It’s somewhat embarrassing to admit, but during my wrestling career I struggled with fearing my opponents. It takes a certain level of vulnerability to acknowledge this too, because I was actually feared by them; and there’s a sense in which the “tough” persona or fearful reverence is something I want to maintain. But, let’s be honest, […] More
This isn’t a novel idea. In fact, it’s one that is often repeated within wrestling circles. That is, it is imperative that kids build a foundation of love for wrestling before passionately seeking success within it. Many people hear this, perhaps even acknowledge it, but when the time comes to put the idea into action, it’s […] More
This is the third and final blog in the series pertaining to our discussion on values inherent in the statement “Life is tough; wrestling prepares you for the challenge.” If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to read the two previous blogs entitled “Fight For Success” and “Scars Have Meaning”. There is a […] More
This is the second installment of blogs related to the statement “Life is tough; wrestling prepares you for the challenge.” As noted in the previous blog, in addition to what I do for “Faith and Wrestling”, I am also a member of the speaker’s bureau for the United States Wrestling Foundation (USWF). And as an […] More
We have heard it time and time again: when it comes to wrestling, mental toughness is key. But I don’t think we recognize just how important it actually is. I personally understand the pressing significance of mental toughness as a result of my own experience as a wrestler. You see, I was not mentally tough. Growing up […] More
Many readers might not know this, but in addition to what I do for “Faith and Wrestling”, I am also a member of the speaker’s bureau for the United States Wrestling Foundation (USWF). Among other things, this organization is involved in creating marketing strategies for the sport of wrestling in order to help grow the […] More
I remember walking in the middle of the night through a neighborhood in San Diego because I couldn’t sleep. I was visiting my older brother who was a marine stationed there. The day before, I had made the difficult phone call to the assistant wrestling coach at Cal State Bakersfield that I wouldn’t be returning. […] More
I want my kids to wrestle. But you know what causes me to pause in terms of when I will introduce them to the sport? It’s me. It’s my tendency as a parent to protect them, comfort them, and alleviate elements of pain and suffering. You see, wrestling is unlike any other sport relative to […] More
For quite some time, I have tried to understand the issue regarding why the sport of wrestling struggles in terms of growth – both in participation as well as fandom. Recent years have shown that perhaps the tides are changing; but generally, wrestling has struggled in this area. There were a couple common routes I took in trying […] More
During my travels around the country this past fall, I was given the wonderful opportunity to return to Missouri and speak at Oak Park High School – both to the high school wrestlers, as well as the youth club “Greater Heights Wrestling”. While it was a rather quick visit, it was nevertheless very meaningful to […] More
In the last several years, we have seen an upsurge in a focus on “mindset training;” the recognition that the competitive mindset – this mental muscle – is something that wrestlers should place significant focus and value upon in the course of their growth in the sport. Obviously, I am one who has aligned with […] More
As some of my readers know, I do some traveling and speaking throughout the country, particularly in the summer and fall months. Some of these speaking engagements involve large venues and audiences, while others are smaller and include presentations to high school and college wrestling programs. Back in October, one of my stops was at […] More
In reality, there are several different facets of the wrestling community. There are family, friends, and fans of the sport. There are wrestlers from the past, those who paved the way for the sport – some still living, some who made their exit from this world long ago. And of course, I find it important […] More
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Michael Fessler