I began writing a blog to pass some idle time and to vent my frustration at what swirls around me each day. My most popular entry came from a letter I wrote to my son after one of his wrestling matches. Colin was only 9 and I hadn’t given him the letter but thought someone should read it, and so it went up on the blog (It is also included within the book). The response was wonderful and the comments of thanks gave me a satisfaction that I had never felt before. I had shared my emotions to anyone who ventured to read and it had touched their hearts. In turn they had touched mine.
So then I began to write and before I knew it I was writing “Last Chances”. It’s my first attempt at doing anything like this and upon editing and rereading, I knew it could be much better. When doing something like this for the first time you begin to recognize the missteps and things that you should have done. But like one of the characters in the book, the only thing I could do was to just keep going forward. So now edit after edit after edit and here I am.
In truth, my writing is much like my wrestling. The more I do it the better I hope to become. I am not certain how good I am at either but I feel I will have my moments of quality from time to time. I hope you can focus on those moments when reading.
Wrestlers feel passionate about their craft. I suppose it is the same for many sports and their athletes. But wrestling is different, just ask any wrestler. People become swallowed by its appeal and the sport becomes central to the person’s identity. If you were to sit some of my friends into a psychiatrist’s chair and ask them about “who they are”, their answer may well be; father, son, husband….wrestler. The word will come up. It may be the first or it might be farther down the line in his personal description, but “wrestler” will certainly be quickly included.
The appeal of wrestling, I think, is its honesty. There is something supremely genuine about a sport that pits one against another in combat. There is nobility in those who endure the training that is required to excel. There is a courage required by those who endure, and brotherhoods shared for all who do.
Last Chances – dedicated to all those who “aspire to be”
Last Chances 
I too have become frustrated with my eight year old son in wrestling. I have wrestled for what seems like my entire life (youth, jr high, high school, and college), and sometimes forget how long it took before wrestling became “natural” to me. I always tell him that I don’t care if he wins or loses, as long as he tries his hardest. At times I forget how old he is, and demand too much from him. The letter you wrote to your son is exactly how I feel, but could not put into words. I can’t wait to read the entire book.
I coached a youth club for 4 years and I read your “fathers letter” at our banquet last year. People asked for copies of it It is so pure and from the heart it makes me and others cry. You are a gifted writer. I’ll buy your book, and I can’t wait to read it. sincerely – Thad
Brent and Thad – thank you both for your kind words. I hope you take a chance and buy the ebook…and try to ignore whatever errors I missed during my edits.
That puts everything into perspective. Thank you.