If the Shoe Fits....

by Coach Duncan, Southeast Raleigh

Over Christmas Break last year, we had arrived at a tournament and weighed in when my heavyweight realized he had left his wrestling shoes at the school. Unfortunately, he wore a size 15 and the next largest shoe size on the team was a 12.

He begged me to let him wrestle in socks, but I explained to him that this was not an option. Therefore, this 250 pound young man was forced to jam his size 15 feet into a size 12 wrestling shoe.

Well, this young man, large though he may be, is more apt to smile than frown. In fact, I had often told him he needed to work on "looking more mean" when he went onto the mat.

He was being beaten the entire time during the match until the third period, when all of a sudden he flipped his opponent over and pinned him. He came off the mat with a scowl on his face I had never seen. I looked at him and said "Leroy, is everything all right?" To which he responded gruffly "I'm fine". I asked him the same question again wondering if I had seen a change in Leroy's "game face". He looked up at me and said "I'm fine, but I can't feel my toes!"

Do you have a story you'd like to share? We would like to hear of your most memorable experiences with the sport of wrestling. We would like to hear from everyone - coaches, wrestlers, parents, fans, etc. Is there a particular wrestler that has stood apart in your mind from the others? What was the most exciting match (dual meet or individual) that you've seen or been a part of? Do you have a funny story you'd like to share? There is no length restriction - submissions can be 3 sentences, 3 paragraphs, however long you need to tell your story. Responses will be featured on NC Mat throughout the season. Email your story to info@ncmat.com

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