Ethan The First Match

Six-year-old Ethan stood in the middle of the gym, clutching his water bottle tightly. The shiny, bright-blue wrestling mat stretched out before him like a giant, squishy trampoline. Kids all around were laughing, practicing moves, and tumbling around, but Ethan felt like his feet were stuck to the floor.

"Come on, Ethan! You’ll do great," Coach Johnson called with a grin. The coach looked big and strong, with a voice that made everyone feel brave. Ethan took a deep breath, adjusted his too-big headgear, and stepped onto the mat.

The mat felt cool and soft under his socks as he wiggled his toes nervously. He glanced around. Some kids were doing cartwheels, while others were rolling into funny shapes Coach called "bridges." One boy flopped onto his back and pretended to be a turtle stuck on its shell. Ethan giggled despite his nerves.

“Alright, everyone, let’s start with our warm-up!” Coach clapped his hands. The group began running in circles. Ethan’s sneakers squeaked against the mat as he jogged. It felt like a game, not practice. The other kids laughed and made silly faces as they ran, and Ethan felt the tight knot in his stomach start to loosen.

Next, Coach Johnson showed them how to “sprawl.” “Imagine the floor is lava!” he said, dropping onto his stomach with a loud slap. Ethan laughed and tried it. His little body hit the mat with a soft thud. The mat didn’t hurt—it felt like a giant pillow. The kids sprawled over and over again, giggling every time someone flopped too hard or rolled the wrong way.

When practice moved to partner drills, Ethan paired up with Max, a friendly boy with spiky hair. “We’re gonna learn the double-leg takedown!” Coach explained, demonstrating on another coach. Ethan’s eyes grew wide as he watched Coach gently scoop up the other coach and set him back down like he weighed nothing.

“Your turn!” Max grinned. Ethan hesitated but then crouched down like Coach showed them. He grabbed Max’s legs, pushed off with his feet, and toppled Max onto the mat. They both burst into laughter. Ethan couldn’t believe it—he’d actually done it!

“Great job, Ethan!” Coach called. Ethan felt a warm, proud feeling in his chest.

At the end of practice, the group played a game called “Shark Attack.” Coach was the “shark,” and the kids had to stay on their knees and wrestle without being tagged. Ethan scrambled across the mat, dodging and diving, his laughter echoing through the gym. When the “shark” finally got him, he didn’t even care—it was just so much fun.

As practice ended, Ethan sat on the edge of the mat, drinking water and watching the older kids practice. They moved so fast and smoothly, almost like superheroes. Ethan’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

On the car ride home, Ethan couldn’t stop talking. “Mom, did you see me? I took Max down! And I sprawled so hard Coach said I was a natural!”

His mom smiled. “I did see you. You looked like you were having the best time.”

Ethan nodded, his cheeks flushed with happiness. Wrestling wasn’t as scary as he thought—it was exciting, silly, and fun. He couldn’t wait for the next practice.