Kendall tried to block and shoot, and I think he might have got it if he would have went to his knee and drove like he should on a takedown. But, in an unorthodox way, he took him down by grabbing his head and throwing him to the ground, and then pouncing on him! I guess if it works, it works...This boy is pretty strong, and tough to keep on his back, which is good, as it makes Kendall work more to gain control, to tighten things up. Kendall got reversed, and kept base pretty well until the end of the period. He started the 2nd period with a great breakdown, but somehow got himself into a funny position and almost got reversed. On the restart, he got headlocked somewhat, but was able to drive through it to keep position, and control. He had a brief cradle opening in there, but he still doesn't see them well yet. I think at times he gets too high, and then gets reversed. Still a little reaching back that gets him in trouble, too. His stand-up is pretty good, but he stands straight up when finished, and needs to squat a bit and push his hip out more, to keep a good base and to escape. He is doing this better now. He almost had an escape on the last stand up, but instead, turned toward him, threw a headlock, and took him down, which sealed the match for him.

This tournament was a great showing for our club, as we had three wrestlers in the bracket get medals.

Three tournaments in, and so far, so good. He does seem to be improving in a few areas, and his confidence is going up, which is great. We've got a big one coming up in Salina soon, and that will be a good test for him.

[bushido_man96]

Tournament #4 for this season. This was the first tournament that Kendall was able to do an 8 man, double elimination bracket. There were 7 wrestlers (one scratched), leaving one bye (which Kendall did not get, which is ok...I pay for matches, not byes!). There was one other kid from our club in this bracket, but Kendall and he were on opposite ends of the bracket, which made it nicer for them to not wrestle right away.

Match 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjdX5vF6prY The dreaded headlock makes its return! But, he was controlled, and stayed in good position, and made a good takedown out of it. Have to work on the transition to the head scoop after getting them on their back.

Match 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUstulLgmhE After his first match, I had Kendall stay down and watch the next one, to see who he would be wrestling next, and kind of scout them out. This kid is taller than Kendall, and appeared to be older, and he looked to really be in control in his first match. I have to admit, I was a bit worried about this kid. I thought he would give Kendall some fits, especially if he tried to tangle up with him standing. I preached takedown to him. But, he ended up getting into headlocks.. But, he had some very good headlock takedowns, really getting some good throws in. This kid was pretty strong, though. Kendall is doing a better job of controlling when on top in referee's position, grabbing the ankle and riding them down. His opponent was able to stand up pretty much at will, but Kendall did a good job of controlling him and pulling him back down from behind. Kendall ended up winning this match by technical fall, and didn't give up a point. I think I need to work on his swivelling a bit more, to get into better positions based off which way the opponent is leaning.

Match 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_X2-oNgrxE Championship match, with his teammate! They both went through the bracket to this match, which was another great showing for our club. Kendall is on the right. They start out with more dancing, which they like to do for some reason. He didn't win so many of these headlock battles as he got lucky falling on top. That's why I don't care for the headlock so much. One of these times, its not going to work for him, and he'll end up on his back. But, learning the hard way is still learning.... He has gotten into the habit of hacking at an arm in an attempt to break down, and I feel he is doing it in the wrong spots, instead of focusing on controlling more with the hand. But, this was another great match between these two, and they are both improving. 1st and 2nd for our club in that bracket!

Now, on to a big tourney in Salina for this weekend, where I think Kendall will get to see some great competition, and we should be able to really see how to guage Kendall for some state level competition.

[bushido_man96]

I was going to post the videos from the Salina Tournament of Champions, but I think there was a mishap, and I can't find them! Unfortunately, Kendall lost both matches at Salina, to some very good wrestlers. I expected it to be a tough tournament for him, but I hoped he would be able to compete, but these kids seemed just head and shoulders above where Kendall was at. I've been told that some of the kids that far east have already specialized in Wrestling, and do that for a bulk of the year. Its hard to compete with opportunities like that, but we will keep working to get better.

I will see if I can come up with the videos somewhere.

[sensei8]

I hope you find the video's because I really enjoy watching Kendall's progression, and he's just got that eye of a tiger. If it means anything, I'm very proud of him!!

[bushido_man96]

I hope you find the video's because I really enjoy watching Kendall's progression, and he's just got that eye of a tiger. If it means anything, I'm very proud of him!!

Thank you Bob! It means a lot. We do still have the videos, we just have to upload them. Will have them up as soon as I can, along with the rest of them.

[sensei8]

I hope you find the video's because I really enjoy watching Kendall's progression, and he's just got that eye of a tiger. If it means anything, I'm very proud of him!!

Thank you Bob! It means a lot. We do still have the videos, we just have to upload them. Will have them up as soon as I can, along with the rest of them.

I look forward to more videos of Kendall!! He understands proof is on the floor!!

Thank you Kendall!! I bow to you!!

[bushido_man96]

Ok, back on track here, I hope. Here are the clips from tourney 5, the Salina Tournament of Champions.

Match 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDvh7l16ZF8 Kendall is on the right. He stuffs this kids shot pretty well, but has trouble cross-facing his way out. He doesn't cross-face a whole lot, and we need to address that. He was fending the kid off, but got whistled for an illegal hold. (Sorry for the tech difficulties here!) Next, he tried to shoot, but was too tenative, and didn't drop and drive hard like he needed to, and got stuffed on it. On the next time they were stood up, he got to a spot where he might have put an Iowa twist to use (I think that is what its called), but he hadn't really learned it yet. He knows it now, and is pretty good at it. At some point in the match, the coach said the other kid was awarded back points with Kendall on top of him! Not sure how that worked, but oh well. He tried to be aggressive, but just never really could gain control during the match. He lost this match.

Match 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSrVmml_tA0 Well, he started this one out be trying for a headlock. I think he called for an illegal headlock, because he didn't have an arm in. It also put him in a bad spot, too. Then, he got thrown in a headlock, and pinned.

This was a tough tournament, and we knew it would be. There were a lot of studs at this one, and I think it was good for Kendall to see this kind of competition. He didn't think so at the time, but in the long run, I'm sure he'll come to understand.