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Community Corner

Thinking of a New High School Sport? Try Wrestling

This rewarding activity builds self confidence by teaching boys and girls to rely on themselves instead of a team.

Do you have a kid who may be floundering a bit academically, or just not focused or plugged in to school? Are you looking for a sport to challenge your child?

The Calabasas High School wrestling team is always looking for dedicated kids ready to take on the challenge of their lives.

You might be asking, why wrestling versus football, baseball or basketball?

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Personally, my own son went through an amazing transformation, physically, intellectually and even emotionally as he served on the Coyotes wrestling team for three years. 

Ounce for ounce, you will not find a stronger athlete in high school or college than a trained wrestler. Wrestling training incorporates weight lifting and strength building.

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As a part of conditioning, some coaches require running distances and sprints to get the body in shape, just as a track coach would do for his runners to build speed and endurance.

Ask anyone who has ever participated in wrestling; they have learned life lessons and built confidence and character. Wrestling teaches self-reliance, self-confidence and life skills utilizing the power of positive goals, without making excuses for failure.

A wrestler can earn a spot on the varsity or JV squad regardless of class or age. Although it's a team sport to some degree, it's primarily an individual sport that allows each person to succeed at whatever level he or she chooses without having to wait for the rest of the team to catch up.

Coordination and balance are interrelated skills a good wrestler learns, as well as momentum and an opponent's momentum to set up takedowns. Speed is an indirect outcome of wrestling, and an effective wrestler will work the upper and lower body equally.

Whereas football emphasizes teamwork for success, wrestling allows a competitor to rise to victory based upon his own merits or handle defeat with no one to blame but himself.

Wrestling is a sport that allows every single student to compete, male or female, large or small, thin or big. Don't overlook it!

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