In just a few weeks begins what some may consider as either, (A), the most boring sports spectacle, or (B), the ancient expression of glorifying the greatest aspects of humanity, at the annual high school state wrestling championship tournament.
I happen to be in the latter group, but I understand why some might find wrestling the strangest of high school sports.
Wrestling is a language, and those who don’t speak it may not understand the games within the games which make every exchange a physical chess match. Wrestling is an ugly car, but I encourage you to pop the hood to see what makes it run.
It’s easily the world’s oldest sport. Whether Greco-Roman wrestling, Kushti wrestling or the modern iteration of American folkstyle wrestling, the goal is the same — pinning an opponent. The scoring system, which seems to mimic betting odds, determines the outcome if a pin does not occur.
Everything comes down to the pin, and there is the most beautiful part. The pin represents what didn’t happen. Wrestling is unarmed combat. The idea of grappling simulates battlefield tactics used once shields broke and bronze swords shattered. Once pinned to the ground, in battle, that’s where the fight went lethal.
Wrestling is not a fight. It stood in for fighting, as did many other original Olympic games. Instead of transitioning from the pin to a lethal move such as a choke or striking the vulnerable parts of the skull, a wrestler lets his or her opponent up, shakes hands and get ready for the next match. The pin represents mercy, to live and fight another day, and sometimes the same day.
Wrestling is a peaceful sport with a violent veneer. Violence in wrestling is almost inconceivable. It defeats the purpose. Despite being a combat sport, I can only think of a handful of times I’ve seen an actual fight at a wrestling tournament or dual.
I’ve literally seen more brawls at soccer matches and basketball games than wrestling tournaments. Why fight when everything worth fighting for in wrestling already got settled on the mat? Maybe some people could make the same observations of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, but I’ve never done that.”
