Sports! - "I'd hate it- but I'd like to puke right now"

Isn't that a horrible thing to hear your kid say?! I was driving him to his wrestling tournament this morning and he was so afraid he was going to weigh to much... he refused to eat yesterday... and again this a.m. I bought him a PILE of fruit, juice and water. He refused even Triskets... he's 13 and now weighs 121. He started wrestling in Dec.  He has competed ONE other time- last weekend. He did okay. This weekend- they had him wrestling kids that have wrestled for a few years- and at 127! He got WHIPPED! But he LOVES it! He only won ONE out of SIX... but wants to continue through Middle and high school.
 
It just KILLED me to hear him talk about puking to keep the weight down! I had cheerleaders that wanted to do the same thing a few years back :(  I'm not sure I like all this! But his self esteem shot WAY up as he WON. But at what cost? I'm a little confused about it all. I think the sport is GOOD for him- but I surely do NOT want him getting any ideas of FAST WL to make a certain weight! He was absolutely DEAD SERIOUS!

When my BIL was in school... the wrestlers would chew gum and spit in a pop can... to loose weigh ! Their coach told them to chew real sweet gum and to SPIT the saliva out! They did this all night the night before a tournament!

Anyhow... not all that sure I'm liken this already! But I'll support my kiddo! He'll be a great wrestler by the time he's in HS! Just not sure about the weight stuff! He travels this week from Wed-Sunday to compete. Hope he has INTACT ARMS as he returns LOL (one kid had a broken collar bone today- and 2 more had ice/slings! Not to mention the CONSTANT bloody noses!) 

 

 

.... and so it begins. I wonder how the coach is handling the weigh-ins..  what he's telling the kids about making weight? When I was a kid, we either didn't eat or vomited.  Before a meet we'd get chocolate bars and oranges.  Unlike you though.. my mother had no clue. I'm with you... I hope there are no injuries to nurse....  these kids sometimes think they are invincible!!  (well... didn't we)?  

I guess everyone is different, but if my teenager said that and engaged in behaviors that were negative (obsessing about weight and throwing up and not eating), I'd make a quick change (remove him from the wrestling team-at least temporarily), meet with school officials and the coach, get rid of the bathroom scale & get counseling.  This path he has just started on is long, dangerous (physically, mentally and emotionally) and could quickly become a slippery slope.   Just my 2 cents Lisa

This has been going on since the 70's - my bf's in high school told me the same things. It is disgraceful. As a former bulimic, I can only say that it is so very dangerous and hard telling how many lives have been adversely affected by this type of training from authority figures. 

Oh my, that IS scary.  My 13 year old weighs 135 lbs but I can't buy enough food keep that boy satisfied.  Gosh, I wish I had some good advice for you.  I think you are doing the best you can from what it sounds like.  Just stay really involved, as you already are, and if you see many more danger signs, then it would be time for a serious talk and possibly removal from the team??? I was on drill team in high school and was one of the "bigger" girls at 135-140 lbs.  I remember we had to walk in front of the director and female assistant principles and if they thought we looked too big, we had to lose weight.  It never happened to me but I remember being SO scared all the time that I would be singled out.  I never thought about throwing up but I do remember dieting a LOT.  That was 15-16 years ago (OMG!).  Sounds like things haven't changed much.

Oh its a scary thing! My brother was very into wrestling in jr high and high school and once to make weight he went to our flordia room(room with all windows and its own heater/air cond.), Wre this plastic suit, blasted the heater and ran on the treadmill for 3 hours....it landed him in the hospital so be careful and aware....my mom had no idea I had to call her and tell her to come home b/c bubba was passed out!!!!

Ahh wrestling yes. The sport that is based on weight. Terrible. I always watch those kids run for HOURS. Kids spit, pee, dont eat, work out for 6 hours with LAYERS of clothes on just to make weight. Its just horrible.

And while it's categorized by weight class, their "efforts" result in muscle loss which impacts there performance. Sigh...