when I injured my finger.

almost broke it, according to the doc.  He advised me NOT to continue wrestling…but left the decision up to me.

Well, I said wrap it and go!

and go I did.

The rest of the tournament (unlike the beginning, pre-injury part), I wrestled, not with the pre-determined hesitation and worry (like many do in big events)…rather, with an underlying anger…

and some attitude…

Taking it out on everyone I wrestled, like it was their fault I got hurt.

I proceeded to win the next 4 matches, including:  defeating a multiple state champ…a multiple state placer…and an undefeated (until that tournament) state champ.

Those are 3 different opponents, for those wondering if I am employing funny math.

The best part…

I was a 2nd year wrestler.

Good thing I had a little edge, a little anger running through my veins.  There’s a strong probability that if I hadn’t, those results would’ve been different.

Sometimes, in the name of trying to get our athletes to ‘control themselves’ (and I’m not advocating for thrown headgear and punches), we take the edge off – the same edge that can be cultivated and utilized to our advantage.

Advice:  wrestle with controlled anger…some attitude, and some edge.

It beats the heck out of wrestling scared.

Speaking of edge, here’s how to get the edge on your adversaries this spring